Syracuse University

In a state as large as New York, a steady stream of smart, innovative work is coming from NYHealth grantees and non-grantees alike that is relevant to NYHealth’s priority areas of Building Healthy Communities and Empowering Health Care Consumers and its focus area on Veterans’ Health.

These organizations should be elevating their work and informing key stakeholders at regional, statewide, and national conferences, meetings, and other convenings. Yet, because of a lack of resources, they are often unable to do so. To address this issue, NYHealth is awarding grants through its Sponsoring Conference Participation in Support of Healthy Communities, Consumer Empowerment, and Veterans’ Health Request for Proposals (RFP). Through this RFP, NYHealth is sponsoring low-resource organizations to attend and present at local, State, and national conferences related to these areas. In 2021, NYHealth awarded Syracuse University (SU) a grant to participate in the National Organization of Veteran Advocates 2021 virtual spring conference as part of its efforts to support veterans’ health.

Under this grant, two staff members from the Michael D. Wohl Veterans Legal Clinic at the Syracuse University College of Law participated in the three-day virtual event. The online conference brought together attorneys and other qualified members who acted as advocates for disabled veterans. This event helped the staff members increase their knowledge, confidence, and expertise in representing veterans before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims and the Department of Veterans Affairs. By participating in this online conference, the staff members learned how to better assist veteran clients and teach student attorneys.

View a complete list of conference participation grantees.