Heading into Memorial Day, Secretary for the Massachusetts Division of Veterans Providers Jon Santiago each raised “significant concerns” about federal cuts to the VA and highlighted the work Massachusetts is doing to help veterans throughout the state.
“We say we support veterans, we thank veterans for their service, but I’d love to see some action with that, right, and not just words,” stated Santiago when requested about federal help for veterans on a section of CBS’s “Keller at Large” aired Sunday.
“And when you’re talking about cutting services, retracting support, that raises concerns for me, not just for the veterans who are coming back from abroad, which we still have 1000s of folks abroad serving today,” he continued. “But about those who have already paid the price, who have already borne the burden of service to this country.”
The secretary addressed the 15% minimize of the VA workforce proposed beneath the Trump administration, highlighting the hazard particularly in gentle of present “backlogs and staff shortages” and up to date will increase to veterans eligible for providers. Underneath the federal Pact Act of 2022, which elevated eligibility for VA providers, 1.5 million extra veterans are actually eligible for the providers in Massachusetts.
“You increase millions of people getting the eligibility to get services, but you’re taking away the staff to address their needs,” stated Santiago. “It raises some significant concerns.”
Santiago additionally famous the VA is a “major research hub across the entire country” on WCVB’s “On the Record” section aired Sunday.
“What they’re doing right now is effectively putting hiring freeze on VA researchers,” Santiago stated. “It’s about 200 of them across the country working on 300 trials impacting 10,000 veterans on precisely things like PTSD research, the cardiac pacemaker, liver transplants — that stuff originated from the VA.”
The secretary additionally spoke to what the Commonwealth is doing for the veterans’ communities, together with a $20 million funding focused in direction of veteran homelessness, long-term care amenities enlargement and extra.
“We pride ourselves in Massachusetts with respect to what we’re doing for veterans, I would put us above any state in this country, but there’s always a gap to fill,” stated Santiago. “There’s always needs to be addressed, and that begins by engagement with the veteran community.”
At long-term care amenities in Holyoke and Chelsea, Santiago stated, care has rebounded from the pandemic lows and the state is planning to double the capability of the Chelsea facility. Requested about plans for a possible third facility, the secretary stated they’re “very preliminary” and famous 65% of the amenities are funded via the VA.
The HERO Act, which expanded advantages and modernized providers for veterans in Massachusetts, is “100% implemented as of today,” Santiago stated, calling it the “most comprehensive piece of veterans legislation in the history of the Commonwealth.”
The secretary additionally spoke to the significance of Memorial Day heading into the vacation.
“It’s about reflection and gratitude and really acknowledging the sacrifice borne by generations of Americans for 250-plus years that have allowed us to be who we are, to share these values and to have the freedoms that govern how we live in society today,” Santiago stated. “So for me, it’s a moment of gratitude. It’s really a sacred American day.”
