Minnesota

Assistance Council for

Veterans
Serving Veterans Throughout Minnesota

MN HVRP Conference
Best Practices
VETLAW
July 31, 2006

Kara Cornils – VETLAW Program Manager

Minnesota Assistance Council for
Veterans
• Our mission
– to provide assistance throughout Minnesota to
positively motivated veterans and their families who
are homeless or experiencing other life crises. We
accomplish this mission by providing services
directly or in collaboration with other service
agencies.

• Serving veterans statewide since 1992

– 100% Veteran Focused

• Each month, on average, we have contacts

with approximately 500 veterans statewide
 Minnesota Locations
• Minneapolis
• VAMC Campus Bldg # 47- 13 beds
• MACV 9 Houses 26 beds
• Administration Office in Bldg # 10

• Duluth
YWCA 10 dedicated rooms/beds
• Mankato
Radichel Town Homes
11 units Permanent Housing for Disabled
Veterans
Eligibility for MACV Services
• Veteran status verified – DD214
Honorable Discharge

• Homeless Veteran

• Prevention

• Minnesota Resident
 What we assess with the
Veteran

• Housing Status • Living Skills

• Health Status, • Eye & Dental
mental & Care
chemical • Legal Issues
• Medical
Problems
• Employment &
Income Status
 Desired Outcomes
• Placement in appropriate housing
• Increased level of life/living skills
• Increased level of income
• Increased level of financial
responsibility
• Increased level of health
– mental & physical
• Increased level of responsibility and
connection to the community
• Increased ability to interact in
relationships
 VETLAW
Veterans Employed Through
Legal Advocacy Work

•Program established November 2003

– 367 Veterans Served to date

– 553 Case files closed

 VETLAW
• Veterans Employed Through Legal
Advocacy Work
• Addresses legal barriers to
employment or housing for
homeless veterans
• Must be a MACV participant
enrolled into one of our programs
• No criminal/defense cases, no
divorce, no child custody
Civil legal issues addressed by
VETLAW
• Child Support
• Determine current obligations & facilitate
communication between veteran & Child
Support Agency
• Income Taxes
• File back taxes
» Utilize free tax filing services for low income
individuals
» IRS will print out past year W2 forms
• Eligible for refunds for past 3 tax years
• Earned Income Credit
• Assist veterans with setting up payment
plans to IRS
 Civil legal issues addressed
by VETLAW
• Criminal History Verification
• Verify accuracy of criminal history
• Refer veteran to volunteer attorney for
criminal expungement advice/information

• Student Loans
• 1-800-FED-AID : find current service
company for student loans
• Assist veterans with setting up payment
plans
• Administrative Garnishment
 Civil legal issues addressed
by VETLAW
• Credit
• Verify accuracy of credit report
www.annualcreditreport.com
• Refer veteran to credit counseling agency
or volunteer attorneys for legal advice or
help in dealing with creditor harassment

• Evictions/Unlawful Detainer
• Refer veteran to volunteer housing
attorney
 Outcomes
• Addressing legal issues impacts a
veteran’s ability to obtain/maintain
housing and employment.
• Income taxes
– In 2005 VETLAW helped 51 veterans
get taxes filed.
• Total Refunds Received: $15,977
• Total Owed to IRS: $3355
 Resources
• Volunteer Lawyers Network
• Criminal Justice non-profit
organizations
• Local Bar Associations
• Local Law Schools
• Legal Aid
• Courthouse Self-Help Centers
• Legal websites
– www.lawhelp.org
 CONTACT US:
• MACV Minneapolis Metro 612-726-
1327

• MACV Duluth 218-722-8763

• MACV Mankato 507-345-

8258

www.mac-v.org