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Veteran Sponsorship Initiative

What VSI Does

VSI utilizes a community-based approach to enable successful transitions out of military service in three critical ways:

  1. Training and certifying community-based peer sponsors who help service members identify and engage local resources for successful reintegration. State and local organizations manage networks of these sponsors across the United States with support from Onward Ops and its transition platform.
  2. Facilitating enrollment to VA health care services for Veterans identified as at-risk for suicide by a population-based screening process occurring prior to discharge from the military. Through VSI, service members and Veterans receive proactive, individual assistance with accessing community-based resources and, for those eligible, convenient VA healthcare services through a National Virtual Care Clinic.
  3. Conducting rigorous evaluation of this evidence-based community-based public health approach to reduce suicide in transitioning Veterans in VA compliance with the Congressional Foundations for Evidence-based Policymaking Act of 2018 (Evidence Act, US Public Law 115-435).

Who We Are

VSI is led and co-directed by the Transitioning Service Member/Veteran Suicide Prevention Center (TASC) which is housed within the VA VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans and the VA VISN 2 Mental Illness, Research and Education Center (MIRECC). These VA centers are leaders in developing and evaluating innovative treatments; and training clinicians and community providers to address healthcare needs in active duty service members and Veterans. VSI is also one of the VHA National Center for Healthcare Advancement and Partnerships healthcare advancement initiatives.

A Cross Sector Coalition

To implement VSI, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) engages with a nation-wide coalition of organizations across the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Department of Defense, academic affiliates, state or municipal programs, and community partners that support service members, Veterans, and their families in successfully integrating into civilian communities. This coalition achieves this mission by engaging service members on military bases prior to discharge and offering supportive services to navigate the ‘deadly gap.’

Onward Ops

A key component of VSI is support from Onward Ops, a community-based transition program for military service members powered by the ETS Sponsorship Program (ETS-SP), a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization. The Veteran Sponsorship Initiative enables VA, Onward Ops, and the partner coalition to help Service Members create tailored transition plans and make destination states and communities aware of each Veteran’s needs months in advance to facilitate proactive support for housing, employment, educational opportunities, VA primary care and mental health services.


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