hvpi

VA & Community Resources for Veterans & Families at End-of-Life

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 12:36:28 GMT

Thank you to everyone who joined our Q1 HVPI meeting last week. We appreciate your participation and engagement.

Meeting Review:

Liz Davis provided a great overview on Veteran Resources :

Watch the Presentation Video
Download the Presentation PowerPoint
View the Indianapolis VA Resources Cheat Sheet
See the List of VA Contracted Facilities for Indianapolis
See the Northern Indiana VA Resources Cheat Sheet

Partner Spotlight:

Thank you to Hannah Stuck from Cornerstone Caregiving South Indianapolis for sharing about your organization and the work you do to help Veterans access their benefits and honor their service.

Referrals or Assistance: (463) 230-7966

CEU's for Social Workers:

HVPI is pleased to share that we are now licensed by the State of Indiana to provide CEUs for Social Workers.

To receive upcoming training invitations and login information, Social Workers are encouraged to join HVPI here .

Upcoming Events:

We Honor Veterans Webinar :
The Alliance will host a webinar on March 25th introducing new program requirements. Registration details were emailed to WHV coordinators.
We Honor Veterans Readiness Huddle – April 1 | 10–11 AM
Partners are invited to join this HVPI-hosted discussion to review the new requirements and connect with other coordinators.
Run to Honor 5K & 1-Mile Walk – May 16 | 9 AM
Support the Run to Honor 5K & 1-Mile Walk in Marion as the community gathers to honor our heroes. Event organizers are currently seeking event sponsors (company logos featured on race shirts) and volunteers to help the morning of the event.
To get involved, contact Kpitt@htohh.com or 765-661-2980.

2026 Social Work Month CEU Opportunity!

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 15:00:32 GMT

Luke's Wings: Transportation Resources

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 22:00:39 GMT

Thank you for joining us for our Q4 meeting last week! Please see the following information from our speaker, Mackenzie from Luke's Wings.

Luke’s Wings:

"No Service Member Spends The Holidays Alone"

Mackenzie Yaede: Family Communications and Logistics Coordinator

O: (202) 735-5471

C: (973) 524-4763

Luke's Wings Powerpoint

Pinning Ceremonies

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 19:35:34 GMT

Thank you for joining us for our Q4 meeting last week!

Meeting Review:

Luke's Wings

Mackenzie Yaede: Family Communications and Logistics Coordinator
O: (202) 735-5471
C: (973) 524-4763
Luke's Wing s Website
Luke's Wings No Service Member Spends The Holidays Alone 2025 Flyer

Pinning Ceremonies

VA Social Worker Liz Davis and Volunteer/Navy Veteran Al Kozimore presented on facilitating Pinning Ceremonies to honor Veterans at end of life. You are welcome to use any/all of our resources exactly as they are or edit them and make them your own. Attached are copy of slides and all resources are posted on our website on previous blog post: https://www.hvpi.us/pinning-ceremony-materials
12/4/25 Pinning Ceremony PowerPoint Presentation

HVPI Updates/Resources Shared:

2026 at a Glance
Food Assistance Resources for Veterans: Military Family Relief Fund - Operation Emergency Food
2025 Holiday Drive
HVPI is excited to launch our 3rd Annual United We Stand Holiday Drive. This year we'll be supporting Homeless and newly housed Veterans as well as Marion's Palliative Care Unit. We're excited to see how much our Partners can gather this year! Please see our sign up genius to see our Virtual Giving Tree as well as details on drop off/pick up options.

Suicide Prevention and Community Resources

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 19:22:32 GMT

Thank you for joining us for our Q3 meeting last week!

Meeting Review:

2025 Holiday Drive

HVPI is excited to launch our 3rd Annual United We Stand Holiday Drive. This year we'll be supporting Homeless and newly housed Veterans as well as Marion's Palliative Care Unit. We're excited to see how much our Partners can gather this year! Please see our sign up genius to see our Virtual Giving Tree as well as details on drop off/pick up options.

Wreaths Across America

During the meeting we heard from Annie Brooks from Wreaths Across America. On December 13th, cemeteries across the country will be laying wreaths on Veterans' gravesites. To sponsor wreaths or participate in this great event, please visit their website, Wreaths Across America . If you have any questions, Annie Brooks (Location & Group Liaison) can be reached at 207-618-5322 or region5@wreathsacrossamerica.org .

Suicide Prevention

Nate Moore, VA Suicide Prevention Coordinator from Northern Indiana Healthcare Systems, shared with us VA's S.A.V.E. Training. See recording of presentation above and slide deck HERE
Training resource: Psych Armor
Free gun locks: VA can provides free gun locks for Veterans! Send the Veteran's name and address and # of gun locks needed to INDPsychSPTeam@va.gov and they will mail the gun locks directly to the Veteran. For more info or pictures of the gun locks we provide see this website : https://www.va.gov/reach/lethal-means/

Next meeting: December 3, 2025 @ 10-11:30 am EST via Teams

Navigating Difficult Conversations & VA Service Connected Conditions and Death Certificates

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 19:32:55 GMT

Thank you for joining us for our 2025 Quarter 2 meeting on 6/4/25.

Meeting PowerPoint: DOWNLOAD HERE

Navigating Difficult Conversations with Dr. Lyle Fettig (Chief of Palliative Care at Roudebush VA Medical Center)

Recording above
Handouts: IU Talk Skills Sheet & Values Mnemonic for Exploring Values and Goals

VA Service Connected Conditions & Death Certificates – Liz Davis, LCSW (Roudebush VA Medical Center)

See handout on summary of what is a service connected condition, how to confirm a Veterans SC condition, and the importance of including it on death certificates, when appropriate.
Recording below

VA Caregiver Support Program + Benefits for Veterans on Hospice

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 12:32:33 GMT

Thank you for joining us for our quarterly HVPI Meeting! It was wonderful to see so many new people. Please find all of the resources discussed in our meeting below and remember to contact your local Palliative Care Office for assistance with any of the following.

VA Caregiver Support Program and End of Life Benefits PowerPoint coinciding with above video: DOWNLOAD HERE

Please contact us us if a Veteran needs :

VA Pay for Hospice
Evaluation for End of Life VA pay contract nursing home placement
Additional home care (HHA or respite)
Assistance enrolling in VHA
Mental health support
End of life burial benefits
Anything else mentioned in today's presentation! If we can't help you, we will get you to the VA staff who can.

Indianapolis VA Palliative Care Office

Phone #317-988-9424 fax #317-988-5648

RN Navigator: Champagne Killinger

Champagne.Killinger@va.gov

Program Coordinator: Liz Davis #317-988-3665

Elizabeth.Davis7@va.gov

Northern Indiana HealthCare System (Marion and Fort Wayne) Palliative Care Office:

Program Coordinator: Marty Kieninger

765-674-3321 ext. 73805

Fax#765-677-6198

Marty.Kieninger@va.gov

Roudebush (Indianapolis) Caregiver Support Program

Program Manager: Stephanie Doran, LCSW

#317-988-2961

Stephanie.Doran@va.gov

Northern Indiana HealthCare System

Program Manager: Steven Nelson

765-674-3321 ext. 73234

Steven.Nelson7@va.gov

Prosthetics Items That May be Useful to Veterans on Hospice
Specialty Items
Ramps
seat lifts (NOT LIFT CHAIRS)
Free standing trapeze
Overhead lift systems
Chair lifts
Specialty/Motorized wheelchairs

Useful for Memory Care
Door, bed, and chair alarms
emergency call buttons
Activity Vests
Timed/locked Bill boxes

Tips
Will need dx and medical justification
Can't construct on rental properties
Must be enrolled in VA HealthCare and have a Primary Care Provider

Please see 12/5/24 Blog Post "VA End of Life Benefits for Veterans and Surviving Spouses" for the following:

We Honor Veterans

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 20:30:33 GMT

Be sure to check out the We Honor Veterans website for all kinds of resources including but not limited to:

Working with Veterans
Information on specific needs based on Period of War, Specific needs (i.e. PTSD)
ex: Trauma Informed Care
Webinar: PTSD in Vietnam Veterans
Webinar: Moral injury in Vietnam Veterans
Webinar: Suicide Prevention in Vietnam Veterans

Resources to help education your staff:
Intake and Admission: Identifying Veterans upon hospice admission
Grief and Bereavement
Resource Library
Events Calendar : Partner Networking calls/Office Hours
WHV Outreach Materials

List of Palliative and Hospice agencies participating in the WHV program by state or zip code: Partner Directory

VA End of Life Benefits for Veterans and Surviving Spouses

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 19:15:35 GMT

Thank you to everyone who attended our 2024 Quarter 4 Partnership meeting on 12/4/24!

We had a wonderful turn out and learned about Quilts of Valor, End of Life benefits for Veterans/families from all 3 branches of the VA (Veteran's Health Administration, Veteran's Benefit's Administration and National Cemetery Administration) and had a presentation from the Indiana State Coordinator for Quilts of Valor.

For more information on Quilts of Valor and how to connect Veterans/quilters to their program, please see their website or reach out to:

Christine Hurley

QOVF State Coordinator - Indiana

QOVF Group Leader - Central Indiana

Volunteer Positions with the Quilts of Valor Foundation®

U.S. Air Force Veteran

christine.hurley@QOVF.org

www.QOVF.org

Resources from today's meeting:

Working Together to Prevent Suicide

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 18:54:15 GMT

Thank you to everyone who attended our 2024 Quarter 3 Partnership meeting on 9/11/24! We had a wonderful turn out and greatly appreciate VA Suicide Prevention team coming to present to our group. By watching the recording of the meeting you will:

Have a general understanding of the scope of Veteran suicide within the United States.
Know how to identify a Veteran who may be at risk for suicide.
Know what to do when you identify a Veteran at risk.
Explain why communities are key in preventing suicide amongst Veterans
Learn how you or your agency can become a VA Community Partner and help:
Identify Veterans and/or military family members with suicide risk
Promote connectedness
Increase lethal means and safety planning

VA Suicide Prevention Staff:

La Wanda C. L. Girton, MSW, LCSW
Pronouns: She, Her, Hers
Community Engagement and Partnership Coordinator
Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center
Cell: 317-556-5340

lawanda.girton@va.gov

Melissa Weber, LCSW

Suicide Prevention Coordinator

Roudebush VA Medical Center

317-988-2078; ext 182078

melissa.weber1@va.gov

Resources from today's meeting:

How to request tele-mental health
Working together to Prevent Suicide - Contact La Wanda and become a Community Engagement Partner!
Copy of today's HVPI Quarter 3 Meeting PowerPoint.

Webinar: We Honor Veterans Webinar: suicide Prevention in Vietnam Veterans

Internment at a VA National Cemetery

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 13:22:44 GMT

Thank you to everyone that attended our Partnership meeting on 6/15/24. We had a very informative presentation by Erin Hamilton from the VA National Cemetery. Erin shared a plethora of great information. Here are 3 takeaways that hospice agencies can do to help Veterans and their families with planning for funeral arrangements are:

1. Make sure they have a copy of their DD14/military discharge paperwork:

If they don’t, they can request a copy here: Request Military Service Records | National Archives . Erin also

suggested they can check their local county gov’t offices if they were drafted.

2. Encourage them to call the National Cemetery Administration (local cemetery offices or the national scheduling

office) to confirm Veteran’s eligibility for free burial in a national cemetery. See attached brochures for #s

3. Encourage them to contact a benefits rep that can verify if they are eligible for any Veteran’s Benefits

Administration Benefits (i.e. Burial Allowance, medallions, headstone, etc). See attached handout “assistance

with benefits” for a list of organizations that can help them verify VBA benefit eligibility.

Additional National Cemetery Administration Resources can be found on their website: NCA

Pinning Ceremony Resources

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 19:44:52 GMT

Download Roudebush VA Medical Center Pinning Ceremony materials. Feel free to use them as is or adapt them to meet your Veteran's need.

We Honor Veterans Pinning Ceremony Description

WHV Veteran Pinning Ceremony Guide

WHV Appreciation/Recognition Certificates

Pinning Ceremony Sample Script

See the We Honor Veterans website for additional resources on Pinning Ceremonies and other ways to honor Veterans: CLICK HERE

Northern Indiana Healthcare System (NIHCS) VA Fact Sheet for Hospice Partners

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 14:35:36 GMT

Download the 2024 Northern Indiana Healthcare System (NIHCS) VA Fact Sheet for Hospice Partners. This documents the following:

Brief description of palliative program
Notification of Death Request
Process for Enrollment
Contact information for services at the NIHCS VA

Indianapolis VA Palliative Care Fact Sheet for Hospice Partners

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 14:32:02 GMT

Download the 2024 Indianapolis VA Palliative Care Fact Sheet for Hospice Partners. This documents the following:

Brief description of palliative program
Notification of Death Request
Process for Enrollment
Contact information for services at the Indianapolis VA

Getting Assistance with VA Benefit Applications

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 14:18:33 GMT

Any of the the downloadable PDF organizations/locations can help Veterans, current Service Members and Families apply for VA Disability Compensation, VA Pension, Aid and Attendance, End of life/burial/Survivor Benefits and all other VBA applications.