[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6052073,"mediaKeyId","3413965-5df0ae37e86aaed82e64fdb272add2f4","parentId",3413965,"title","American Legion and VFW leaders seek state grants to repair aging posts, citing safety and community roles","audioSeconds",1514,"startMs",1996000,"endMs",3510000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3413965-5df0ae37e86aaed82e64fdb272add2f4&start=1996&end=3510","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3413965-5df0ae37e86aaed82e64fdb272add2f4/thumbnail_1996000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6052073/Michigan/American-Legion-and-VFW-leaders-seek-state-grants-to-repair-aging-posts-citing-safety-and-community-roles","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6052073-2f7e3c716acd75b6dcbd95fabb909dca/orig.mp4?Expires=1770579249&Signature=HPB2v6ukzAcNsjRDsKHk~3TguS2bpWt6nMB~Me5eT7LN3JjrFjkEZf-o21h~scybJ6DUH6JtxcED5rRRM9DCrfNG77l5EljtUzOfhUjAd1d~AxO050KMo37o838YlLN5X5rHgRBA1Slz4C-byqLyk3HU-9pT5tB5RocI5suMoMcNjq69rHxez2T-OUqVWsLt89fqA3iXNJmeQ2xHUTEPFGqEFlNrD~S2-6j4F3sEaui4ChH3cRxXoIWO4HbvB1u9Ib3zXVF-2uSWyzZhchy2noT7qs9Fn52BksntKlmvSHX1CdZdQoCBTq0EHpIszghEjuKwRZXbOOYQ8X6VRVTkHg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Michigan House of Representatives","date","2025-05-15T00:00:00Z","article","The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military and Veterans Affairs heard testimony from multiple American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) leaders asking the state to consider grants or other financial tools to repair aging posts that provide veteran services and community programs.

Tim Poxton, legislative chair for the American Legion Department of Michigan, said the organization operates posts across the state and that many need maintenance and repairs. “The American Legion is the largest veteran organization in the state of Michigan, in The United States, and in the world,” Poxton told the committee. He described a local example in which window replacement would cost about $8,500 and said posts also support youth sports, parades and other community activities.

John Miernick, representing the Utica American Legion post, and David Ellis, commander‑elect of the Bruce Post VFW in St. Clair Shores, said their posts host scout troops, county VA sign‑ups, memorial events, volunteer‑run food programs and other community services and that infrastructure failures threaten that role. Miernick said his post relies on donations, fish fries and occasional loans; he described a parking‑lot condition that has produced at least one slip‑and‑fall claim and said a previous Small Business Administration loan of $30,000 helped keep his post open.

Ellis said St. Clair Shores’ VFW is the largest post in Michigan with roughly 800 members and that resurfacing its cratered parking lot was estimated in the $200,000 range; he described repeated utility and maintenance problems caused by the age of the building. Other witnesses, including Todd Wodzinski of the Clawson/Clausen American Legion and retired post leaders, described similar needs: roofs, boilers, parking lots and accessibility upgrades.

Why it matters: Witnesses emphasized posts’ role as local hubs that host veteran‑service activities, county and city events, charity drives and training for first responders. They said posts provide fellowship for veterans and free or low‑cost community meeting space that would be difficult to replace if facilities close.

Funding and scale: Poxton said state funding historically supports the American Legion’s service officer program (about $4.2 million cited for the program), but posts receive little direct government funding for building maintenance. Witnesses requested consideration of a grant program, matching funds, low‑interest loans or other targeted supports to preserve posts’ infrastructure and community services.

No votes or formal appropriations were taken during the hearing; witnesses were thanking the committee for considering the concept and describing needs and cost estimates.

Ending: Committee members voiced appreciation and encouraged continued discussion; no bill or formal motion resulting from the testimony was recorded during the session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Appropriations - Military and Veterans Affairs | Thursday, May 15, 2025 - Audio only","oneSentenceSummary","Leaders from American Legion posts and VFW halls told the subcommittee their facilities need major repairs — parking lots, roofs, boilers and HVAC — and asked the committee to consider a grant or low‑cost funding program to preserve posts that serve veterans and community groups.","taxTitle","Appropriations - Military and Veterans Affairs and State Police, Appropriations, House of Representative, Committees\t\t\t\t\t, Legislative, Michigan","taxId",30767,"location","Michigan","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6052077,"VetLife’s Battle Buddy app seeks wider state reach to connect veterans to benefits and crisis resources",237,1248000,1485000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3413965-5df0ae37e86aaed82e64fdb272add2f4&start=1248&end=1485","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3413965-5df0ae37e86aaed82e64fdb272add2f4/thumbnail_1248000.jpg","/articles/6052077/Michigan/VetLifes-Battle-Buddy-app-seeks-wider-state-reach-to-connect-veterans-to-benefits-and-crisis-resources","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6052077-79c40d1b99c96ce48dc5eb1d2dbca39a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770579249&Signature=lrJHOmObgL7SbLjq2RIZYFeqSoR0Ol2qAbYQeRFA5QDhLH680lgG2FyD90gJF3u2es9F-fg9LSvs1mJ~cok1xfAzzYMyucW8X~knDrc9Mo0pIwONa7SCJ-sSJhIzHo~x1byWDfHxRld0lQO6T73~GE6siMZ5dtd3wZYdK3FAiDEsnZGM3oGRGpnt~8pLo~aRgidTEIhBEScm3YX-Xer1~2LCyPkDxKOVg2eg8vqvq85snQkl-GGlV6QH5RN1jA3F-KAKvOAt68xEWaQVuRG9fk-UdrAPWQOj2NAruA~AmSqHDVQzKTG6EhUINg-Klfv2b6lEi4I2xTv6T84zKHwdHg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Joshua Parrish, co‑founder of the nonprofit VetLife, told the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military and Veterans Affairs that his organization’s Battle Buddy app has been built to bring benefit access and mental‑health resources to veterans across Michigan.

“I'm the co founder of VetLife. I'm here today to speak about an app that should be in the hands of every single veteran in the state of Michigan,” Parrish said. He described the app as “a 1 stop shop” for education benefits, disability compensation, VA home loan information, health‑care enrollment and mental‑health resources.

Parrish said VetLife has helped about 43,000 Michigan veterans gain access to benefits since 2018 and that the Battle Buddy app has been downloaded more than 43,000 times since its release two months earlier. He described an AI companion named Sam that is available 24/7; Parrish said the app will use geofencing to connect a user who indicates self‑harm risk to the nearest resource.

Parrish outlined how the app supports disability claims and accredited veteran service officers (VSOs): the app helps veterans create an eBenefits account, file an intent to file to lock an effective date, gather documents using a checklist and then connect veterans with accredited VSOs when they are ready for case submission. “For every 7,000 veterans in this country, there's only 1 accredited VSO,” Parrish said, and he cited a Michigan ratio of one accredited VSO per 1,712 veterans.

Outreach strategy and data: Parrish described an outreach model built on in‑person events (VetFest, which attracts 3,500–4,000 attendees), partnerships with county departments of veterans affairs and national service organizations, and an online gaming community for veterans. He told the committee VetLife runs a radio show to educate veterans about technology and AI and stressed that his organization has so far relied on private donations, grants and fundraising rather than state funding.

Questions from the committee addressed marketing and AI risk mitigation. Parrish said VetLife’s outreach database and event program underpin its user acquisition and that AI safeguards include a hybrid model combining a predefined decision tree with a trainable large language model and human‑review pathways for escalations.

No formal action was taken on VetLife’s requests during the hearing.","Joshua Parrish of VetLife described the Battle Buddy app and associated outreach work, saying the app aggregates benefits resources, includes an AI companion that links users to nearby help if self‑harm risk is detected, and relies on partnerships and events to drive downloads and engagement.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6052081,"YouWill urges teletherapy pilot to expand mental health access for Michigan veterans",435,190000,625000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3413965-5df0ae37e86aaed82e64fdb272add2f4&start=190&end=625","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3413965-5df0ae37e86aaed82e64fdb272add2f4/thumbnail_190000.jpg","/articles/6052081/Michigan/YouWill-urges-teletherapy-pilot-to-expand-mental-health-access-for-Michigan-veterans","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6052081-f0864fb411bfef835b1f5eca5569c3a5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770579249&Signature=g6kQyz0oWqtITW~MjXB1ydMTeslaghu5DOQWW9IKbaV2r~VogAG3dnaHzCi3lPv12OdMDLV1JtdouLAPscGnB3zLdbT-Ne4G-DK2qW97i~rFNej4ALTPiUrr8Jlw1y9QgT5cHKYYbh0ff5izxGRcBlrPu4Pg9jemvFZtqNE7Cst6VfAo1AUwj764SJ1TBI3EOSRWhENM~ovYmnYuJvXy2wpQA6i04Qox6wyMLAvw1RpP6uw2XoDrXHUDx6b1EXv9OlHszB5158ejMZGMn3VDT4kNrFQ~dGqLSCEeE69Tx1-i8zpO97agISXargfv9tBDCh4KPiJu49oBFZZcCG9VaA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chairman Robinson and committee members heard from Adam Ring, a representative of the mental health platform YouWill, who urged Michigan to pilot a two‑year teletherapy initiative providing veterans flexible, low‑barrier access to licensed clinicians.

Ring said YouWill supports about 3,000,000 individuals worldwide and proposed a teletherapy pilot that would provide registered Michigan veterans with scheduled telecounseling and immediate crisis connections. “My name is Adam Ring, and I represent YouWill, a leading mental health and wellness platform platform supporting over 3,000,000 individuals worldwide,” Ring said.

Ring told the subcommittee Michigan is home to roughly 500,000 veterans and cited U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs data on elevated veteran suicide rates. He said fewer than half of veterans in need receive mental health treatment and that barriers include long waits, geographic limits and stigma. “Teletherapy is not a silver bullet, but it is a proven and practical solution to bridge these gaps in care and give veterans the care and support they need,” Ring said.

Why it matters: Ring argued a modest state investment could increase access statewide, especially in rural counties where provider supply is thin. He described two program components: a scheduled telecounseling service (UMatch) and an immediate crisis connection service (UHelp) that he said can connect a veteran with a licensed counselor in under 30 seconds.

Key details and recommendations: Ring suggested a two‑year pilot that would offer free teletherapy to covered veterans, coordinate outreach with the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency and community veteran organizations, allow veterans to register and schedule independently, and track outcomes with anonymized usage data. He estimated a “modest annual investment of roughly $10 per covered veteran.”

Committee questions focused on implementation: Representative Rogers noted Michigan has codified telehealth coverage in state statute and asked where YouWill is based; Ring said the company is based in Natick, Massachusetts, and he is based near New York City. Representative Cabot raised concerns about rural broadband access; Ring recommended multiple modalities (video, phone, chat, asynchronous messaging) so veterans without high‑speed internet can still use phone or messaging services.

Ring and the committee discussed crisis response and clinical oversight. Ring said UHelp is a crisis connection staffed by licensed clinicians trained in trauma and crisis care. He emphasized coordinated outreach with local organizations and veteran service groups to increase utilization if the state funds a program.

What the subcommittee did: The presentation was a request for consideration and did not produce any formal action, motion, or vote on a teletherapy program during the hearing.

Ending note: Ring encouraged a competitive grant process to identify vendors for a pilot and offered to share anonymized outcome metrics if Michigan pursues a trial.

","Representatives from YouWill asked the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military and Veterans Affairs to pilot a two-year teletherapy program for veterans, citing elevated suicide rates and access gaps; presenters described crisis-response features, multi‑modality care and an estimated per‑veteran cost.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

American Legion and VFW leaders seek state grants to repair aging posts, citing safety and community roles

VetLife’s Battle Buddy app seeks wider state reach to connect veterans to benefits and crisis resources

YouWill urges teletherapy pilot to expand mental health access for Michigan veterans