On July 14, 2020, NYHealth hosted a webinar on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on New York City’s veterans.
As New York continues to recover from the pandemic, its exact toll on veterans is not yet known. VA hospitals in the New York City region have reported more than 1,500 active cases, but more than half of all veterans do not qualify for VA health care, so the number of infections is likely much higher.
Countless government and community-led organizations, such as New York City’s Department of Veterans’ Services, have been on the ground since the first days of the pandemic to try to understand the impact of the virus on the veteran community, deploying resources like mental health, housing, and employment assistance to veterans in need.
Lieutenant Colonel James Hendon, Director of New York City’s Department of Veterans’ Services (DVS), discussed what DVS is doing to lead response efforts and shared important resources to help New York City veterans navigate the pandemic.