Western Pennsylvania foundations to help veterans utilize skills

Department of Veterans Affairs facilities in Southwestern Pennsylvania score better than the national average on a host of measurements, but “scar tissue” remains between the agency, local nonprofits and veterans, according to a report released Wednesday. 

VA facilities in Allegheny and surrounding counties spend more per veteran on health care, make fewer people wait longer than 30 days for a doctor's appointment and contribute to a lower veteran homelessness rate than the national average, according to the report commissioned by the Heinz Endowments and conducted by the Center for a New American Security. 

“There's a lot of social connective tissue, but there's also a lot of distrust,” said Phillip Carter, one of the report's authors and a senior fellow at the Washington-based nonprofit center.

Read the full article at The Pittsburgh Tribune Review.