Brown Creates Veterans Council

Sacramento, CA — Governor Jerry Brown has issued an Executive Order establishing the California Interagency Council on Veterans.

The Governor’s Office reports that the agency will improve how Veteran’s services are coordinated. “The California Interagency Council on Veterans gives everyone a seat at the table and ensures we’re working collaboratively to address the needs of the 30,000 servicemen and women who return to California each year,” states Brown. “We owe our Veterans the best and when they come home, we must serve them the same way they so bravely served us.”

Governor Brown’s Executive Order directs the Secretary of the California Department of Veterans Affairs to establish the Council, which will be tasked with identifying and prioritizing the needs of Veterans, and coordinate activities at all levels of government. California has a high number of homeless Veterans, and the state estimates that 62 percent of homeless Veterans have been diagnosed with both substance abuse issues and mental health problems.

The new council will focus on health, housing, employment and other areas.