Berrien County Veterans Services Director Maureen Adams was in Lansing this week to testify about cuts to veterans programs before the Michigan House Subcommittee on Military and Veterans Affairs.
The subcommittee invited veterans advocates from all over the state, and Adams told members about problems meeting the needs of veterans in Berrien County. She said the county has 8,444 veterans, placing it 17th among Michigan’s 83 counties. However, changes to a state grant formula have made it harder to serve them.
“We had just submitted a grant order change request to hire a full-time support staff when the recalculation adjustment was announced,” Adams said. “For Berrien, it was a 41.8% reduction of $55,000.”
Adams also said some reporting requirements for funding that covers things like events are too onerous. She asked lawmakers to help the state simplify things for veterans.
“Berrien County is grateful for the problem of needing more support staff so we can have more time to provide quality work on claims and conduct outreach to ensure more veterans can connect with their benefits. That is what the grant is for, after all.”
Adams said the veteran population in Berrien County went down from 2019 to 2023, and yet expenses for veterans benefits have gone up.
Lawmakers thanked Adams for explaining how some veteran-related grant programs work.
