Veterans Transition Center of California Implicated in Fraud Scheme

Misappropriating Funds for Current & Formerly Incarcerated Veterans

Before you begin, this article contains subject matter that may be disturbing to some readers, including mental health topics and occasional vulgar language.

Californians have a moral obligation to support our veterans as they transition back to civilian life. By prioritizing mental health care, expanding access to housing, and fostering collaboration among Californians and community leaders, we can ensure that veterans receive the support and resources they need to thrive. Together, we can honor their service and sacrifice by helping them build fulfilling and meaningful lives beyond the battlefield and confines of prison. No veteran should be denied access to stable shelter, food, clothing or healthcare.

I want to apologize in advance for this long narrative, but I also want you to take a journey in my shoes to emphasize its importance to me and many others like me.

Veterans often experience mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and substance abuse as a result of their military service. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs , approximately 1 in 5 veterans experience PTSD or depression. These conditions can significantly impact their ability to adjust to civilian life and maintain stable housing.

It is well known that many are unprepared for civilian life and turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms that often end in tragedy. Many more end up in jail or prison shortly after service to their country due to a lack of time to process the wounds of war. This has nothing to do with any singular veterans character, and everything to do with the lack of meaningful services addressing the problems we face.

How It All Started

It was a similar story I have proximity with, and it was people like Ron Self who created Veterans Healing Veterans from the Inside Out , while still inside the very prisons he came back into work with addressing the needs of so many others like us. It is a true calling card of a born leader, to take charge in a situation requiring decisive actions to ensure the care of those seeking to find a way back to “normalcy”.

Ron founded the organization after attempting suicide while incarcerated at SAN QUENTIN STATE PRISON . He delivered a TEDX Talk detailing how he went from decorated combat Marine, to serving life in prison and no hope of meaningful life.?

All branches of the military instill core values into us as groups and individuals, that are the building blocks of freedom as we know it. In Ron’s case, these values are #Honor, #Courage and #Commitment. The entire United States Marine Corps are built on these guiding values, and those who deviate are quickly identified and retrained or punished on the spot.

Shortly after, Ron was granted parole from prison, but he spent his time inside, doing magnificent things for others like him, seeking to add value in a place devoid of emotions and full of nothing to do, sprinkled in with a lot of racism and violence. Time really does stand still for many. He immersed himself into studying psychology, and created his own programs helping others address #PTSD, depression, broken childhoods and war-time mental struggles that no warrior will admit to out of fear of losing their careers. Courageous indeed, Ron. Ron is also a massive human both in stature and arm circumference, he towers over me like a giant and I would be scared to see him anywhere there is conflict foreign or domestic.

So it is no surprise that the state of California and its lawmakers took notice of this never before seen approach and awarded an innovative grant to his organization to have a bigger impact on all the veterans inside of prison in the State of CORRECTIONS & REHABILITATION, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF . Ron wasted zero time when he was released, and found a sponsor to begin important work spreading across 36 institutions with help from Veterans Transition Center of California .

How Veterans Are Treated

It was when I met him at the Correctional Training Facility I started working on my own challenges in his groups that he ran every week, rain, sleet or sunshine. Every hardened criminal, even the ones with face tattoos, erupted in tears before the end of these intensive sessions. We all looked forward to it every week despite the rollercoaster rides we experienced, it was healing us, and we felt comfortable supporting one another, and still do today from that first group I sat in.

Upon my release from prison on December 29th, 2019 I was sent on a train towards Sacramento with $200, medication for 7 days, and a single dose of Narcan in my state issued khakis and T-Shirt without an ID card. It was then that my hemorrhoids burst and began bleeding due to a poor diet for the last 6 years in prison. My khakis were now stained red very badly, and I was in excruciating pain. Still I forced good vibes to manifest good outcomes.

The trip from Soledad to Sacramento is long and I did not arrive until after 7 PM. The next leg of the journey to El Dorado County Probation wouldn't be until the next day due to no public transit being available. I anticipated this hurdle and even wrote to shelters in advance without response.

With no ID, limited funding plus the pouring rain, and zero clothing I was faced with sleeping overnight on ‘I’ street under a building in downtown Sacramento, with a string of homeless people. I still get mixed feelings when passing it even today. Turns out I might need that Narcan after all? I’m thankful to say while it was quite wet and cold, it was important to sit in discomfort sober, so I can remember later that escaping your problems is not the correct answer.

The next day when I checked in, I completed a drug test that I studied for almost 6 years to pass, then I told my P.O. that I needed transitional housing. He paused momentarily, looked up in my eyes and broke the news to me: “Well, I hate to tell you this but you are a non-violent offender and that means you don’t have STOP funding from the realignment act. I can get you into a place but the waiting list is about 4 months long. Best I can do is a 7 day hotel voucher, some bus fare and food pantry. I have confidence in your ability to figure it out", this last part was critical.

I was immediately overcome with disbelief upon hearing this. I broke down, being overwhelmed how this is possible and thinking to myself "Why am I the person chosen to be the first in this new experiment known as Prop. 57". I was angry at being set up to fail, despite how determined I was to do good, and the steps I took before my release to mitigate anticipated dangers I might encounter.

I spent the next 2 days without success, calling various local places and running into numerous road blocks everywhere I turned. It was looking very bad for my housing options. Finally, I dug into my cargo (a plastic trash bag) and pulled out my VHV binder. I located Ron’s info and dialed his number. He answered immediately and I broke down again explaining what I was faced with - seeking his leadership - he said to me “Hey, let me call you right back OK?”... "OK Ron", I expelled with no punch to my words. Half expecting to never hear back, I felt defeated in that moment.

3 Minutes passed and my phone rang, the caller ID said it was Ron! I picked up and I managed to escape a “Hey…”. Ron didn't skip a beat, he immidiately asked me where I was and then told me not to leave. There was a driver whom he dispatched on a 5 hour drive to pick me up and bring me back to Monterey county, the very place I had just departed a few days earlier (comical isn't it?). He cut through all the bullshit, and delivered to me what was the setup for a huge win in my life to come. 11 months later I secured my very own apartment across the street from the aquarium in the middle of a global shutdown due to COVID.

Navigating Onward

Navigating the reentry for veterans is already an uphill battle full of barriers when they are released from prison. Coming home after decades away from society trying to access much needed mental health care and housing is not easy, and now it’s become even more challenging, due to a recent lawsuit that accuses the Veterans Transition Center of California’s Leadership of criminal acts: using state appropriated funding outside the scope of its purpose that it agreed to act as a fiscal sponsor for another.

Monterey county superior court has a case on file that alleges the Director Kurt Schake of improper fiscal spending of the much needed funding that Ron worked diligently towards securing to help people like me in need when they come home. Ron has no obligation to give this service to anyone or ever step foot inside of a prison again, yet Ron avails himself at every opportunity to do just that, a true leader in a space where there are very few. I am disheartened by the allegations, because I know the funds are not being used for which lawmakers intended, and there is a deadline the appropriations committee set for it to be used or returned back to the state.

Homelessness among veterans remains a pressing issue, with an estimated 37,000 veterans experiencing homelessness on any given night in the United States. Factors such as lack of affordable housing, unemployment, and untreated mental illness contribute to this problem. Stable housing is essential for veterans' well-being and their ability to address other challenges they may face.

While mental health services are available for veterans through the VA healthcare system, accessing these services can be challenging due to barriers such as stigma, long wait times, and limited resources in rural areas. Additionally, veterans involved with the criminal justice system may face additional obstacles in accessing care. Addressing these barriers is critical to ensuring that veterans receive the support they need to heal and thrive. There is also widespread discrimination that harms so many like us, with little to no way for veterans to take a stance against perpetrators that harm the most vulnerable in our delicate ecosystem known as society.

Many veterans carry invisible wounds from their military experiences, including moral injuries—deeply troubling violations of their ethical beliefs, like being ordered to kill combatants that may be enslaved or even children. It goes against everything in nature we know is wrong but must be done in order to survive.

These wounds can lead to feelings of guilt, shame, and alienation. Healing past trauma and addressing moral injuries require specialized mental health interventions and a supportive community environment. It also is why this lawsuit is so frightening when you consider the underlying implications and the brazen acts of Veterans Transition Center neglecting their duty as fiscal sponsorship and fiduciary duties.

Addressing veterans' mental health and housing challenges requires a delicate approach involving collaboration between government agencies, nonprofits, healthcare providers, and community organizations. Programs that integrate mental health services with housing assistance, employment support, and peer mentorship have shown promise in helping veterans achieve stability and well-being. It is actions like the accusations in this suit which are morally objectionable and illegal acts that endangers public safety during a time when there is a rare push to change what's wrong. If the claims are true there needs to be an arrest and prosecuted for what has happened. We know very well the impact actions like this can have on formerly incarcerated and homeless veterans who are being sent home with only a single dose of Narcan.

If you would like to donate to help VHVFTIO continue its mission in the meantime, you can do so on their website. Although the funding is tied in litigation, Ron has secured another source to continue his important work for us. Please also help them out by engaging with them on social networks to help spread awareness with their mission FB | IG | LI.

I’ve posted the allegations here if you would like to read it yourself, it cost me $14.50 to obtain.