Committee on Veterans meeting
June 22, 2026, 10:00 AM
The Committee on Veterans held an oversight hearing on support and programs for LGBTQ+ veterans. Members also heard Int 0928, which would create an LGBTQ liaison within the Department of Veterans' Services, and Int 0914, which would require a study on the feasibility of a pilot program offering reconsolidation of traumatic memories therapy to veterans. No bills were voted on.
What was discussed
- Call to order The Sergeant-at-Arms opened the Committee on Veterans oversight hearing and reviewed public-testimony sign-up; Chair Frank Morano gaveled in.
- Chair Morano's opening statement on programs for LGBTQ+ veterans Council Member Frank Morano framed the oversight topic, citing higher rates of PTSD, military sexual trauma, and suicide among LGBTQ+ veterans and major gaps in identity data, and previewed the two bills being heard: his own Int 0914 (a study and pilot for reconsolidation of traumatic memories
- Minority Leader Carr on his LGBTQ liaison bill (Int 0928) Council Member David M. Carr described Int 0928 as codifying and building on Local Law 4 of 2022 by establishing an LGBTQ liaison at DVS to conduct outreach, coordinate discharge-upgrade assistance, and issue an annual report, noting the military discharged as many as 114,000 service members over
- Committee acknowledgments and swearing-in of DVS witnesses Chair Morano acknowledged Council Members Carmen N. De La Rosa and Phil Wong and thanked committee staff; the Committee Counsel administered the oath to the Department of Veterans Services witnesses.
- DVS Commissioner Mata's testimony on serving LGBTQ+ veterans Commissioner Yesenia Mata testified that DVS makes every program available to all veterans and has designated two LGBTQ liaisons (since 2024 and a newer claims/benefits liaison). She said DVS is exploring a certificate of eligibility for LGBTQ+ veterans, cited the DUALS discharge-upgrade and
- Given DVS already has two liaisons, what would Int 0928 actually change? Pressed by Council Member Frank Morano on the liaisons' caseloads, effectiveness metrics, and operational impact, Commissioner Yesenia Mata said DVS does not currently ask veterans' gender identity and is working to improve intake, while Chief of Staff Nicole Orlando said the bill would add
- How will DVS reach LGBTQ+ veterans reluctant to self-identify? Council Member Phil Wong asked how DVS identifies and serves veterans afraid to disclose their LGBTQ+ status and whether it coordinates with health clinics and nonprofits. Commissioner Yesenia Mata and Chief of Staff Nicole Orlando described a planned awareness campaign and the certificate of
- What are the outcomes and backlog of the DUALS discharge-upgrade program? Chief of Staff Nicole Orlando told Council Member Frank Morano that of the 38 LGBTQ+ veterans who sought discharge-upgrade help in FY2026, about 20 cases remain pending and roughly eight upgrades were secured over the last two fiscal years; she said cases take one to three years and that scattered
- What is the LGBTQ+ certificate of eligibility, and when will DVS launch it? Chief of Staff Nicole Orlando explained to Council Member Frank Morano that the certificate would let LGBTQ+ veterans access four city benefits without presenting a stigmatizing DD-214 — DCAS civil-service residency points, NYCERS-style pension buyback, and Department of Finance tax benefits —
- What do the Local Law 4 reports reveal about who seeks discharge-upgrade help? Council Member Frank Morano cited trends showing male and Navy veterans contact DVS most and a FY2025 spike in requests. Commissioner Yesenia Mata attributed the patterns to self-identification and the need for awareness campaigns, while Chief of Staff Nicole Orlando linked the spike to stronger
- Are transgender veterans and surviving spouses of LGBTQ+ veterans eligible for benefits? Council Member Phil Wong asked how DVS reaches transgender veterans discharged over gender identity and whether surviving same-sex spouses qualify for benefits. Chief of Staff Nicole Orlando and Executive Director Noah Bray said the city can extend certain benefits even when federal ones are denied
- How does DVS measure outreach without self-identification data? Chief of Staff Nicole Orlando and Commissioner Yesenia Mata told Council Member Frank Morano that DVS does not collect LGBTQ+ self-identification at intake but wants to, citing demographic data and a missing NYC veteran unemployment rate as key gaps, and pointed to Local Law 37 work to add a veteran
- Which partnerships and boroughs drive the most referrals for LGBTQ+ veterans? Chief of Staff Nicole Orlando told Council Member Frank Morano that SAGE is the primary LGBTQ+ referral source, with strong federal, VA, and city-agency partnerships overall. Commissioner Yesenia Mata, Associate Commissioner Donee Smalls, and Executive Director Noah Bray described borough-by-borough
- Is Int 0914's RTM pilot study feasible for DVS, and who should run it? Asked by Council Member Frank Morano about unique trauma needs and reconsolidation of traumatic memories (RTM) therapy, Chief of Staff Nicole Orlando said DVS believes some veterans could benefit but that the pilot study under Int 0914 is not feasible for DVS because it is not a healthcare provider
- How does DVS connect LGBTQ+ veterans to mental-health and healthcare services? Chief of Staff Nicole Orlando and Executive Director Noah Bray told Council Member Frank Morano that DVS refers based on case severity and specialization, works with Health + Hospitals and DOHMH Pride Health Centers (in every borough except Staten Island), coordinates with VA military-sexual-trauma
- What is DVS doing to reduce the stigma around seeking care? Commissioner Yesenia Mata and Chief of Staff Nicole Orlando told Council Member Frank Morano that DVS is using social media and non-traditional partners to humanize veterans and signal that DVS is a welcoming space, aiming to normalize asking for help rather than pressuring veterans to sign up for
- Which agencies does DVS coordinate with, and what policy changes is it watching? Chief of Staff Nicole Orlando and Associate Commissioner Donee Smalls told Council Members Frank Morano and Phil Wong that DVS coordinates most with the Mayor's Office to End Gender-Based Violence, DHS, and DSS and liaises near-daily with federal veterans service officers. Orlando said DVS is
- What is the single most urgent challenge facing LGBTQ+ veterans? Closing the administration panel, Chief of Staff Nicole Orlando told Council Member Frank Morano that discharge upgrades and sustained funding for the lawyers who handle them are the most urgent needs, while Commissioner Yesenia Mata said better data systems so LGBTQ+ veterans can self-identify are
- Opening public testimony Chair Frank Morano closed the administration panel, reviewed the rules for public testimony (three minutes each, in-person first), and called the first panel of witnesses.
- Brian Ellicott-Cook (SAGE) on serving older LGBTQ+ veterans Brian Ellicott-Cook, director of government relations at SAGE, testified in support of both Int 0914 (with amendments) and Int 0928, describing 118 programs with more than 4,000 attendees over the past year and sharing stories of Navy, Army, and elderly veterans who found housing, support, and
Agenda
3 items
- Int 0928-2026 A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to establishing an LGBTQ liaison within the department of veterans’ services Hearing Held by Committee
- Int 0914-2026 A Local Law in relation to requiring a study and recommendations on the feasibility of implementing a pilot program to provide reconsolidation of traumatic memories therapy for veterans Hearing Held by Committee
- T2026-1934 Oversight - Support and Programs for LGBTQ+ Veterans. Hearing Held by Committee