Council hearing flags gaps in VetConnect reporting and veteran service tracking

A New York City Council joint oversight hearing of the Committee on Veterans and the Committee on Mental Health and Substance Use on veterans' mental-health navigation found persistent data and reporting gaps in the city's veteran-support systems.

Commissioner Yesenia Mata of the New York City Department of Veterans Services told the committees the agency accepts the comptroller's VetConnect audit and is implementing fixes. "DVS generally agrees with the audit's recommendation and is taking steps to strengthen performance standards, vendor accountability, reporting, and opportunities for recurring feedback from veterans and stakeholders," she said. Committee members pressed for a written implementation schedule; Marano asked DVS to identify which recommendations are completed and which remain outstanding.

Marano emphasized the practical consequence: recent reporting under Local Laws 37 and 39 has been uneven. "Only 10 agencies reported data in fiscal year 2024, and only 7 agencies reported quantitative data in fiscal year 2025," the chair said during his opening remarks, citing earlier committee findings. DVS said it has created a data department and a CRM (Beck Connect, powered by Combined Arms) to centralize case information and improve follow-up.

DVS committed to provide the committee with an implementation schedule identifying each comptroller recommendation, a responsible person, and expected completion dates. The agency also agreed to follow up with a list of agencies that have not complied with Local Law 39 and with borough-by-borough detail on Dwyer program grantees and funding levels.