January 14, 2026
Michael Matthews, Director of Veterans’ Programs

 

Reintegrating military Veterans into civilian society remains one of the most complex and misunderstood challenges faced by communities today. About 250,000 service members transition out of active duty each year. Although the majority of them make a successful adjustment to civilian life, many struggle with social, emotional, and structural barriers that make civilian life difficult to navigate. Transitioning Veterans are at higher risk for suicide compared with both the broader Veteran population and the United States public, yet they often do not receive adequate support.  At the same time, a widening disconnect between the military and the broader civilian population has made it harder for Veterans to feel seen, supported, and understood.

The video at the center of this discussion brings together a diverse group of voices—Veterans, public educators, researchers, and community leaders—each offering a unique perspective on the realities of military service and the obstacles Veterans face once they return home. Their combined insights shed light on the urgent need to strengthen communication, improve public awareness, and create more effective pathways for support.

The conversation begins with a Veteran who underscores the importance of speaking openly about personal experiences, even when doing so feels uncomfortable. His message sets the tone for the rest of the video: honest dialogue is essential if meaningful change is to occur.

From there, contributors like Michael and Candace highlight the widening cultural gap between civilians and service members, emphasizing how misinformation and limited public understanding have contributed to this divide. Their reflections point to the importance of education in rebuilding connections and fostering empathy.

The video also features clinical experts from the Department of Veterans Affairs, including Emily Edwards who is a VA clinical scientist, who offer a professional lens on the psychological and social challenges Veterans face in their journey back to civilian life. Their experience working with individuals coping with trauma, identity shifts, and reintegration difficulties provides a deeper understanding of the systemic gaps that persist.

The discussion concludes with James Hendon, who introduces a sobering yet motivating insight: despite the nation’s best efforts, current support systems effectively reach only about one-third of Veterans. His call to “think to yourself” prompts viewers to recognize the work still left to be done and reinforces the need for clearer communication, stronger programs, and a collective responsibility to do better.

Altogether, this video presents an urgent and humanizing exploration of the Veteran experience—one that challenges viewers to rethink assumptions, engage in open dialogue, and take part in the effort to build a more supportive and connected society.

 

New York, NY, Dec. 18, 2025/PRNewswire/

 

In excess of a half-million dollars in unpaid Veteran Debt will be abolished this Christmas season, thanks to an new teaming by New York’s Staten Island Performing Provider System, (SIPPS) Service Member Veteran and Family Task Force (SMVF), the private charitable foundation, End Veteran Debt (EVD), and public benefit corporation, ForgiveCo.

 

The SMVF Taskforce, co-led by Michael Matthews, Director of Veteran Programs for the SIPPS, chose this radical way to bring attention to the impact that debt has on America’s warriors and to publicly identify debt as an upstream social determinant of suicidal risk in the Veteran community.

 

To address a military and veteran suicide rate that is at least twice that of the civilian population, the SMVF Taskforce and its military and civilian community members knew that it was time to try something new.

 

That “new” was SMVF and EVD developing a pilot “Operation Debt-Day” campaign to raise both awareness and money. Thanks to veteran debt can be purchased on the open market for pennies on the dollar a true “force multiplier,”  nearly $610,000 in debt will be retired by this effort

 

‘Tis the season…is abolishing more than $500K in veteran debt possible?

“Even though the EVD-SMVF campaign has ended,” EVD founder and Navy Veteran Jerry Ashton predicts, “more people learning about this important project will likely result in additional donations that will enable even more debt to be abolished before year-end. That will mean a brighter 2026 for people whose bills we erase.”

 

“This test campaign was proof of concept that civilian and military communities can join together to address the issues of debt and suicide risk in a powerful way, Michael elaborates.

 

Every dollar of debt relieved has two benefits,” Michael elaborates. “First, it takes debt burdens off the minds and backs of our veterans, improves their financial state, and helps raise their sense of self-respect. The second benefit is that of reducing the overall rate of Veteran suicide.”

 

“We could add a third – the galvanizing within the Staten Island and Long Island communities that contributed time and money to achieving these goals, such as the Staten Island North Shore Rotary Club, the Food is Medicine healthcare company, Epicured, and the Road Home Foundation for Injured Warriors and Families.

 

Continuing a legacy – Jerry Ashton and Craig Antico

The SMVF campaign made possible a gratifying reunion of two men whose lives since 2014 have been devoted to improving the well-being of their fellow Americans, Jerry Ashton and Craig Antico, the principals of EVD and ForgiveCo. That was the year these two former collections-industry executives teamed up to co-found the nationally respected 501(c)(3) charity RIP Medical Debt (since renamed Undue Medical Debt).

 

From 2014 through 2025, UMD has erased nearly $24 billion in medical debt for more than 15 million Americans. Jerry and Craig, having achieved every goal they had set, left UMD in different years to focus their debt-forgiving talents elsewhere. Craig launched ForgiveCo as a public benefit corporation in 2022, and Jerry established End Veteran Debt as a private charitable foundation in late 2023.

 

About End Veteran Debt

End Veteran Debt (EVD) is a 501(c)(3) private charitable foundation established in October 2023 (Employer Identification Number (EIN) 93-3739030) by Jerry Ashton, a Navy veteran and journalist. EVD’s two-fold mission is to end veteran debt and reduce veteran suicide. EVD partners with civilian and service organizations in “Operation Debt-Day” campaigns to raise funds for both local and national efforts to meet this mission. This work is complemented and promoted through educational summits and EVD’s media platform, “Now Hear This.”

 

About ForgiveCo
ForgiveCo provides business advisory services to corporations for the acquisition, administration, and cancellation of consumer debt, as well as advisory services in branding, goodwill creation, and bulk debt management – “Transforming debt into goodwill™.” They amplify a brand’s equity by erasing billions in debt for millions of people, fostering community and hope. To learn more, please visit: forgiveco.com.

 

Media Contact:

End Medical Debt – Jerry Ashton, jerry@endveterandebt.org

ForgiveCo – Craig Antico, craig.antico@forgiveco.com

 

Staten Island, NY – March 2025 – The Staten Island Performing Provider System (SI PPS) is proud to announce the continued success of its Hotspotting the Overdose Epidemic program, which has achieved record Year 2 results in overdose prevention. Launched in 2022 and supported by AI-based predictive analytics, the program focuses on identifying and supporting individuals at the highest risk of overdose – leading to significant strides in saving lives, reducing healthcare costs, and improving health outcomes.

Since the program’s launch, the outcomes for those engaged in the program have been notable. In its second year (April 2023 – April 2024), the Hotspotting Program delivered:

• A 77% reduction in fatal overdoses among individuals engaged in the program.
• A 36% reduction in non-fatal overdoses in the engaged group.
• A 63% reduction in substance use disorder-related emergency room visits, reflecting the program’s success in preventing overdose crises that could lead to hospitalization.

In addition to the reductions in overdose-related incidents, Year 2 also saw an increase in the program’s outreach and engagement:

• 98% of clients received harm reduction services, including naloxone kits, xylazine and fentanyl test strips, sterile syringes and access to syringe exchange programs.

• 100% of clients had a Certified Recovery Peer Advocate (CRPA) assigned at initial engagement, with 99% completing social care screenings.  These screenings help to ensure that clients are connected not only to addiction treatment but also necessary behavioral health, medical, and social services.

Building on these successes, SI PPS is expanding the program from four to nine partners in Year 3, with additional growth planned for Year 4. The expansion will increase the program’s reach across New York City, continuing its mission to save lives, improve health outcomes, and address the broader public health crisis created by the opioid epidemic.

To further support this expansion, a national Hotspotting advisory board is being formed, bringing together prominent program advocates, the Hotspotting initiative developers, and healthcare leaders to help other communities implement similar life-saving initiatives. SIPPS is proud to announce that Robin Hood, New York City’s largest local poverty-fighting philanthropy, will join this national Hotspotting advisory board as a founding member. Robin Hood, a leading force in deploying innovative tools to address systemic issues that affect underserved communities, brings invaluable expertise and a shared commitment to improving health outcomes. Robin Hood’s involvement will help strengthen the efforts of the Hotspotting program and enhance its impact throughout the nation.

 

Program Leaders and Experts Weigh In:

Joseph Conte, PhD, Executive Director of the Staten Island PPS, said:
“Hotspotting continues to produce dramatically positive results in the second phase of the program: a 77% mortality risk reduction for individuals who have been engaged. These results demonstrate that actively engaged individuals in the Hotspotting Program who suffer from substance misuse disorder (SUD), with CRPA-led and technology-enabled solutions, saved lives and reduced overall overdose rates for our community members. While national trends for fatal overdoses are down, the crisis is as much a five-alarm fire as it was last year and the year before. We are grateful to the Silverman Family, Elevance Foundation, and the $12 million in Opioid Settlement Funding secured by Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo to continue supporting this evidence-making program.”

Brahim Ardolic, MD, Senior Vice President and Deputy Market President, Northwell Western Market, and President, Staten Island University Hospital, stated:
“Overdose rates demand urgent, data-driven solutions. The Hotspotting Program proves that predictive analytics and targeted care save lives—Staten Island is leading the way, and this model must expand across New York. A 63% reduction in substance use-related emergency room visits shows just how effective this approach is, not only in saving lives but also in alleviating the burden on our healthcare system. Every life saved is a step toward breaking the cycle of addiction and strengthening our communities.”

Staten Island District Attorney Michael E. McMahon, said:

“As the five-alarm fire of the fentanyl and overdose crisis continues to rage, we must leave no stone unturned in our pursuit to save lives and put an end to this deadly epidemic. An innovative approach to combating  the opioid crisis, our Hotspotting Initiative has prevented countless overdoses while ensuring that some of Staten Island’s most at-risk populations are given the treatment and holistic support they need to improve their lives for the better. I commend our partners in the Staten Island Performing Provider System and local health professionals and treatment providers for their dedication and creative approach to beating back this dire public safety and health crisis and look forward to the continuation of this most important initiative over the next year and beyond.” 

Ileana Acosta, Program Director of the Hotspotting the Overdose Epidemic Program, said:
“As we reflect on Year 2 of our Hotspotting Program, these results represent more than just numbers—they represent lives saved and families kept intact. Overdose deaths are down across the country, but the crisis remains urgent, and our work is far from over. By engaging those at the highest risk, we are preventing crises before they escalate and ensuring people receive the support they need. While these results are promising, we must keep narrowing the gap until preventable overdose deaths are eliminated.”

 

Adena Hernandez, Director of Health and Mental Health at Robin Hood, said:

“There is an opioid-related death every three hours in New York City – and the highest rate of fatalities occur in very-high poverty neighborhoods. This ongoing crisis continues to cut short the lives of too many New Yorkers, destabilizing families, and communities in the process. As a member of this national Hotspotting advisory, we aim to scale and sustain this life-saving initiative that takes a proactive approach, identifying the most vulnerable individuals and engaging them in responsive, holistic care.”

Max Rose, Former U.S. Representative and Advocate for Overdose Prevention, added:
“The Hotspotting program has now clearly demonstrated that it is the leading overdose prevention initiative in the nation. With this demonstrable success in the program’s phase 2, we urge payors and health systems to adopt this innovative approach.”

____________________________________________________________________________

About the Hotspotting the Overdose Epidemic Program:

The Hotspotting the Overdose Epidemic Program (Hotspotting Program) is a data-driven program implemented by the Staten Island Performing Provider System (SI PPS) in partnership with nine organizations across Staten Island, including the Richmond County District Attorney’s Office, local hospitals, and various community-based organizations. The program identifies at-risk individuals by analyzing key risk factors using an algorithm developed in collaboration with MIT Sloan School of Management’s Initiative for Health Systems Innovation.

The program focuses on value-based care coordination for opioid use disorder (OUD) and overdose prevention, offering a comprehensive model that combines harm reduction, social care, and recovery support. Key components include Certified Recovery Peer Advocates (CRPAs), personalized care plans, and Contingency Management (CM) for Medication-Assisted Treatment patients.

For more information, visit hotspottingtheoverdoseepidemic.com.

 

About Staten Island Performing Provider System (SI PPS)
The Staten Island Performing Provider System (SI PPS) is the lead Social Care Network for Richmond County. We are an integrated network of medical, behavioral, academic partners, and social service agencies. SI PPS aims to improve the quality of care, reduce costs, and improve health outcomes for Staten Island’s Medicaid and uninsured populations. Originally formed under the DSRIP program, SI PPS continues to refine its transformative work to reduce health disparities, enhance population health outcomes, and improve health equity. Learn more at www.statenislandpps.org.

On Tuesday, November 12th, SI PPS Executive Director, Joseph Conte, joined Blooming Health CEO, Nima Roohi, alongside other Social Care Network (SCN) leaders to discuss the New York State 1115 Health Equity Waiver at Blooming Health’s event. The event focused on preparing Social Care Networks for success to serve 7 million Medicaid members across New York.

Other panelists included:

• Amie Parikh, CEO, Hudson Valley Care Coalition
• Zachariah Hennessey, Chief Strategy Officer & EVP, Public Health Solutions
• Lori Andrade, Executive Vice President, Health & Welfare Council of Long Island

What is Samaritan?

Samaritan is a support network that helps people overcome barriers to housing. The Samaritan community has helped more than 1,000 unhoused individuals take steps towards housing across the US.

Samaritan works by partnering with organizations across the nation that are serving unhoused or housing insecure populations. Our partners can use Samaritan to incentivize steps towards health and housing goals and accelerate outcomes for their clients.

 

Mindy Mannarino, a Care Navigational Manger with Staten Island Performing Provider System, expressed her appreciation for the role Samaritan plays in assisting in her client caseload. “Once you get a client interested and you can get them enrolled, they are floored that a health insurance company collaboration would offer something like this. They’re usually pretty enthusiastic!” Mindy highlighted the distinct advantage Samaritan provides compared to other health programs. “It’s nice to be able to offer something like this because for some of the other programs, you’re not offering an incentive,”she explained. “You’re just kind of saying, ‘Oh, you know, you should do this and you should do that.’ So this is much better.”

When asked about the effectiveness of Samaritan’s Action Steps and Bonuses, Mindy pointed out how these elements have had a tangible impact on clients’ health management. “A lot of folks go to appointments, They try to do all the follow-ups that they need to do,” she said, noting that many of her clients deal with conditions like type 2 diabetes and hypertension.

Mindy observed that the incentive structure encourages patients in their personal goals. “It’s interesting, some people said it motivated them to actually set up these appointments, The Members found that this was like an incentive to be more on top of their own health.”

The bonuses, Mindy noted, have been particularly beneficial. “I do notice that the people who indicated, like, ‘I’m really going to use this to buy food,’ they really stick to that,” 

“They are always very thankful and grateful to Samaritan for giving them the opportunity to do this,” she said. “It helps some people feel like it’s more of a priority to take care of their health, because then maybe they can eat a little healthier because they have this extra money.”

Mindy remains optimistic about Samaritan’s ongoing impact. Her experiences illustrate how the program not only provides essential support to those in need but also inspires clients to use their Action Steps toward managing their health effectively.

 

More information about Samaritan can be found on their website: https://www.samaritan.city/

For the past seven years, Staten Island Performing Provider System (SI PPS) has been training Community Health Workers (CHWs). SI PPS is an apprenticeship sponsor and has trained over 200 CHWs in New York City and Long Island. SI PPS partners with employers to graduate trainees by providing additional support such as mentorship, transportation stipends, financial incentives, and job preparation. College of Staten Island is the key training partner to offer a certified community health worker training program.

SI PPS has been designated as a Social Care Network released which was announced by Governor Hochul on August 7, 2024. Social Care Networks will address health disparities in low-income communities by leveraging federal funding to connect Medicaid members to nutritional meals, housing supports, transportation and other social services. CHWs will be an integral member connecting Medicaid members to services to impact the individual’s overall health.

This week is National Community Health Worker Awareness week. Staten Island Performing Provider System is an apprenticeship sponsor and would like to acknowledge the great work being done by our partnering employers and apprentices in Staten Island, Brooklyn, and Long Island.

A Community Health Worker (CHW) is a frontline public health worker who is a trusted member or has a particularly good understanding of the community served. CHWs are some of the most trusted voices in the community when it comes to health because they come from the communities they serve. And they are one of the best ways to tackle health inequity and health disparities.

CHWs serve as a liaison between health and social services and the community to facilitate access to services and to improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery. CHWs can operate under many different titles including Patient Navigator, Community Health Advisor, Maternal/Infant Health Outreach Specialist, Peer Educator, etc.

One of the CHWs that SI PPS sponsored was Crystal Deleon from Community Health Center of Richmond (CHCR). Crystal leads the Enhanced Postpartum Care Project for CHCR. She creates postpartum plans for the fourth trimester alongside patients. Crystal also provides follow-up postpartum check-ins, educational workshops on childbirth for expecting mothers, safe sleep, and breastfeeding. Crystal said “The most rewarding part of her Community Health Worker apprenticeship is reconnecting with mothers and checking in after they deliver the baby”.

In addition to CHCR, there are several employers that we would like to highlight for the CHW apprenticeship. These partners offer services for the homeless, individuals living with HIV, and people with chronic conditions. These are the partners we have worked with for the CHW program:

1. A Chance in Life

2. AIRnyc

3. Central Family Life Center

4. Community Health Action of Staten Island

5. Community Health Center of Richmond

6. Long Island Coalition for the Homeless

7. Harmony Healthcare Long Island

8. Maimonides

9. Make the Road New York

10. Project Hospitality

11. Staten Island Partnership for Community Wellness

The SI PPS CHW training program has 3 phases:

1. The first phase is all virtual. This is the CHW training program provided by College of Staten Island, held 3 evenings per week on Zoom, for 8 weeks. Each session meets for 2-3 hours.

2. The second phase provides upskilling for an additional 5 weeks with three evenings per week virtually on Zoom. Each session meets for 2-3 hours.

3. The third phase is all in-person and is a 6-week on-the-job training program at clinical partner sites such as hospitals, federally qualified health center and/or an ambulatory care center. $600-$1,200 stipend available for trainee.

This past year, Staten Island Performing Provider System (SI PPS) sponsored the Lay Counselor training. The Lay Counselor Academy provided a 14-week course for lay counselors who are people without traditional mental health education but can complete the Lay Counselor Academy training to learn how to provide crucial support to community members in need.

SI PPS will continue to sponsor training programs so if you or anyone you know are interested, please reach out to Connor Stapleton at cstapleton@statenislandpps.org to find out more details. We are accepting applicants until 9/9/24.