Lake County Veterans Service Officers Explain Their Role, When to Call Them

Lake County Veterans Service Officers Brad Anderson and Melissa Crandall published a guidance column in the North Shore Journal on March 4 explaining precisely what their office does, who qualifies for their help, and when veterans or their families should turn to crisis lines or emergency services instead.

The two officers work out of the Lake County Courthouse at 616 3rd Avenue in Two Harbors. Their office, Lake County Veterans Services, describes its mission as providing "comprehensive support, advocacy, and assistance to Veterans, their families, survivors, and caregivers," with a commitment to ensuring "all eligible residents receive the benefits they have earned." That includes not just veterans themselves but also survivors and caregivers who may be navigating federal benefit systems on their own.

Reaching Anderson or Crandall requires an appointment. The office asks that veterans and family members call 218-834-8326 or email cvso@co.lake.mn.us before coming in. A fax line is also available at 218-834-8369.

For situations that cannot wait for a scheduled meeting, Anderson and Crandall point to several around-the-clock resources. The Veterans Crisis Line is reached by dialing 988 and pressing 1. It provides free, confidential support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and does not require VA enrollment. Family members can call on behalf of a veteran. The Veterans Linkage Line, a Minnesota-specific resource operated through the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, is available at 888-546-5838 and connects callers to experts covering topics from employment and education to homelessness and Veterans Homes. The VA's national main information line, MyVA411, operates around the clock at 800-698-2411.

Veterans in Lake County who need housing stability support can also contact the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans. MACV's northern office, closest to Two Harbors, is located at 5209 Ramsey Street in Duluth and can be reached at 218-722-8763. The organization's metro headquarters sits at 2700 East Lake Street, Suite 3350, in Minneapolis, reachable at 612-726-1327, with a southern office in Mankato at 507-345-8258.

Veterans elsewhere in northeastern Minnesota have county-level service officers of their own. Carlton County serves the Cloquet area from 14 North 11th Street, Suite 120, at 218-499-6838. Koochiching County's office is at the courthouse in International Falls, 218-283-1179. Beltrami County's office in Bemidji can be reached at 218-333-4177.

The full text of the March 4 column, including Anderson and Crandall's specific guidance on distinguishing situations that warrant a call to their office from those requiring emergency services, was not available at press time. Veterans or family members seeking that guidance directly can contact the Lake County Veterans Services office at the numbers above.