Direct Benefit Program for Veterans

Direct Benefit Program for Veterans

“Homeless,” “homeless individual,” and “homeless person” refers to:

1. A person who does not have a normal and permanent area of residence.

2. A person who has a regular area of residence which is a managed public or private shelter, which only provides temporary living accommodations (including welfare hotels, transitional housing for the mentally challenged and congregate shelters), or an institution that will provide you with temporary residential services for people who need to be institutionalized, or a private or public resident not meant for or normal residential use or permanent accommodation for anyone.

The VA has numerous programs that aim to help homeless ex-soldiers directly. Some of these programs include the basics, such as providing food and shelter, plus permanent solutions, which offer rehab training and health services.

The coordinators at the VA concerned with homeless veterans offer outreach programs which assist in expediting the homeless ex-soldiers claims. The Homeless Eligibility Clarification Act allows eligible veterans who do not have a fixed address to get VA benefits checks from VA regional offices. There are also procedures at the VA which speed up the process of claiming benefits. The previous year, over 35,000 were assisted, and 4,000 had their claims expedited by the Veterans Benefits Administration.

VA’s HCHV (Health Care for Homeless Veterans) Program can be found at 133 sites, and has numerous health activities and programs that aim to help the homeless ex-soldiers.

6 Comments
  • Jim
    Posted at 15:59h, 17 October

    Served in the Air Force from 77 to 79. Never looked into VA benefits previously. Currently I’m 58 and have been homeless,living in my car. No drugs, alcohol or criminal background. Lost all my paperwork and submitted a claim 9/26/2017. Recently called in for status and told April 2018. This doesn’t feel like hope to me and I’m not sure where else to turn. Physically I’m falling apart and without medical/dental who knows what my condition will be by then.

    • Adam
      Posted at 18:09h, 17 October

      Jim, please call the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255.

  • Valerie Bellman
    Posted at 04:18h, 20 September

    My husband’s dad was in Hiroshema thee week after the bomb was dropped. You. Can see “static/white. Noise” in some of his photos. After returning home, he died of cancer at 51. The daughter conceived just after. His return from Japan died. At 37!from breast cancer. Are there. Benefits available fr the 3 surviving. Siblings ? Thank you.

  • John Raymond O'Brien
    Posted at 20:44h, 28 July

    I served in the Air Force from 1954-1958 on active duty. Reserves from 1958-1966. I have my DD214 # available. I am interested to know about my benefits for cremation and internment at Rosecrans in San Diego.
    Thanks you

    • VA.org Editor
      Posted at 18:50h, 29 July

      This cemetery is closed to new interments. The only interments that are being accepted are subsequent interments for veterans or eligible family members in an existing gravesite. Periodically however, burial space may become available due to disinterment from an existing gravesite or for other reasons. If burial space is available at the time of request, the cemetery will assign such gravesites or columbarium niches to other eligible Veterans or family members. Since there is no way to know in advance when a gravesite may become available, please contact the cemetery at the time of need to inquire whether space is available. You can find more information about Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery here: https://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/ftrosecrans.asp

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