Photo credit: www.govexec.com

VA Proposes New Grant Program for Legal Assistance to Veterans

The Veterans Affairs Department has put forward a proposal for a pilot program aimed at providing grants to nonprofit organizations focused on veteran services, as well as to local, state, and tribal governments. This initiative is designed to enhance legal assistance for former service members who are attempting to secure benefits from the VA.

This program primarily targets veterans whose military discharge status may hinder their access to these benefits. Individuals who have been discharged under dishonorable conditions typically find themselves ineligible for VA benefits. However, there are avenues available, such as the discharge review board, that could enable them to seek a status upgrade.

VA Secretary Denis McDonough emphasized the importance of seeking assistance despite discharge status, stating, “We encourage former service members with other than honorable discharges to apply for VA care and benefits today. Although VA cannot change your discharge status, we want to provide you with any health care or benefits we can — and we will work with you every step of the way to do exactly that. We also know that the process to navigate the review boards and determination process can be daunting — but access to legal support can make all the difference, and we believe this new grant program will help fill that gap.”

Over the last decade, the VA has successfully expanded benefits eligibility to approximately 75% of veterans who hold other-than-honorable discharge statuses, which amounts to over 57,000 individuals, as noted in a recent press release.

In April, the VA implemented a final rule that altered existing regulations related to the determination of benefits eligibility based on discharge character. This included the removal of certain restrictions, such as the disqualification related to “homosexual acts involving aggravating circumstances or other factors affecting the performance of duty.”

The public is invited to provide feedback on the proposed legal assistance grant program until December 2, 2024. This pilot program is authorized under a provision from the fiscal 2021 National Defense Authorization Act.

Under the proposed regulations, organizations receiving these grants would be prohibited from charging veterans for legal services and would be required to submit annual reports detailing the activities funded by the grants.

In addition to this proposal, the VA has also recently initiated a grant program for legal services aimed at assisting homeless veterans, further expanding its commitment to supporting those who have served.

Source
www.govexec.com