Veteran Directed Care Program Newsletter

April 10, 2026

In Case You Missed It: March Veteran Directed Care (VDC) Educational Webinar

Thank you to those who attended the March VDC Educational Webinar held on Tuesday, March 17, from 3:00 - 4:00pm ET. The session featured important updates from the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), along with an overview of recent VDC policy and resource developments. The webinar also included a live demonstration of the new VDC Wage Workbook and Tool. All resources and materials shared during the session are available on the VDC Technical Assistance (TA) Community and include:

• Community Care Provider Disputes and Appeals
• New FMS Requirement for Hubs and Sole Proprietors
• Revised Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 VDC Budget Calculator
• VDC Monthly Reporting Tool

VDC Wage Workbook and Tool

The ACL and VHA recognize that Veterans participating in the VDC program, acting as employers, have the right to determine and establish hourly wage rates for their employees. These rates apply to a range of services including personal care, homemaker services, and environmental supports.

The VDC Wage Workbook and Tool was developed to assist Veterans and caregivers in estimating appropriate wage ranges for three primary VDC service categories: Personal Care, Homemaker, and Environmental Support. The tool accounts for geographic area and employee age range for the years 2024-2026. The tool does not set wages, and employers must balance wages in the context of their need for personal care service hours and their monthly budget.

A detailed live walkthrough of the tool, including a discussion of data sources and methodology, is available in the recording of the March VDC Educational Webinar.

Spotlight on Veteran Success Stories: The Senior Connection Center

We extend our sincere appreciation to the Senior Connection Center for their outstanding support of Veterans and the VDC program. Below is a story from the Senior Connection Center showcasing Nathaniel Heathprice and his mother Stacey Hawley. Thank you to the Senior Connection Center for their great work to support Veterans!

Senior Connection Center

Veteran Nathaniel Heathprice, a 32-year-old Veteran, was initially connected to a caregiver while in the hospital, but he and his family were forced to pay for essential supports out of private funds. His mother, Stacey Hawley, heard about the VDC program and took advantage of its flexibility to hire individuals who have maintained consistent employment and provided a personalized level of care that was not possible with a traditional agency model. Through the VDC program, Nathaniel maintains his daily routine and dignity in a familiar environment while pursuing adventurous activities in his community, such as fishing, surfing, and even skydiving. Nathaniel and Stacey were initially highlighted in a Veterans Day “Mission Moment” video from the Senior Connection Center. In February 2026, Nathaniel and Stacey jointed the Senior Connection Center's CEO for a TV broadcast to discuss the evolving landscape of caregiving needs and provided a face and voice to the thousands of Veterans and families navigating the complexities of long-term care.

We invite all VDC participants and providers to submit their own success stories using the dedicated VDC Success Stories form.

Reminders

ACL's No Wrong Door (NWD) Website VDC Page: Visit the VDC page on the NWD website for helpful resources. If you do not find a resource, please email veterandirected@acl.hhs.gov.

VDC Monthly Reporting Tool: Please continue submitting your program's data at the end of each month. This helps track the program's impact accurately. If your VDC provider or VAMC is missing from the tool, email veterandirected@acl.hhs.gov with the correct details.

Veteran Success Stories: Please use the Veteran Success Story form to share inspiring VDC success stories, including positive Veteran stories from their VDC enrollment experience, promising practices as a VDC provider, or stories of success that you've heard from the Veterans you serve. We'd love to feature them in future newsletters!

VDC Technical Assistance (TA) Community: VDC providers can share peer-created resources, join in on discussions, and get information on events related to VDC on the VDC TA Community! Create an account at www.ta-community.com or reach out to veterandirected@acl.hhs.gov for assistance with getting access to the Community.

Technical Assistance: Have a question? Need guidance? Want to share good news about your VDC program? Reach out to the VDC Federal Technical Assistance Team at veterandirected@acl.hhs.gov. We look forward to hearing from you!

VDC Email Distribution List: Ensure you and your team receive important updates. If you are not yet subscribed, add your information here: VDC Email Distribution List form. We value your partnership supporting Veterans through the Veteran Directed Care program.

Thank you for your continued partnership and dedication to supporting Veterans through the Veteran Directed Care program.