Veteran Directed Care Program Newsletter

May 15, 2026

Save the Date: June Veteran Directed Care (VDC) Office Hours

Please join the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) for the June VDC Office Hours on June 10th from 2-3p.m. ET. If you plan to attend, please complete the VDC Office Hours Questionnaire with your name, email, VDC provider name, and any questions you would like to be addressed during the office hour no later than June 1st at 11:59p.m. ET.

Revisions to the Monthly Reporting Tool (MRT)

Following feedback received during the March VDC Educational Webinar, the MRT has been revised for clarity:

The intent of questions 2 and 3 is to understand how many Veterans are referred and enrolled for the month that is being reported in the MRT. We appreciate your feedback to ensure accuracy and clarity in reporting.

Celebrating Veteran Success Stories

Thank you to our VDC providers for your continued support of our Veterans and the VDC program. Below are success stories from ARISE-Exceptional Family Resources (EFR) and the Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging (AAA). Thank you to ARISE-EFR and the Western Reserve AAA for their great work to support Veterans!

ARISE-EFR

In early 2025, a 75-year-old Veteran was referred to the VDC program following a serious medical episode that resulted in a month-long hospitalization. Following discharge, the Veteran transitioned to his son's home, where he required support with all Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs). Through one year of program enrollment and the dedicated assistance of his daughter-in-law, the Veteran rebuilt his strength, improved his functional abilities, and regained much of the independence he had lost. Today, the Veteran continues to build on these gains and is actively working toward returning to his own home with minimal assistance.

Western Reserve AAA

A 64-year-old disabled Veteran, injured during his service, suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and diabetes, and has survived a stroke. Tasks like getting out of bed, dressing himself, eating and traveling to and from appointments became insurmountable challenges. While his wife and daughter proved helpful, the level of assistance he required was a strain. "There were times in my life when I thought it was the end," said the Veteran. He reached a turning point when his local VA office informed him of the VDC program, which enabled his daughter to become his full-time caregiver, accompanying him to appointments, preparing meals, and performing household chores. "It was life-altering," said the Veteran. "And I never knew it would make this much of a difference in my life."

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 using this form. 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.