United States Department of Veterans Affairs

 

VA Raises Awareness for Heart Disease in Women

On September 27, VA staff exercised to help raise awareness of heart disease in women at VA headquarters “VA Goes Red” Health Expo. View photos of the event.

 

Veterans Crisis Line: Confidential Help for Vets

The Veterans Crisis Line offers free, confidential support to Veterans in crisis, as well as their family and friends. Save this number to your phone: 1-800-273-8255 (press 1 for Veterans). You can also chat online or text professional responders at 838255

 

VA Secretary Shinseki Meets With Tribal Leaders

On Sept. 25, VA Secretary Shinseki was the keynote speaker at the National Indian Health Board Annual Consumer Conference in Denver. The conference involved a Veterans track with tribal consultations on health/benefits services to American Indian/Alaskan Native Vets. 
View photos

 

Your Future is Bright - Don't Cloud it with Smoke

If you smoke, VA wants to help you quit. VA offers a variety of resources, including individual counseling, smoking cessation programs and prescriptions for nicotine replacement therapy. Learn more

 

September is National Suicide Prevention Month

September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and it's a reminder that mental health doesn't have to be a battle waged on your own. Check out our new PSA, Side by Side, and bookmark the Veterans Crisis Line page for valuable information and resources. 

In The News

VA Fills First Phase of Veterans Retraining Program to Enhance Job Skills

The Department of Veterans Affairs has approved applications for all 45,000 slots available in fiscal year (FY) 2012 under the successful Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) and is in the process of approving applications for a total of 54,000 slots available in FY 2013.
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VA Completes Over 1 Million Compensation Claims in 2012

VA announced today that the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), which oversees the delivery of disability compensation and other benefits to the nation's Veterans, processed over one million disability claims during fiscal year 2012, marking the third year in row VBA claims processors have exceeded the one million mark.
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Industry Recognizes VA Campaigns for Raising Public Awareness for Veterans Mental Health Care

Two U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs public awareness campaigns designed to help Veterans who seek mental health care assistance have received forty-three industry and association awards for communication and design excellence.
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VA Approves $28 Million in Grants for Homeless Veterans

VA has approved $28.4 million in grants to fund 38 projects in 25 states and the District of Columbia that will provide transitional housing to homeless Veterans. Among these 38 projects, 31 will provide temporary housing to homeless Veterans with the goal that they will retain the residence as their own.
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Hot Topics

Impact of VBA's New Challenge Training Program

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) has developed a comprehensive and integrated Transformation Campaign Plan to achieve our 2015 goal of eliminating the disability claims backlog and processing all claims at a 98 percent quality level. Along with improved processes and technologies, investment in our people is a key component of VBA's transformation to a 21st Century organization. View the report.


VA Publishes Draft Strategy Plan for
Women Vets

VA's Women Veterans Task Force has developed a comprehensive action plan to focus on resolving critical issues facing women Veterans. View the 2012 Draft Report: Strategies for Serving Our Women Veterans. Leave comments.


VA Gulf War Task Force Report Released

VA has released the second in a series of annual reports from its Gulf War Veterans Illnesses Task Force, outlining how the department will address the concerns of Veterans deployed during the Gulf War of 1990-1991. The report focuses on efforts to improve the delivery of health care for Gulf War Veterans, including the launch of a prototype clinical care model specifically for Gulf War Veterans.
View the complete report


VA Publishes its 2011 Highlights for the Citizen

On November 15th, VA published its 2011 Performance and Accountability Report (PAR). The PAR enables the President, Congress, Veterans Service Organizations, and the public to assess VA's performance on behalf of America's Veterans. The 2011 Highlights for the Citizen, which presents the most important information from the PAR in a condensed, user-friendly format, is now available. View the report page for more information