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H H S Department of Health and Human Services
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Health Resources and Services Administration

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Helping Veterans & Their Families

The 2000 Census estimated that veterans comprise 12.7 percent of the U.S. population. Many veterans and their families have health care needs that HRSA grantees may be able to address.

HRSA encourages all safety net providers to welcome veterans and their families into care.

Helping Veterans Transition to Civilian Health Care Careers

Community Health Center Veterans Hiring Challenge helps veterans find civilian employment. HRSA-supported health centers across the nation are challenged to hire 8,000 veterans by 2014.

Helping Veterans Become Nurses helps veterans translate health care skills learned in the military into civilian jobs. HRSA has awarded a grant to Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi College of Nursing and Health Sciences, enabling the nursing school to work with military leadership to identify strategies to align enlisted health care training and nursing academic credit. 

Helping Veterans Become Physician Assistants to make it easier for veterans build on their military medical training and become physician assistants, HRSA gives priority in physician assistant grant awards to universities and colleges that help train veterans for careers as physician assistants. HRSA is also working to identify model programs that offer expedited curricula for veterans and that offer enhanced veteran recruiting, retention, and mentoring services, and help bring these best practices to other programs. 

Seamless Referral of Veterans to VA Facilities

Veterans may have needs best met at a Veterans Health Administration (VA) medical center. You should identify these veterans early and refer them appropriately, using the following to ensure eligibility for VA health care:

  • Use the VA Facilities Locator and Directory to find the nearest facility. Phone the Enrollment Coordinator (between 8am and 4pm) for information on the application process and available health care benefits and to expedite the enrollment application. Veterans who wish to may visit the facility and apply in person.
  • Help the veteran submit VA Form 10-10EZ On-line to request enrollment in the VA Health Care System (apply for medical benefits). Typically, veterans who have NOT previously enrolled or applied for VA health care benefits should use this form.

Contracting with the VA Medical Centers to Provide Services

To improve access to care, some Veterans Administration (VA) medical centers offer services at Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs).

Many Community Based Outpatient Clinics are staffed by VA providers, however, some offer services to veterans through a contractual relationship in which the staff and facilities of local non-profit organizations are available to provide services to a defined group of veterans..

HRSA encourages grantees to consider contracting with VA medical centers to provide high-quality, culturally sensitive care to veterans.

The following is a H R S A flash movie. The movie contains a link to http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/ where you can search for health centers by location.

HRSA Find a Health Center Widget.

Additional Resources

Veterans Health Administration

Mental Health (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)

Health Care Providers: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)

Joining Forces: Caring for our Returning Military 

Ryan White HIV/AIDS Programs and Veterans: Policy Notice 07-07

Homeless Veterans and Health Care: A Resource Guide for Providers (PDF - 608 KB) (National Health Care for the Homeless Council) describes the health care challenges of homeless veterans and recommendations for addressing them.

Training Opportunity

Behavioral/Mental Health of Veterans, Service Members & Families monthly webinars focused on the mental/behavioral health needs of veterans, service members, and their families, including issues related to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI).