Veteran, Family, and Community Engagement

Sharing Resources and Improving the Experience of Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors.

Attn: CVEBs and VSOs,

In response to the request of several VSOs for updated information related to COVID-19 and the VA resources/efforts in place to support Veterans and their families, I would like to provide you with a short list of key resources that you can share within your respective organizations and the Veterans and communities they support to help answer their questions or concerns.

As I’m sure your aware, VA has implemented an aggressive public health response to protect and care for Veterans in the face of this emerging health risk. Working directly with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other federal partners we not only closely track the virus but we are taking strong proactive steps to prevent, contain and treat it. 

Thank you for your continued collaboration with VA in our shared mission to serve our Veterans, families, caregivers, and survivors in this challenging time.

RESOURCES

Join us for a Lunch N Learn today!  ‘Whole Health Amid COVID-19’: 

• March 26^th – 1:00pm ET; link to join: http://va-eerc-ees.adobeconnect.com/cv-19wholehealth/
• If you cannot attend, please access the recorded session here: http://va-eerc-ees.adobeconnect.com/cv-19wholehealth/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/VetsExperience/status/1242501206402088960

Read About and Share Services! Sign up today:

• #VetResources:  VA newsletter reaching more than 10M Veterans and families. Resources, tools, and tips on VA and community resources.
• Subscribe: https://www.va.gov/vetresources/ 

Get 24/7 help! Call the White House/VA Hotline: Dial 1-855-948-2311. 

• Calls are answered by a live agent 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. 
• Agents assist with facility locator: https://www.va.gov/find-locations/ 

Answer MISSION Act and COVID Questions: MyVA 311: Dial 1-844-MyVA311. 

For general COVID-19 information or information for MISSION ACT.

• COVID-19 Guidance for Community Providers Fact Sheet: https://www.va.gov/COMMUNITYCARE/docs/pubfiles/factsheets/FactSheet_20-40.pdf

Find Caregiver Support: https://www.caregiver.va.gov/ 

Understand and Access Services: VA Welcome Kit: Click here to download the VA Welcome Kit and access the Quick Start Guide for Caregiver Support: https://www.va.gov/welcome-kit/

Find more information on VA and government-wide resources:

The federal government response: www.coronavirus.gov/

The actions of the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA): https://www.publichealth.va.gov/n-coronavirus/

Additional VA Resources

These measures include outreach to Veterans and staff, clinical screening at VA health care facilities, and protective procedures for patients admitted to community living centers and spinal cord injury units.

Website Coronavirus Information:

• For more information about coronavirus, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.
• https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/72856/veterans-multiple-resources-covid-19-information/
• FAQs: https://www.va.gov/coronavirus-veteran-frequently-asked-questions/

VA.GOV: Access and manage your VA benefits and health care to include education and records www.va.gov

Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1 to talk to someone. Send a text message to 838255 to connect with a VA responder. Start a confidential online chat session at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat.

• For additional mental health resources visit, https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/suicide_prevention/resources.asp

Prescription Refills: If you currently get your prescription sent to you by mail, you’ll continue to receive your refills as normal. If you usually pick up your prescriptions in person, we encourage you to use our online prescription refill and tracking tool.

• To make sure you have your medicine in time, request your refill at least 10 days before you’ll run out of your current prescription. For questions about your prescriptions, send a secure message to your provider through My HealtheVet. https://www.myhealth.va.gov/mhv-portal-web/home

Homeless Veterans:

• https://www.va.gov/homeless/

• Veterans and their families may also call 1-877-4AID-VET (1-877-424-3838) to access VA services.
• US Interagency Council on Homelessness https://www.usich.gov/covid-19
• CDC: Interim Guidance for Responding to Coronavirus Disease 2019 among People Experiencing Unsheltered Homelessness 
• CDC: Interim Guidance for Homeless Service Providers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) 

VA Benefits: How to file a claim? https://www.va.gov/disability/how-to-file-claim/

• Forever GI Bill: On Saturday, March 21, 2020, the President signed into law S. 3503, which clarifies how the Department of Veterans Affairs should treat in-person courses of study that convert to distance learning formats due to health-related situations and other emergencies.
• https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/72852/veterans-gi-bill-benefits-continue-covid-19-pandemic/

Telehealth Services: Meet with providers from home; available on iPhone, iPad, laptops, macOS, Android, and personal computers.

• How can Telehealth Support You? https://telehealth.va.gov/

• VA Video Connect: https://mobile.va.gov/app/va-video-connect
• National Telehealth Technology Help Desk at 866-651-3180 or 703-234-4483

Mobile Vet Centers: Locate a Mobile Vet Center near you or talk to an adjustment counselor

•  https://www.vetcenter.va.gov/

• 1-877-WAR VETS (1.877.927.8387) is an around the clock confidential call center where combat Veterans and their families can call to talk about their military experience or any other issue they are facing in their readjustment to civilian life. 

National Cemetery Operations:

• Effective March 23 — as part of the agency’s response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) — committal services and the rendering of military funeral honors will discontinue until further notice.

• https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/72854/va-national-cemeteries-adjusts-operations-response-covid-19/

• For more information, contact NCA at 202-891-9987. Veterans can call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117 or schedule a burial arrangement online.

Board of Veterans’ Appeals:

• The Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) is making changes to keep Veterans safe from exposure to COVID-19 while continuing its mission of providing hearings and deciding appeals.
• The Board has suspended all travel, video and Central Office hearings through at least May 1, 2020. 
• Veterans will work with their representatives to reschedule hearings. Veterans who prefer to wait for travel board, video or central office hearings to resume will receive top priority in hearing rescheduling.
• Click here for information on virtual hearings.
• The Board will Advance on Docket (AOD) appeals for Veterans who have been diagnosed with COVID-19
• Click here to find out how to file for AOD and what documentation is required.
• During this National emergency, the Board will now accept typed signatures on AMA Notices of Disagreement (NOD) VA Form 10182, in lieu of a wet signature.

Veterans Experience Office

Please share this resource with your network! Let us know how we can help at
Vet-FriendlyCommunities@va.gov

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