What Is Veteran-Directed Care?

A Department of Veterans Affairs program that lets Veterans stay home, direct their own care, and hire the people they trust.

An older Veteran at home in his armchair

Your Care, on Your Terms, in Your Home

Veteran-Directed Care (VDC) is a Department of Veterans Affairs program that gives Veterans a flexible budget for the services they need and the freedom to decide how to use it. With VDC, Veterans choose who they hire and set the schedule and priorities they want.

The program is for Veterans of all ages who require help with daily activities and who might otherwise have to move out of their homes. Veteran-Directed Care lets participants stay home and take charge of the services they need to live their healthiest and happiest life.

From First Conversation to Care at Home

Veteran-Directed Care brings together the VA, local community agencies, and a Financial Management Services provider. Here is how the pieces fit.

  1. It Starts at the VA

    Veteran-Directed Care is a VA program, jointly administered with the Administration for Community Living at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Veterans usually begin by talking with their VA care team or social worker, who can confirm eligibility and make a referral.

  2. A Local Agency Helps You Plan

    The program is delivered through Aging and Disability Network Agencies, such as Area Agencies on Aging and Centers for Independent Living. An options counselor helps each Veteran assess their needs and build a flexible spending plan around them.

  3. The Veteran Directs the Care

    Veterans decide what services fit their needs. Then they hire the people they trust to provide care and set the schedule they want.

  4. Veterans Choose Handles the Rest

    As the Financial Management Services provider, we take care of worker payroll, employer taxes, budget tracking, and program administration, so directing your own care never means doing your own accounting.

An older woman Veteran directing dinner prep while her daughter chops vegetables

Who Qualifies?

Veteran-Directed Care is for Veterans of all ages who need help in their homes and want to take charge of how it is provided.

To be eligible Veterans must:

  • Need help with everyday activities like bathing, getting dressed, or preparing meals
  • Be enrolled in VA health care
  • Want to keep living at home or in their community
A Veteran playing guitar on his porch from his wheelchair

Support and Independence, at Home

Most people would rather stay in their own home than move into an institutional setting. Veteran-Directed Care enables that choice for the men and women who served, allowing them to stay where they want and take charge of the care they receive.

The program is growing rapidly, but even more people could benefit. The biggest challenge is letting Veterans know about this powerful program and how it can help them live the lives they want. Recent federal legislation calls for making the program available through more VA medical centers throughout the country. We're here to help more Veterans to make the choice to start Veteran-Directed Care!

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Veteran-Directed Care is supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs, a local agency, and a Financial Management Services provider. Veterans Choose works with everyone involved to make sure the Veteran gets the support they need in the simplest way possible.

For Veterans

Wondering what Veteran-Directed Care could look like for you or someone you love? We are happy to talk it through.

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For Agencies

If your organization delivers Veteran-Directed Care, or wants to, we can make the program easier to run.

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