For veterans with disabilities
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
The VA is the largest single medical care system in the United States and it is one of the largest purchasers of assistive technology for people with disabilities. Access to eligibility and benefits information is provided here. Read more.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a federal agency that provides income supplements and medical benefits to former military personnel and their families.
Visit the VA website’s current benefits page for the booklet, Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents.
Who is Eligible?
Determining eligibility through the VA can be complex. Generally, eligibility rules are complicated. VA eligibility applies to veterans individually, based on their specific situation.
VA health care is available to veterans who served at least 180 days of active duty, including those who served at least two years following deployment in a combat zone (this includes participants in the Global War on Terror). Veterans must have served at least 180 days of active duty and at least two years following deployment in a combat zone to be eligible. Veterans receiving VA medical care may qualify to receive VA-issued devices and equipment through the VA’s Prosthetics and Sensory Aids program.
However, eligibility for specific benefits and services depends on each individual’s circumstances, and the details can vary significantly.
VA care is available to veterans for at least two years after serving in a combat zone (this includes those involved in the Global War on Terror). Veterans already receiving VA care for any medical condition may obtain assistive devices through the VA’s Prosthetics and Sensory Aids program.
VA Contact Information:
(800) 827-1000 — general benefits information (including vocational rehabilitation, pensions, and health care)
(888) GI-BILL-1 (888-442-4551) — educational benefits
(800) 829-4833 TDD — benefits information (TDD for hearing-impaired callers)
* This is a good resource for all but residents of southeastern Massachusetts (Nantucket, Barnstable, Bristol and Dukes counties). There’s “a bug in the system”; the phone company connects these residents to the Boston VA Regional Office even though the Veterans Benefits Administration serves them through the Providence Road Island Regional Office only. Southeastern Massachusetts residents may get help by calling the Massachusetts Department of Veterans’ Services representative in RI at 401-223-3685 (Dick Early).
Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Division (VR&E)
This division assists veterans with “service-connected” disabilities to prepare for and obtain jobs compatible with their physical, mental, and emotional abilities, and it may also cover necessary assistive technology devices and services. Read more.
The VA’s VR&E division assists veterans with service-connected disabilities in preparing for and finding employment consistent with their physical, mental, and emotional capacities. The division may also provide funding for assistive technology (AT) devices and related services when necessary.
VR&E services include counseling, training, and job-placement assistance. These services are provided based on an individualized vocational plan developed jointly by the veteran and a VR&E counselor. This plan clearly identifies the services—including any required AT—that the VA will provide to support the veteran in achieving their employment objectives. There are various types of plans, each tailored collaboratively by the veteran and the VR&E counselor.
Eligibility for VR&E requires veterans to have a service-connected disability rating of at least 20% with an “employment handicap,” or a disability rating of 10% combined with a “serious employment handicap.” Applicants must also have received an honorable or general discharge from the military. Active-duty service members awaiting medical separation can apply if their disabilities are likely to receive a rating of at least 20% upon discharge.
VR&E rehabilitation services include vocational counseling, employment assistance, and job training, which are delivered according to an individualized vocational rehabilitation plan created by the veteran and the VR&E counselor. This plan details specific services and any AT equipment the VA agrees to provide to help the veteran meet their vocational goals.
Veterans with disabilities who are not eligible for VA vocational rehabilitation may be eligible to receive services through the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission’s VR program.
To Apply:
To Apply: Complete the online application. The form is available online and at your local VA medical center. Find your local VA medical center at the VA website.
Contact:
Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Division
VA Regional Office
JFK Federal Building
Boston, MA 02203
(617) 303-5533
Acting Director Peter McPhail
Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service
The VA’s Prosthetics and Sensory Aids program may buy AT devices for veterans receiving VA care for any condition.
Read about it (at the Funding for Home page).
Hearing Aids and Eyeglasses
Certain veterans are eligible for hearing aids, audiology tests, eyeglasses and eye exams through the VA. Read about it (at the Funding for Home page).
Services for Blind Veterans
Various AT devices and services may be available to blind veterans enrolled in the VA health care system. Read about it (at the Funding for Home page).