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Veteran Directed Care Program
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What is the Veteran Directed Care program?

The Veteran Directed Care (VDC) program offers Veterans and their caregivers greater access, choice and control over the long-term services and supports (LTSS) that help Veterans live at home and remain a part of their community. Veterans enrolled in VDC decide for themselves what mix of goods and services best meet their needs. This includes the ability to hire, schedule and supervise their workers.


The VDC program was developed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living in 2008 and is currently offered at 82 VA Medical Centers across the country. All Veterans, regardless of age, who are enrolled in the VA health care system and meet the clinical need for the service, are eligible to participate in VDC if it is offered at a local VA Medical Center. To find out if a VA Medical Center near you is offering the program, please click here.



Veterans Affairs Article Click to read more...

As a result of the excellent service and funding from this program, I am able to continue living on my own with my dog, in my own home, even though I am 90 years old and blind.

- Veteran receiving VDC

Veterans in Control

Through the management of a flexible service budget, enrolled Veterans may hire family, friends and/or neighbors to provide services and choose for themselves which goods and services to purchase.

VDC transforms the traditional service delivery system into a system that puts the Veteran at the center.

Shift in Responsbilities: How Services Are Becoming More Focused on Serving Veterans rather than a Veteran finding services

My Organization is Interested in Becoming a VDC Provider

The decision to offer the VDC program is made by VA Medical Centers (VAMC). If a VAMC is interested in offering the program, they work directly with one of the following types of Aging and Disability Network Agencies (ADNAs) to deliver VDC:

Aging and Disability Resource Centers

Area Agencies on Aging

Centers for Independent Living

State Units on Aging

I enrolled in the VA program because I was taking care of my husband 18 hours a day…for the first time in a long time I am free to leave my house…To not be stuck in the house 7 days a week is highly beneficial for the emotional outlook. I am not as depressed as I was. I don’t sleep as much. I am out there enjoying life.

- Caregiver of a Veteran receiving VDC

ADNAs interested in delivering VDC can choose to become a provider or a subcontractor to another ADNA provider. If the decision is to become a provider, the ADNA will be required to pass a VA VDC Readiness Review. The Readiness Review process verifies that the ADNA has tools, processes, and procedures to operate a self-directed care model and meet the requirements to become a VDC provider.

If your organization is interested in becoming a VDC provider, please contact veterandirected@acl.hhs.gov to begin the process.

VAMCs that currently have operational VDC Programs

Find the VAMC in Your Community

Resources for Interested Organizations

To become a VDC provider, Aging and Disability Network Agencies (ADNAs) are required to undergo a VA VDC Readiness Review that ensures they have the tools, processes, and procedures in place to operate a self-directed program. The following resources detail the different components of the VDC program and processes for becoming a VDC provider:

    VDC Welcome Fact Sheet
    The VDC Welcome Fact Sheet provides an overview of the VDC program and the program’s benefits for Veterans and their caregivers, VAMCs, and ADNAs.

    Becoming a VDC Provider
    This document includes details on the requirements for providing VDC, primary responsibilities of delivering VDC, and who to contact for more information.

    VDC Readiness Review Overview
    The VHA VDC Readiness Review is conducted with ADNAs that are eligible and interested to deliver VDC in partnership with VAMCs. This document provides information on the Readiness Review and the specific criteria that must be met to become a VDC provider as required by the VHA’s Office of Geriatrics and Extended Care.

    VDC Process Flow
    This document outlines the processes that a VDC provider is responsible for, starting from the time of a Veteran referral from a VAMC.

    Instructions for Obtaining a National Provider Identifier (NPI)
    As a VDC provider, your organization will need a NPI number to bill VAMCs for VDC services. This document provides instructions for how to obtain an NPI.

    Super Hub Fact Sheet
    This document includes details on the VDC Super Hubs, or the five VDC providers that support Veterans in multiple states and territories. The document outlines the Super Hubs’ unique position to support VDC program expansion in new VAMC service areas.

    The Hub and Spoke Responsibilities Fact Sheet
    This document provides more information on the VDC Hub and Spoke model, including the typical distribution of responsibilities under this program model.

My daughter has lost so much of her independence and she is so young. This program allows her to live in the community where she grew up, close to her support network, and it gives her a degree of control over her care and her future.

- Veteran's mother and caregiver

My Organization is a VDC Provider

VDC providers are Aging and Disability Network Agencies (ADNAs) that have completed a VA VDC Readiness Review, have a fully executed provider agreement with the VA and are serving Veterans referred by their local VA Medical Center(s). The following resources are available to support program administration:

Veteran Directed Care Field Guidebook
The Veteran Directed Care (VDC) program serves Veterans of any age who are at risk of admission to an institution. Veterans hire workers, including family, friends, and neighbors, to provide personal care services in accordance with a Veteran-developed and Veterans Affairs (VA)-approved spending plan. Veterans receive assistance to manage their employer responsibilities from person-centered counselors and financial management services (FMS) providers. VA Medical Centers (VAMC) purchase VDC services from VA-approved Aging and Disability Network Agencies (ADNA) using Veterans Care Agreements (VCA).
Operations Manual Template
The Operations Manual Template outlines information about VDC program operations to inform the development of a VDC provider’s VDC operations manual.
VDC Billing and Invoicing Guide
This guide is a resource that outlines billing and invoicing procedures to assist with and ensure timely and accurate reimbursement for VDC invoices.
Monthly Services Report
VDC programs can use this Monthly Services Report template to track Veteran VDC spending by documenting actual spending.
VDC Spending Plan
The VDC Spending Plan helps map how Veterans intend to use their VDC budget and estimate spending during their authorization period.
Updated (as of July 2024) Veteran Directed Care Fiscal Year 2024 Case Mix Rate Calculator
The Veteran Health Administration (VHA) developed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Case Mix Rate Calculator to locate Veteran Directed Care case-mix rates by state, county and case-mix level. The Veteran Directed Care Fiscal Year 2024 case mix rates replace the previous Veteran Directed Care Fiscal Year 2023 beginning on October 1, 2023.
Veteran Experience Analysis and Satisfaction Questions
Describes a high-level analysis of satisfaction survey questions from 22 tools used in programs in 2013.

The Veteran Handbook

The Veteran Handbook is designed for use by Veterans in the VDC program for guidance in understanding and navigating the VDC program as an enrollee. The revised Handbook is comprised of five separate documents, organized by topic area and designed to guide Veterans through different aspects of the VDC program:
Providers may contact veterandirected@acl.hhs.gov with any questions or requests for technical assistance.

VDC Resources

VDC Policy Guidance

VDC COVID-19 Information

VDC Office Hours

VDC Webinars

Local VAMC VDC Program Evaluations

VDC Archives

VDC Newsletters

The Power of Veteran Directed Care PDF Click to Download!
Veteran Directed Care PDF Click to Download!
The Role of Aging and Disability Network Agencies PDF Click to Download!

6085

Veterans Enrolled in VDC

82

VA Medical Centers Offering VDC

298

Aging and Disability Network Agencies Delivering VDC