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In June 2018, the Veteran Directed Care (VDC) program name was adopted universally to replace the name "Veteran-Directed Home and Community Based Services (VD-HCBS)" for the program. The modification does not reflect any changes to the core components of the program.

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 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 62 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.



ACL Blog - February 2020

Mary Lazare

A Better Way to Care for Our Veterans?

By: Mary Lazare, ACL Principal Deputy Administrator

Special Event Honoring our Veterans
November 30, 2017

Check out this brief video of Acting HHS Secretary Eric Hargan visiting the home of a Veteran participating in the VDC program and attending the event in Mechanicsville, VA. Additional details of the event and links to media coverage can be found on the resources page.
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 VA Medical Center in Your Community

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:

VDC Billing and Invoicing Guide (700kb)
This guide describes the billing process to ensure timely and accurate reimbursement for VDC invoices.
NEW Veteran Directed Care Fiscal Year 2020 Case Mix Rate Calculator
The Veteran Health Administration (VHA) developed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Case Mix Rate Calculator to locate Veteran Directed Care case-mix rates by state, county and case-mix level. The FY2020 case mix rates replace the previous case-mix rates beginning on October 1, 2019 and are set at a benchmark at 60% of Minnesota Medicaid’s Elderly Waiver, resulting in a 14-15% increase in actual rates from the previous Case Mix Rate Calculator for June 2018 – September 2019.
12 month Spending Report (206kb)
This template can be used to track the status of monthly invoices, Veteran spending per month, contributions and balance of the emergency back-up and planned savings, the monthly per diem and the days in which to bill the per diem on the UB-04.
Veteran Experience Analysis and Satisfaction Questions
Describes a high level analysis of satisfaction survey questions from 22 tools used in programs in 2013.
Providers may contact veterandirected@acl.hhs.gov with any questions or requests for technical assistance.

VDC Resources

VDC Webinars

Local VAMC VDC Program Evaluations

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!

3239

Veterans Enrolled in VDC

69

VA Medical Centers Offering VDC

231

Aging and Disability Network Agencies Delivering VDC