Veteran Benefits

Health Benefits Available
- For individuals
  - Medical Benefits Package includes:
    - Inpatient hospital care
    - Outpatient services to promote, preserve, or restore health
    - Medical facilities provide a variety of services including traditional hospital-based services (surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, physical therapy, etc.)
    - Most of medical facilities offer other medical and surgical specialty services (audiology and speech pathology, dermatology, neurology, vision care, organ transplants, etc.)
    - Preventative care services
      - Periodic medical exams
      - Health education
      - Immunization against infectious disease
      - Counseling on genetically inherited diseases
    - Mental health care
      - Veterans Affairs provides free military sexual trauma counseling and referral
        
        Includes care and services to overcome psychological trauma while veteran was on active duty or on Active Duty for Training (ADUTRA)
      - Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Veterans
        
        LGBT Veterans are eligible for same benefits as any other Veteran
        
        Transgender Veterans will be treated based upon their self-identified gender, including room assignments
      - Additional Health Care Services
        
        Geriatrics and extended care services, domiciliary, hospice, respite
      - Certain benefits (dental care) may vary
    - For families of veterans
      - Family members of Veterans are eligible for health benefits under certain circumstances
      - Some offered programs:
        
        Civilian Health and medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA)
        
        Spina Bifida (SB)
        
        Children of Women Vietnam Veterans (CMVV)
        
        Foreign Medical Program (FMP)
        
        Camp Lejeune Family Member Program (CLFMP)
        
        Caregiver
      - The programs can reduce/eliminate cost for medical supplies, office visits or prescriptions

How to Apply

Applying for Veterans Affairs Health Benefits
- https://www.va.gov/vaforms/medical/pdf/1010EZ-fillable.pdf
Applying for Long Term Care
- https://www.va.gov/vaforms/medical/pdf/vha-10-10EC-fill.pdf
- Complete on paper and apply in person or mail the application to a local Veterans Affairs health care facility
- Alternative option: Call Veterans Affairs toll-free at 877-222-VETS (8387)
  - Monday through Friday between 8am to 8pm, EST
- Veterans already enrolled in the Veterans Affairs health care can update their information
  - https://www.vets.gov/health-care/forms/vha-10-10ezr-fill.pdf

Where to Apply

Below is a list of local resources that assist with Veteran Benefits in the Southern California
- North Orange County Vet Center
  - 12453 Lewis St #101, Garden Grove, CA 92840
- Veterans Services
  - B, 1300 S Grand Ave, Santa Ana, CA 92705
- Santa Ana Veterans Health Clinic
  - 1506 Brookhollow Dr, Santa Ana, CA 92705
- Tierney Center for Veteran Services
  - 1231 Warner Ave, Tustin, CA 92780
- South Orange County Vet Center
  - 26431 Crown Valley Pkwy, Mission Viejo, CA 92691
- US Veterans Outreach Center
  - 859 S Harbor Blvd, Anaheim, CA 92805
- Laguna Hills Veteran Health Clinic
  - 25292 McIntyre St K, Laguna Hills, CA 92653
- Anaheim Veterans Health Clinic
  - 2569 W Woodland Dr, Anaheim, CA 92801
- Veteran Services, University of California, Irvine
  - G304 UCI Student Center, Irvine, CA 92697
- Veterans Legal Institute
  - 2100 N Broadway #209, Santa Ana, CA 92706
- Veterans First OC
  - 1611 N Broadway, Santa Ana, CA 92706
- Valiant VA Services
  - 12443 Lewis St #204, Garden Grove, CA 92840
- Riverside County Department of Veterans’ Services
  - 4360 Orange St, Riverside, CA 92501

Myth and Facts Regarding Benefits

Myths and facts regarding veteran benefits
Myth: A veteran with a Bad Conduct Discharge (BCD) or an Other Than Honorable (OTH) is not eligible for VA benefits.
Fact: Eligibility for most benefits is based on discharge from active military service under other-than-honorable conditions. Even if a veteran has a BCD or OTH, the veteran is still eligible for most VA benefits.
Myth: A veteran doesn’t quality for VA benefits if he/or already filed a lawsuit against an asbestos company.
Fact: Any money awarded to the veteran from a lawsuit or an asbestos bankruptcy trust claim will not affect the veteran’s eligibility for VA benefits. However, the veteran cannot receive government benefits twice for the same illness.
Myth: A veteran does not quality for VA benefits if he/she didn’t service in the military long enough.
Fact: Length of service is not a requirement to qualify for benefits. The VA only needs proof that the veteran developed a disease after exposure to asbestos while in military service. The veteran must also have been discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.

More myths and facts can be found at https://www.asbestos.com/veterans/myths/

Statistics

How many veterans are there in the USA, California and Orange County
- There were around 20.4 million US veterans in 2016, according to the data from the Department of Veterans Affairs
- Approximately 2 million veterans live in California
- About 130,000 veterans reside in Orange County
How many take advantage of benefits?
How many are homeless?
- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (2016) estimates that there are 39,471 homeless veterans on any given night
Where do a majority of veterans seek treatment/care?
- The most effective programs for homeless and at-risk veterans are community-based, nonprofit, “veterans helping veterans” groups
- Programs that seem to work best feature transitional housing with camaraderie of living in structured, substance-free environments w/ fellow veterans who are succeeding in bettering themselves
Sources for Statistics and Information