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Veterans-Directed Care (VDC) Program

Joint ACL/VHA program providing veterans with a self-directed budget to purchase home and community-based services. Veterans manage their own flexible budgets and can hire family members, friends, or neighbors as paid caregivers. Administered through Aging and Disability Network Agencies in partnership with VA Medical Centers. Codified and expanded by the Dole Act (P.L. 118-210, signed January 2, 2025), which requires VDC to be administered through every VA medical center by January 2, 2027 (2-year mandate). The Dole Act also raised the HCBS spending cap from 65% to 100% of the geographically adjusted nursing-home cost equivalent (Section 120), enabling more home-based care hours.

Self-directed flexible budget for veterans to purchase HCBS including: personal care, homemaker services, adult day care, assistive technology, home-delivered meals, caregiver support, respite care, environmental modifications, and other goods and services. Veterans hire their own workers (including family) and manage a VA-approved spending plan. Options counselor provides ongoing support.

Eligibility

  • Care recipient must have a qualifying disability
  • Care recipient must be a veteran
  • Relationship: other relative, non relative

Questions to ask the program

These are questions to ask the program, not a verdict on your eligibility. Confirm the current rules directly with the program.

  • Does your relationship to the person — other relative or non relative — count for this program?
  • What counts as a qualifying disability or level of care need, and what documentation shows it?
  • Does the veteran’s service history and discharge status fit this program’s rules?
  • Is there a caregiver-specific department, coordinator, or support line? Ask for it by name. — Many agencies have one that isn’t advertised on the website.
  • What documents do you need from us to start an application?
  • Is there a waitlist right now, and how long is it?

What this record does not yet say

  • budget amounts
  • current participating va medical centers count

Services

Self-directed flexible budget for veterans to purchase HCBS including: personal care, homemaker services, adult day care, assistive technology, home-delivered meals, caregiver support, respite care, environmental modifications, and other goods and services. Veterans hire their own workers (including family) and manage a VA-approved spending plan. Options counselor provides ongoing support.

How to apply

  • Talk with your VA social worker to find out if Veteran-Directed Care is available in your location; the social worker refers you and connects you with a local Aging and Disability Network Agency.