Mass Vets Advisor

Veterans or active-duty service members who are blind or have low vision may be able to get advanced vision care & rehabilitation services through the VA to help them live an independent life. To learn more about VA blind rehab services visit the link above, or call the Blind Rehabilitation Service Program office at 202-461-7317. You can also contact the Visual Impairment Services Team (VIST) coordinator at your nearest VA medical center by visiting: https://www.va.gov/find-locations/

The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) provides free van rides to & from VA Boston Healthcare System facilities to veterans who don’t have other transportation options. The options include transportation to: - Brockton VA Medical Center - Jamaica Plain VA Medical Center - West Roxbury VA Medical Center Learn how to schedule a DAV ride & other transportation options to each of these medical centers using the link above. For more info on travel requirements & availability call: (857) 364-5234.

National VA Chaplain Service is dedicated to providing the highest quality pastoral care to veterans. Chaplains are on call 24/7, providing spiritual/religious care to all Veterans & their family members. VA Chaplains provide complete religious ministry to veteran patients in accordance with their needs & desires to address religious, spiritual, moral, & ethical problems of patients, ministering to newly admitted, pre- & post-operative patients, critically ill, & the families concerned.

If your clothing been damaged by a prosthetic, orthopedic device such as a wheelchair, or by the medicine you’re taking for a skin condition, you may qualify for money each year to help buy new clothes. This disability benefit is known as an annual clothing allowance. To find out if you can get this benefit visit the VA's Clothing Allowance webpage, or call the VA at 800-827-1000. To find a VA medical center near you to assist in this process visit https://www.va.gov/find-locations/.

If you disagree with a VA decision dated on or after February 19, 2019, you can choose from 3 decision review options to continue your case: - Supplemental Claim; - Higher-Level Review; - Board Appeal. To request a decision review and learn more about your available options, visit https://www.va.gov/decision-reviews/.

If you qualify for VA dental care benefits, you may be able to get some or all of your dental care through VA. To find out how to get VA dental care or how to buy dental insurance if you don’t qualify, please visit the link above. To find a VA dental clinic near you: https://www.va.gov/find-locations/

If you’re the surviving spouse, child, or parent of a service member who died in the line of duty, or the survivor of a Veteran who died from a service-related injury or illness, you may be able to get a tax-free monetary benefit called VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (VA DIC). To learn more about VA DIC, see if you are eligible, & to apply for this benefit please visit https://www.va.gov/disability/dependency-indemnity-compensation/.

The VA encourages veterans to file their disability or increased compensation claims online. To learn more about the process & file today visit the link above. To learn about VA Disability Compensation: benefits.va.gov/compensation/ To talk to a local Veterans Services Officer (VSO) about filing a claim or for assistance: mass.gov/info-details/find-a-veterans-service-officer-near-you. To find/file in-person at a VA regional office near you: va.gov/find-locations/?facilityType=benefits.

If you have an illness caused by exposure to Agent Orange during military service, you may be eligible for disability compensation. Visit the link above to learn more. To learn about VA Disability Compensation: benefits.va.gov/compensation/ To talk to a local Veterans Services Officer about filing a claim or for assistance: mass.gov/info-details/find-a-veterans-service-officer-near-you. To find/file in-person at a VA regional office near you: va.gov/find-locations/?facilityType=benefits.

Veterans who may have been exposed to infectious diseases during military service may be eligible for free VA exams & healthcare. Visit the link above to learn more. To learn about VA Disability Compensation: benefits.va.gov/compensation/ To talk to a local Veterans Services Officer about filing a claim or for assistance: mass.gov/info-details/find-a-veterans-service-officer-near-you. Contact a local VA Environmental Health Coordinator: publichealth.va.gov/exposures/coordinators.asp