President Biden signs Veterans PACT Act into law.
Named in honor of Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robison, a decorated combat medic who died from a rare form of lung cancer, the PACT Act will help deliver more timely benefits and services to more than 5 million veterans who may have been impacted by toxic exposures while serving our country.
Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2021 (“PACT Act’’).
The PACT Act is a historic new law that will help VA deliver care and benefits to millions of Veterans, and survivors, affected by burn pits and other toxic exposures. We at VA want Veterans and survivors to know three main things about the PACT Act.
o First, we want Veterans and survivors to apply for their PACT Act benefits and care right now. All of the presumptions outlined in the PACT Act are current as of August 10th, the day the bill was signed into law, so Vets don’t have to wait to file.
o Second, we will begin processing PACT Act benefits for Veterans and survivors on the earliest date possible, which is January 1st 2023.
o And third, any Veteran or survivor can learn more about the PACT Act at by visiting VA.gov/PACT or calling 1-800-MY-VA-411.
We are currently reaching out to Veterans and survivors to make sure that they know about this new law and what it could mean for them and their families. Because we want every eligible Veteran and survivor—every one—to get the benefits and care they’ve earned and deserve.
Learn More: https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits
Statement from VA Secretary Denis McDonough on the signing of the PACT Act: https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=5826
President Biden Speaks with Veterans Affairs Health Care Providers
President Biden visited a Veterans Affairs health clinic in Fort Worth, Texas. He met with veterans and health care providers to discuss available care and treatment options. He also saw demonstrations of medical equipment used by veterans with spinal cord injuries.
Office of Patient Care Services (PCS)
The Office of Patient Care Services (PCS) in Veterans Health Administration is dedicated to ensuring the full continuum of health care, which comprises health promotion, disease prevention, diagnostics, therapeutic and rehabilitative care, recovery and palliative care. PCS provides care through policy and program development that promotes dignity and respect, and is achieved by utilizing innovative approaches and technologies through interdisciplinary collaboration both within and outside of VHA.
PCS Annual Report
LGBTQ+ Veteran
PCAFC - Phase II Expansion
PCS Annual Report
View Patient Care Services (PCS) 2022 Accomplishments. PCS strives to help set the bar on VHA’s six priorities:
- Hire faster and more competitively
- Connect Veterans to the soonest and best care
- Serve Veterans with toxic exposures
- Accelerate our journey to High Reliability
- Prevent Veteran suicide
- Support Veterans’ whole health, their caregivers, and survivors
View our PCS Annual Report.
LGBTQ+ Veteran
Access to Services and Benefits
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) welcomes all Veterans, families, caregivers, and survivor beneficiaries, including diverse gender identities and sexual orientations. VA is dedicated to being a leader in health care for LGBTQ+ Veterans. VA provides comprehensive care for LGBTQ+ Veterans. Learn More.
How do I access services for LGBTQ+ Health at VA?
A great place to start is to contact the LGBTQ+ Veteran Care Coordinator at your local VA facility. Every VA facility has an LGBTQ+ Veteran Care Coordinator (LGBTQ+ VCC) to connect LGBTQ+ Veterans to health care services. They help Veterans find providers, answer questions, and report problems, if encountered.
PCAFC - Phase II Expansion
The Caregiver Support Program (CSP) is prepared for Phase II expansion on October 1, 2022, as we welcome Veterans and caregivers of all service eras. In preparation, CSP engaged in a robust recruitment effort to ensure adequate staff are in place and have completed training to enable timely processing of PCAFC applications.
VA is committed to supporting Veterans and their family caregivers by listening to concerns raised and working diligently to address them as we continue to ensure Veterans and their caregivers get the support they need and deserve. VA halted discharges for all participants based on reassessment and undertook an effort to put meaningful solutions in place that will have an immediate and positive impact on current and new caregivers and Veterans participating in PCAFC.
No Legacy Veteran or caregiver has been dropped from the PCAFC based on reassessment since October 1, 2020, and—as we just announced—this cohort will remain enrolled in PCAFC and continue to receive support and services under PCAFC for at least the next three years.
VA continues to review all aspects of PCAFC to identify opportunities to improve the experience of Veterans and caregivers. Learn more
Office of Patient Care Services (PCS) - Program Offices
PCS has 12 service areas/programs and more than 1,000 employees whose dedication and commitment to excellence can be seen in their work on behalf of Veterans each and every day. Detailed Listing for each Program Office
- Chaplain Services
- Caregiver Support Program
- Care Management and Social Work Services
- Social Work
- Fisher House Program
- Domestic Violence/Intimate Partner Violence(IPV)
- A Transition and Care Management (OEF/OIF/OND)
- Post-9/11 Transition and Case Management
- VA Liaisons for Health Care with Military Treatment Facilities
- Connected Care
- Geriatrics and Extended Care
- Adult Day Health Care
- Home Based Primary Care
- Homemaker and Home Health Aide Care
- Hospice Care
- Palliative Care
- Respite Care
- Skilled Home Health Care
- Remote Monitoring Care
- Veteran-Directed Care
- Office of Nursing Services (ONS)
- Physician Assistant Services (PAS)
- Pharmacy Benefits Management Services
- Patient Centered Care and Cultural Transformation
- Population Health
- Health Equity
- Health Solutions
- LGBTQ+ Health Program
- National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
- Health Outcomes Military Exposures (HOME) (formerly Post Deployment Health Services)
- Public Health Surveillance and Research
- Rural Health
- Rehabilitation and Prosthetic Services (RPS)
- Audiology
- Speech
- Blind Rehabilitation
- Chiropractic
- Clinical Orthotic and Prosthetic
- National Veteran Sports
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Polytrauma/TBI System of Care
- Prosthetic and Sensory Aids
- Recreation Therapy
- Creative Arts Therapy
- The Office of Sterile Processing (OSP)
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