Additional County Veteran Service Officer Grants, WDVA Benefits Specialists, and a 10% increase in Veteran Service Organization contracts have resulted in this dramatic increase in the number of claims filed.
Thanks to funding from the Governor's budget and the Washington State Legislature, more Washington Veterans and survivors are being connected to their earned benefits with 29,714 claims filed since 2022. Much of this increase is attributed to the PACT Act, which expanded VA benefits and health care for Veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances.
At the national level, the number of claims filed for PACT Act benefits has exceeded 1 million and the VA has delivered more than $6.8 billion to Veterans and survivors.
WDVA committed early on to increasing the number of service officers available. Since 2022, WDVA has requested and received funds to hire 4 WDVA Benefits Specialists (Service Officers), advocated for legislation and additional funding for County Veteran Service Officers, and requested a 10% increase in contract funding for our 5 partner Veteran Service Organizations who are serving Veterans and survivors across the state.
Currently, 23 Counties have agreements with WDVA to accredit their County Veteran Service Officers and provide training and claims quality assurance, six of those receive grants through legislative appropriations. In addition, WDVA has agreements with 7 federally recognized Indian tribes to provide training and accreditation to their Tribal VSOs.
If you are a Veteran or family member with questions about your earned benefits, we encourage you to reach out to a Veteran Service Officer and get connected with benefits and services that could change your life. Email benefits@dva.wa.gov, call 1-800-562-2308, or visit https://www.dva.wa.gov/resources to find a Service Officer near you.