Home  »  Military & Veteran Benefits   »   Important Federal Resources for New Disabled Veterans

Important Federal Resources for New Disabled Veterans

Joe Wallace

Have you recently been notified of a VA disability rating? If you haven’t explored your options as a disabled veteran, you’ll find numerous federal government resources to help you find a job, adapt a home, start a business, or even get hiring preferences at state and federal agencies.

The federal government offers numerous programs to assist disabled veterans, including those with visual and hearing impairments. Here are some of the most important for those just starting to explore their options.

Department of Labor Programs

• Hire Vets Medallion Program: This program recognizes employers for their commitment to recruiting, employing, and retaining veterans, including those with visual and hearing impairments. 
• Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program (DVOP) Specialists: DVOP specialists provide individualized career counseling and assistance to veterans with significant barriers to employment, including those with visual and hearing impairments.
• Local Veterans’ Employment Representatives (LVERs): LVERs conduct outreach to employers and advocate for the employment of veterans, including those with visual and hearing impairments.
• Transition Assistance Program (TAP): TAP provides counseling and information to service members transitioning to civilian life, including those with visual and hearing impairments.

Social Security Administration

• Social Security Disability Benefits: Veterans with disabilities that prevent them from working may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

Small Business Administration (SBA) Programs

• Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Certification: This certification gives eligible businesses access to set-aside government contracts. 
• Boots to Business: This entrepreneurial training program helps veterans, including those with disabilities, start and run their own businesses.

Office of Personnel Management

• U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) – Disabled Veteran Leave: Federal employees who are disabled veterans may be eligible for up to 104 hours of leave for medical treatment related to their service-connected disability. 

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Programs

• VA Disability Compensation: This program provides monthly payments to veterans with service-connected disabilities, including visual and hearing impairments. The amount varies based on the severity of the disability. 
• VA Health Care: Disabled veterans can access a wide range of healthcare services, including those specific to visual and hearing impairments, such as eye exams, glasses, hearing aids, and assistive technology. 
• Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E): VR&E helps veterans with service-connected disabilities, including visual and hearing impairments, with employment counseling, job training, resume development, and job placement services. These services can be tailored to accommodate specific needs, such as assistive technology training or job accommodations.
• VA Home Loan Guaranty: This program guarantees a portion of home loans for veterans, making it easier to obtain a mortgage with favorable terms. This can be particularly helpful for veterans with visual or hearing impairments who may require home modifications.
• VA Adapted Housing Grants: There are two types of grants: Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grants for seriously disabled veterans and Special Home Adaptation (SHA) grants for less severe disabilities. Both help modify homes to meet specific needs, including those related to visual and hearing impairments, such as installing ramps, widening doorways, or adding visual and auditory alerts.
• VA Pension: This needs-based program provides monthly payments to wartime veterans with limited income who meet certain disability requirements, including visual and hearing impairments.
• VA Aid and Attendance and Housebound Benefits: These benefits provide additional monthly payments to veterans who require assistance with daily activities or are housebound due to their disabilities, which can include severe visual or hearing impairments. 
• VA Special Monthly Compensation (SMC): SMC provides additional tax-free benefits to veterans with specific severe disabilities, such as loss of limbs, blindness, or the need for aid and attendance, which can include those with profound visual or hearing loss.
• VA Dental Care: Veterans with certain service-connected disabilities or other qualifying conditions can receive dental care through the VA. This can include veterans with visual or hearing impairments who may have difficulty accessing dental care in the private sector. 
• VA Travel Reimbursement: The VA reimburses veterans for travel expenses related to VA medical appointments and other authorized services, including those related to visual and hearing impairments. 
• VA Clothing Allowance: Veterans who use prosthetic or orthopedic devices may be eligible for an annual clothing allowance to replace clothes damaged by these devices. This can include veterans with visual impairments who may use canes or guide dogs.
• VA Automobile Allowance and Adaptive Equipment: The VA provides a one-time payment towards the purchase of an adapted vehicle or other adaptive equipment for veterans with certain mobility impairments, which can include those with visual impairments who require specialized vehicles or adaptive technology.
• VA Burial and Memorial Benefits: The VA provides burial benefits, including a burial allowance, headstone or marker, and burial flag, for eligible veterans. 
• VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC): DIC provides monthly payments to surviving spouses and dependent children of veterans who died from a service-connected condition. 
• VA Life Insurance: The VA offers various life insurance programs for veterans, including Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) and Veterans’ Group Life Insurance (VGLI). 
• VA Education and Training: The VA offers several education and training programs for veterans, including the Post-9/11 GI Bill and the Montgomery GI Bill, which can be used for programs and training specific to visual and hearing impairments.