The No Wrong Door system makes it easier for people of all ages, disabilities, and income levels to learn about and access the services and supports they need. This ease of access is designed to include support for veterans and their caregivers. Veteran Directed Care is a program that provides veterans with greater choice and control over the long-term services and supports to help them live at home and remain a part of their community.
What is the Veteran Directed Care Program?
The Veteran Directed Care (VDC) program was developed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration (VHA)and ACL in 2008. It is currently offered nationally. All veterans, regardless of age, who are enrolled in the VA healthcare system and meet the clinical need for the service, are eligible to participate in VDC. Click the link below to see if VDC is offered at a VAMC near you.
VDC transforms the traditional service delivery system into a system that puts the veteran at the center.
The program offers veterans and their caregivers greater access, choice, and control over the LTSS that help veterans live at home and remain a part of their community. Veterans enrolled in VDC decide what mix of goods and services best meet their needs, and they have the ability to hire, schedule, and supervise their workers. Through the management of a flexible service budget, enrolled veterans may also hire family, friends, and/or neighbors to provide services and choose for themselves which goods and services to purchase.
VA amplifies access to home, community-based services for eligible veterans(press release)
VDC Infographics
Overview of the VA program that gives veterans choice and control over their long-term services and supports
Infographic showing the benefits of VDC for VAMCs, including offering choice, cost savings, and improved health outcomes
Graphic showing how and why ADNAs should partner with the VA to expand their outreach
My Organization is Interested in Becoming a VDC Provider
The decision to offer the VDC program is made by VAMCs. If a VAMC is interested in offering the program, they work directly with one of the following types of aging and disability network agencies (ADNAs) to deliver VDC: aging and disability resource centers, area agencies on aging, centers for independent living, and state units on aging.
ADNAs interested in delivering VDC can choose to become a provider or a subcontractor to another ADNA provider. If the decision is to become a provider, the ADNA must pass a VA VDC Readiness Review. The process verifies that the ADNA has the tools, processes, and procedures to operate a self-directed care model and also meets the requirements to become a VDC provider.
If your organization is interested in becoming a VDC provider, please contact veterandirected@acl.hhs.gov to begin the process.
My Organization is a VDC Provider
VDC providers are ADNAs that have completed a VA VDC Readiness Review, have a fully executed provider agreement with the VA, and are serving veterans referred by their local VAMCs. The following resources are available to support VDC program administration:
- Field Guidebook: The Veteran Directed Care (VDC) Field Guidebook provides VA policy information for VAMCs and VDC providers’ reference.
- Operations Manual Template: The Operations Manual Template outlines information about VDC program operations to inform the development of a VDC provider’s VDC operations manual. (Updated December 2025)
- Billing and Invoicing Guide: This guide is a resource that outlines billing and invoicing procedures to assist with and ensure timely and accurate reimbursement for VDC invoices. (Updated April 2025)
- Monthly Services Report:VDC programs can use this Monthly Services Report template to track veteran VDC spending by documenting actual spending. (Updated April 2023)
- Spending Plan:The VDC Spending Plan helps map how veterans intend to use their VDC budget and estimate spending during their authorization period. (Updated April 2023)
- Fiscal Year 2026 Case Mix Rate Calculator: The Veteran Health Administration (VHA) developed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Case Mix Rate Calculator to locate Veteran Directed Care case-mix rates by state, county, and case-mix level. The Veteran Directed Care Fiscal Year 2026 case mix rates replace the previous Veteran Directed Care Fiscal Year 2025 case mix rates beginning on October 1, 2025.
- The Veteran Handbook: The Veteran Handbook is designed for use by veterans in the VDC program for guidance in understanding and navigating the VDC program as an enrollee. The revised handbook is comprised of five separate documents, organized by topic area and designed to guide veterans through different aspects of the VDC program:
Providers may contact veterandirected@acl.hhs.gov with any questions or requests for technical assistance.
VDC Resources
- VDC Policy Guidance
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- Local VAMC VDC Program Evaluations
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Local Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) VDC Program Evaluations are available on the TA Community.
- VDC Archives
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February 2020: A Better Way to Care for Our Veterans?
Blog by Principal Deputy Administrator Mary Lazare, who is serving as the senior official performing the duties of the ACL Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging
- VDC Events
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Past VDC event materials are available on the TA Community.
- VDC Newsletters
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Past VDC Newsletters are available on the TA Community.
- VDC Websites
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Getting Started with VA:This VA website provides information about benefits, including the services available and how to apply.
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Making Decisions: Current Care Planning:This VA website includes decision making resources and a caregiver assessment tool.
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VA Veteran Directed Care:These resource pages provide numerous worksheets and handouts available for print/download related to long-term services and supports and home and community-based services.
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Find a VA Medical Facility:Click on this VA web page to find the closest VA medical facility in your community.
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Find a VDC Provider: This ACL website for VDC includes information on the VDC program, resources and useful links, and a list of current VDC program providers.
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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA):This VA VDC website includes information on the VDC program, eligibility requirements, services and supports, decision making tools, and testimonials from VDC program recipients.
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Disabled American Veterans (DAV) VDC Website:DAV is a nonprofit charity that provides information and resources for veterans and their families.
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Rural Promising Practice: Connecting Older Veterans, Especially Rural, to Community or Veteran Eligible Resources (COVER to COVER):From the VA’s Office of Rural Health.
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