Veterans Collaboration Act
The Veterans Collaboration Act would direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to run a two-year pilot program to foster partnerships between the VA, veterans service organizations (VSOs) that provide credentialed staff to aid veterans with disability claims and other legal needs, and law schools that offer pro bono legal services to veterans. The goal is to improve access to administrative and legal assistance for veterans by encouraging collaboration among these groups, using social media to promote partnerships, and concentrating activities in states with the largest veteran populations. The secretary would establish metrics to identify who is best positioned to serve veterans and would report quarterly to Congress on the program, including how social media was used and how many veterans received assistance.
Key Points
- 1Establishes a two-year VA pilot program to promote partnerships between the VA, VSOs with credentialed claim support personnel, and law schools providing pro bono services to veterans.
- 2Requires the VA to set guidelines and metrics to determine which organizations are best positioned to serve veterans and to encourage participation.
- 3Limits the pilot to states with the highest veteran populations, as determined by the VA Secretary.
- 4Mandates the use of social media to promote the partnerships and to notify veterans about available services.
- 5Requires quarterly reports to the Senate and House Veterans' Affairs committees, including details on social media use and the number of veterans assisted.