Kaua‘i Veterans Corner: News you can use

News from the Office of Veterans’ Services.

OEF/OIF combat veterans receive free VA medical and dental care:

Medical: Veterans can receive cost free medical care for any condition related to their service in the Iraq/Afghanistan theater of operation for five years after the date of their discharge or release. For medical care not related to combat service, co-pays may be required.

Dental: Veterans may be eligible for one-time dental care if they served 90 days or more of active duty, and if their DD-214 states that they did not receive all needed dental services at least 90 days prior to their separation, and if they applied to VA for dental care within 180 days (six months) of separation from active duty.

To find out more about these any other programs available to recent returning service members, log on to the Returning Servicemembers website at http://www.oefoif.va.gov/index.asp.

Free income tax preparation assistance:

The Hawai‘i Alliance for Community-Based Economic Development (HACBED) announced free federal and state tax preparation assistance on Kaua‘i at the locations, dates and times indicated. Assistance available by appointment only. (http://myfreetaxes.com/HACBED)

•Alu Like, Inc. — 2970 Haleko Road #203 (Lihu‘e); Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Call Bricen at 245-8545 ext. 235 for details

•Goodwill Industries — 4334 Rice St. #205 (Lihu‘e); Wednesdays, 3 to 6 p.m.; Call 482-3190 for details; Feb. 6 to April 3

•Kaua‘i Tax Prep — 4268 Rice St. (Lihu‘e); Wednesdays, 6 to 8 p.m.; Call 245-8508 for details; Through March 27

•Kekaha Federal Credit Union — 8254 Kekaha Road (Kekaha); Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Through April 15

Veterans Supportive Housing Program on Kaua‘i:

The Department of Housing and Urban Development: VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program is a joint effort between HUD and VA to move veterans and their families out of homelessness and into permanent housing. HUD provides housing assistance through its Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8) which allows eligible homeless veterans to rent privately owned housing. Since its inception in 2008, HUD has allocated funding to local public housing authorities to provide over 37,000 Housing Choice Vouchers for homeless veterans. This program offers eligible homeless veterans clinical and supportive services through its health care system and enrollment in VA’s Medical Care Program is required. VA’s trained case manager’s compliment a comprehensive set of resources to assist in addressing the multifaceted needs of homeless veterans with a goal of helping veterans secure and maintain permanent housing. For more detailed eligibility criteria, visit http://www.va.gov/homeless/hud-vash_eligibility.asp

On Kaua‘i our Homeless HUD VASH social worker/case manager is Barbara Johnson. Call 246-0497 ext. 0 for details.

Kaua‘i tele-benefits pilot program:

Veterans can now speak directly via video conference with a VA Benefits Advisor in Honolulu to ask questions and discuss concerns involving their benefit claim(s). Until now, veterans with concerns about their claim were required to call a VA Regional Call Center (800-827-1000) where they were placed on hold while waiting to speak with a counselor. If successful, this program tested only on Kaua‘i, will be implemented statewide.

To participate, a veteran must first schedule an appointment by e-mailing a request to pctc.vbahon@va.gov. Veterans may use their own e-mail account to correspond directly with VA. For additional assistance, the veteran may visit the VA’s Vet Center located on Kuhio Highway near Fish Express or stop by the Kaua‘i Office of Veterans Services (KOVS) located within the Kaua‘i Veterans Center on Kapule Highway near the airport.

Once the request is received, VA will contact the veteran with an appointment date/time. Appointments must be made five days in advance and slots are limited to one hour to accommodate as many veterans as possible. Appointments will be scheduled Monday through Friday (except holidays) at 8:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. or 2:30 p.m. only.

On the day of the appointment, the veteran simply shows up at the CBOC with any pertinent documents and a VA staff member will guide him/her to the designated room for the video-conference. Assistance will also be provided with faxing any additional documents to VA Honolulu prior to the veteran’s departure.

Call the Vet Center at 246-1163 or KOVS at 241-3348 with questions.

VA Pacific Islands Health Care System call center:

VA Honolulu Health Care System announces a new Call Center Service that allows veterans statewide to call a toll-free number to speak with a trained professional nurse to obtain medical advice, refill medications, ask general VA questions and/or to reach a veterans benefits representative. Call 1 (800) 214-1306.

Mandatory direct deposit:

Beginning March 1, 2013, the Treasury Department will stop mailing reoccurring benefit checks and will only deposit funds electronically into a designated bank account. This means that anyone receiving paper checks must establish an electronic funds transfer to a checking or savings account at their bank in advance of the March 1 start date. Please note the set-up time takes 6 to 8 weeks, so those affected should act now to avoid a non-payment on March 1. For assistance call 241-3348.