AARP Maryland Veterans Corner: August 2023

BEWARE OF PACT ACT SCAMS

Findings from the new AARP Poll on PACT Act scams targeting veterans show awareness of the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs PACT Act benefits program remains relatively low among veterans. Criminals are exploiting this lack of awareness around filing and obtaining VA PACT Act benefits by offering assistance with fake promises of high payoffs. Click HERE to learn how you can protect yourself.

COMMUNITY NEWS

Reveille Grounds Connects Veterans with Community Resources
There are dozens of community-based groups seeking to assist veterans with benefits, jobs and therapeutic services — making it hard sometimes to know where to start. That is where Reveille Grounds comes in.

Every month on the second Wednesday the group hosts a free resource fair where members of the military community and their loved ones can gather in fellowship, sharing information and resources and connecting with locally-based service providers. Click HERE to learn more about this amazing volunteer-led organization.

State Program Provides Free Medical Equipment to Disabled Marylanders
Maryland Durable Medical Equipment Re-Use, implemented by the Maryland Department of Aging, collects and refurbishes durable medical equipment (DME) - including wheelchairs, walkers, hospital beds, shower benches, and more - for distribution to those in need, regardless of disability, age, or income level.

To learn more about Maryland DME Re-Use or find a complete list of collection and distribution sites, go to dme.maryland.gov. Click here to request basic DME, such as walkers or tub transfer benches. Click here to request more complex medical equipment, such as mechanical lifts or power wheelchairs. Feel free to contact Maryland DME Re-Use directly at 240-230-8000 or dme.maryland@maryland.gov.

ADVOCACY UPDATE

AARP Endorses Bill to Increase Funding for Medically Necessary Improvements and Structural Changes to Veterans and Servicemembers' Primary Residences – On July 12, AARP sent a letter to Representatives Don Bacon (R-NE) and Chris Pappas (D-NH) expressing support for H.R. 2818, the Autonomy for Disabled Veterans Act, which would increase the amounts available under the VA’s Home Improvement and Structural Alterations (HISA) Grant program to $10,000 for veterans with a service-connected disability and $5,000 for veterans with a disability that is not service-connected. The legislation would also allow veterans to make necessary adaptations for wheelchairs, and medical equipment, and to improve accessibility throughout the veteran’s home. Finally, H.R. 2818 would adjust the amounts available under the HISA Grant on an annual basis to account for inflation.

AARP Endorses Legislation Establishing a Mental Health Grant Program for Veterans and Veteran Caregivers
Recently, AARP sent a letter of endorsement for the Caregiver Outreach and Program Enhancement (COPE) Act, sponsored by Representatives Jen Kiggans (R-FL) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA). The COPE Act establishes a grant program to award funding to organizations that support the mental health and well-being of veteran and military caregivers enrolled in the VA’s Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC). Grant applicants must have a detailed plan to address veterans and caregivers in underserved communities, and the VA will be required to provide notice to caregivers participating in the PCAFC on grant recipients. The bill also requires the VA and GAO to provide Congress with a report on the mental health of veteran and military caregivers, the availability and accessibility of mental health treatment for veteran and military caregivers, and information on the grant program and its outcomes.