This guest post is offered by Clare M. Balawajder, rising Regent 3L and recent Family Law Student:
In an interview with Carol Berg, Director of Veteran and Family Support for the Virginia Department of Veterans Services, I learned that veterans' families receive a variety of services to help maintain their households and keep their families strong. For example, financial help is available if veterans fall behind on rent payments or utilities. Financial needs of these families are met through community resources and partners that are coordinated through the Virginia Department of Veteran Services.
In order to receive this support, a family member must be linked to a veteran. For example, a military veteran and his or her spouse must be married with the intent to live together in the same household at the time of benefit application. A child of a veteran can receive services for behavioral issues linked to his or her military parent's PTSD. However, the child would not be eligible for assistance with for example autism, because the issue for which help is sought must be linked to the veteran unless the veteran also suffers from autism.
Support for veterans' families includes such resources as Retreat Mission Healthy Relationships, which is a couples' weekend offered three times per year to help build and maintain strong relationships for married couples. Another is Mission Healthy Family, offered once per year and is a weekend for families. Both missions are offered free of charge.
Despite all of the benefits provided by Veteran Services, legal services is not among them. Veterans and their families seeking assistance with legal issues are referred to organizations such as Eastern Legal Services, Legal Aid of Eastern Virginia, or Puller Law Clinic at the William & Mary Law School. Some of the most common legal issues that are referred to these organizations are landlord-tenant disputes, disability claims, and bankruptcies.
Veteran Services serves all five branches of the military. Veterans separated from the service and guard or reserve members who are not on government orders are eligible for the wide-variety of services offered. It does not matter how a veteran was discharged or separated from the service. He or she can access the important resources offered. For more information on services to Virginia Veterans please visit www.dvs.virginia.gov. Veteran and Family Support for the Virginia Department of Veterans Services is one more way to assist military families toward family restoration.
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