The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Justice announced on Mar. 11 a new memorandum of understanding aimed at improving care for some of the nation’s most vulnerable veterans.
The agreement is intended to help veterans who are unable to make their own health care decisions and lack family or legal representation, including those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The initiative seeks to ensure these individuals receive ongoing, appropriate medical care.
Under the memorandum, the Department of Justice will appoint VA attorneys as special assistant U.S. attorneys. This designation gives VA attorneys the authority to initiate and participate in state court guardianship or conservatorship proceedings when a legal decision-maker is needed for post-acute transitions of care for these veterans. Legal guardians or conservators can assist by helping veterans avoid unnecessary hospitalization, protecting their rights, and supporting transitions from VA hospitals to other forms of care within the VA system or in the community.
"Our new partnership with the Justice Department reflects our ongoing commitment to ensuring that every Veteran receives timely, appropriate care, even in complex cases," said VA Secretary Doug Collins.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said, "The Department of Justice is proud to partner with the Department of Veterans Affairs to support our nation’s brave Veterans by ensuring that they have the best legal resources available when it comes to making medical decisions and receiving timely care. We owe our Veterans a debt we can never fully repay — but we can give them the support they deserve."
This agreement follows several recent initiatives by the VA during the second Trump Administration, such as opening 33 new health care facilities nationwide, reducing benefit backlogs by 63% since January 2025 after an earlier increase during the previous administration, increasing direct care appointments in fiscal year 2025 by over four percent compared to fiscal year 2024, expanding appointment availability outside normal hours for greater convenience, and permanently housing nearly 52,000 homeless veterans—the highest total in seven years.
