Pushing VA Forward: Review of VA’s Adaptative Programs for Disabled Veterans

House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity

2025-05-21

Loading video...

Source: Congress.gov

Summary

This meeting of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity convened to examine the effectiveness of the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) special adaptive housing, adaptive automobile, and adaptive sports programs for veterans across the country. Chairman Van Orden emphasized the nonpartisan spirit of the subcommittee in ensuring these programs are modernized and effectively serve veterans' needs. [ 00:17:53-00:18:09 ] Ranking Member Pappas highlighted that these programs represent earned benefits designed to improve veterans' overall health and independence. [ 00:22:05-00:22:27 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in

Themes

Veterans Affairs Adaptive Programs Overview

The VA provides Special Adaptive Housing (SAH) for home modifications, an Adaptive Automobile program for vehicle modifications, and Adaptive Sports grants to support the physical and mental well-being of disabled veterans. [ 00:18:17-00:19:02 ] [ 00:22:05 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
 These initiatives are crucial for enhancing veterans' independence, improving their quality of life, and facilitating their reintegration into communities. [ 00:22:16 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
[ 00:27:34 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
 In fiscal year 2024, the VA awarded 91 adaptive sports grants totaling $15.9 million, benefiting over 15,000 veterans and service members.

Challenges with Program Administration and Outreach

Numerous barriers impede veterans' access to these critical resources, including complex paperwork, inconsistent communication from VA offices, and unclear eligibility criteria. Many eligible veterans, particularly in rural and underserved communities, remain unaware of the available benefits. External organizations reported that roughly half of veterans have minimal knowledge regarding subsequent uses of the SAH grant, and nearly 80% are unfamiliar with the VA adaptive sports program. The importance of integrating program awareness into the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) for medically discharged veterans was strongly emphasized.

Payment Delays and Funding Limitations

Providers of adaptive automobile equipment frequently experience significant delays in receiving payments from the VA, often exceeding six months or even a year, which negatively impacts their business operations and willingness to work with the VA. Furthermore, the funding caps for SAH and automobile assistance programs have not kept pace with rising real-world costs and inflation, forcing veterans to incur substantial out-of-pocket expenses. [ 01:05:31 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
 The VA's internal policy for vehicle reimbursement rates, which sets certain features at zero reimbursement, is contrary to statutory requirements and often results in appeals that are consistently overturned by the Board of Veteran Appeals.

Staffing Concerns and Policy Inconsistencies

Concerns were raised regarding the adequacy of staffing levels within the VA, especially for positions requiring grant management experience and adaptive sports coordination. Inconsistent procedures and varying approval standards among VA agents across different regions have been noted for both adaptive housing and automobile programs. A recent, unannounced change in the accessible vehicle trade-in policy, moving from every two years to four years, has caused considerable frustration and financial burden for veterans. [ 01:55:33 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in

Technological Advancements and Legislative Solutions

The VA is actively investigating and investing in technological innovations for adaptive equipment and prosthetics, leveraging both internal research and partnerships with academic institutions and Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs). Several legislative efforts, including the Deliver for Veterans Act (HR 522), the ASSIST Act (HR 1364), and the Autonomy for All Disabled Veterans Act (HR 3309), are being championed to enhance and modernize these vital adaptive programs. [ 00:19:06-00:19:56 ]

Tone of the Meeting

The meeting began with a constructive and collaborative tone, emphasizing a bipartisan commitment to support veterans. [ 00:18:03 ] However, as the discussion delved into administrative shortcomings and veteran experiences, a palpable sense of frustration and urgency emerged, particularly from Chairman Van Orden. External witnesses corroborated concerns about payment delays, policy changes, and a perceived lack of empathy or dismissive attitudes from parts of the VA. The Chairman concluded with impassioned demands for immediate corrective action and accountability, stressing that any single veteran unaware of these crucial benefits constitutes an unacceptable failure.

Participants

Transcript

Good morning.  In a strange twist of events and something that doesn't normally happen in the House of Representatives, we're going to start early.  It's shocking.  And we have our people here.  So this subcommittee will come to order.  I want to thank our witnesses for being here today to examine the VA's special adaptive housing, adaptive automobile, and adaptive sports programs to ensure these programs are effectively serving veterans across the country.  I look forward to continuing the nonpartisan spirit of the subcommittee with Ranking Member Pappas.  Chris and I were just talking here about some stuff.   to ensure the VA's adaptive programs are modernized and work for the needs of today's veterans.  The purpose of today's hearing is to examine how VA provides the Special Adaptive Housing Program, adaptive automobiles, and adaptive sports programs to our veterans.  The Special Adaptive Housing Program, or SAH, plays an important role in providing customizable adaptions for severely service-connected disabled veterans to adapt their homes to make them more accessible to lead their lives comfortably.   The small but vital program provides these true heroes with the ability not only to stay and live in their home of their choice, but to continue to live more independently.  Additionally, VA's adaptive automobile program provides disabled veterans with vehicle modifications.  Through this program, veterans can safely operate their vehicle independently, hopefully getting back to the workforce and live fulfilling lives.   The AA's adaptive sports program serves thousands of veterans across the country and plays an important role in disabled veterans regaining their independence, bettering their quality of life, and improving their overall mental health and wellness.  This program also provides opportunities for disabled veterans to participate in events such as wheelchair games, golf clinics, and many other sporting events that promote a healthy lifestyle.   This Congress, my subcommittee, has championed key legislation regarding VA's adaptive programs.  HR 522, the Deliver for Veterans Act, championed by my friend and from the great territory of Guam, Representative Moylan, would cover the shipping cost of the delivery of an adaptive automobile.  This legislation passed the House in April.
Additionally, Representative Barrett is leading a bill, HR 1364, the ASSIST Act, which would provide more flexibility for veterans to access   the specific adaptive automobile equipment they might need.  Finally, Representative King-Hines will have a bill on our next legislative hearing to enhance the SAH program.  And she is from the Northern Mariana Islands, absolutely beautiful part of the world.  When President Trump and Secretary Collins stated that this is the time to end the Biden era and make the VA put veterans first, these programs, these are the programs we're talking about to improve veterans' lives.  Instead of focusing on political theater, which we're just not going to do here,   And soundbites, we, me and Chris, are gonna lead the subcommittee to make sure that we accomplish the mission, and the mission is the veterans, it's not us, and it ain't the VA, it's the veterans.  And I know that Secretary Collins shares my sentiments, and I'm very proud that he's there.   I look forward to hearing more about the VA's adaptive program and how the Trump administration plans to keep these programs moving forward.  I now yield to my friend and ranking member, Mr. Pappas, for his opening remarks.
Thanks very much, Chairman Van Orden.  The Department of Veterans Affairs offers programs for disabled veterans to improve their lives through housing, transportation, and whole health sports.  These are earned benefits and programs designed to improve veterans' overall health and independence.   So that's why I'm so pleased that the chairman scheduled this hearing today.  One success story I'd like to highlight is New Hampshire's Northeast Passage Vet Rec Program, which is a nationally recognized nonprofit that has served more than 300 pre and post 9-11 veterans and service members with disabilities.  Through its affiliation with the University of New Hampshire,   and partnership with VA and local VSOs, it offers veterans and service members in my state adaptive sports and recreation opportunities, including cycling, fishing, climbing, skiing, and countless other activities.  I've seen the equipment.  It's endless.  Granite staters who participated in the NEP have reported improved fitness,   decrease depression, help with pain management, and improve adjustment to disability, all of which supports their path to recovery.  Just as important, the sense of community and fostering of long-term friendships have substantially improved their quality of life.  NEP's success is just one example of the critical role that VA's adaptive sports programs play in helping the physical and mental well-being of our veterans and service members.   In addition to adaptive sports, VA offers a spectrum of adaptive services, encompassing housing grants, vehicle modifications, and assistive technologies.  However, further improvements are necessary to reduce significant barriers that impede many Veterans' access to these critical resources, underscoring the urgent need for legislative solutions to streamline eligibility, increase funding, and optimize delivery.   To this end, this committee took bipartisan action in 2022 with the passage of the Veterans Auto and Education Improvement Act, which was signed into law.  This legislation offered disabled veterans the ability to purchase a second adaptive vehicle.  During a full committee markup earlier this month, I was proud to support the ASSIST Act,   to build on this legislation which passed the house earlier this week the next step is passing representative sorenson's autonomy for all disabled veterans act to provide veterans additional funding for housing modifications that legislation legislation is supported by pva who i know we'll hear from later to testify on the bill funding limitations like these constrain the effectiveness of va's adaptive programs for instance the specially adaptive
adapted housing, SAH, and automobile assistance programs are subject to caps that often fail to align with prevailing real-world costs.  Consequently, veterans with severe disabilities may incur substantial out-of-pocket expenses to facilitate necessary home or vehicle modifications.

Sign up for free to see the full transcript

Accounts help us prevent bots from abusing our site. Accounts are free and will allow you to access the full transcript.

Sign up