As Dole Act Implementation Stalls, Local VA Agencies Say Staffing Shortages Persist

New York is home to more than 688,000 veterans, more than half of whom are people over 65, according to the state’s Office for the Aging. But local Veterans Affairs (VA) agencies say the rollout of the Dole Act, a federal law expanding healthcare and benefits for veterans, has stalled.

“To date, the VA has implemented virtually none of the provisions of the DOLE Act,” said Stephen Walsh, Sullivan County Veterans Service Office Director at Sullivan County’s October 9 Veterans Committee meeting. “The congressional staffers who addressed us seemed extremely frustrated from all sides of the political aisle that the VA hasn’t taken any actions including actions that the DOLE Act specifies to be effective immediately.”

The Dole Act is a sweeping piece of federal legislation to improve access to healthcare and VA services for veterans. It was signed into law on January 2. The bipartisan Dole Act introduced key provisions to expand access to healthcare, economic opportunities, safe and stable housing, and support for caregivers.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced in July it would reduce staff by about 30,000 people, far less than its initial plans to cut the department by 80,000 employees.

But veterans advocates worry that staffing cuts will further delay longstanding service shortages. Walsh has said these shortages have created a wait time of six months to a year for veterans in Sullivan County seeking mental health therapy.

“While VA leadership states there will not be a major reduction in force at healthcare facilities, staffing attrition appears to be taking place in large numbers,” said Walsh.

READ: VA Cuts Could Disrupt Services for Local Veterans, Officials Warn

Walsh adds ongoing staffing challenges have hurt morale within VA agencies, while older veterans are increasingly struggling to keep up with grocery and utility bills as implementation remains in limbo.

Image: Exterior of Department of Veterans Affairs Building in Washington, D.C. (Photo Credit: Kimberly Izar)