State Expands Veterans Services Outreach in Kanawha Valley

The state Division of Veterans Affairs has expanded outreach staffing in the Kanawha Valley this summer, aiming to reach veterans who qualify for federal and state benefits but have never applied for them. Officials say the gap between eligible veterans and those actually enrolled in services remains significant, particularly among older veterans in rural parts of the valley.

"A lot of what we do now is just finding people," said a regional outreach coordinator. "There are veterans who assume they don't qualify, or who applied once years ago, got a denial, and never tried again."

Reaching Beyond the Capital

The initiative includes mobile outreach events at community centers and senior facilities outside downtown Charleston, an effort to reach veterans who may not have transportation to a central office. Coordinators say healthcare enrollment and disability claims assistance are the two most common needs they encounter, followed by questions about education benefits for veterans' family members.

State officials say early results from the expanded outreach have been encouraging, with enrollment appointments up compared to the same period last year, though they caution it will take longer to determine whether the increase reflects a lasting change in how veterans access services or a temporary bump tied to the new outreach push itself.