Offices are closed, hotlines are suspended, recruiting and hiring has stopped. As the federal government shutdown pushed into its second week, the US Department of Veterans Affairs on Tuesday closed regional offices indefinitely.
Though veterans will be without some services, all VA medical facilities, clinics and some counseling services will remain open and available.
Casualties of the government shutdown, those services impacted include:
- Hotlines and call centers and suspended
- Processing of appeals and remands suspended
- Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act requests will not be processed
- Recruiting and hiring of Veteran job applicants halted, with exception of Veterans Health Administration
- Military services coordinator operations suspended, including overseas
- VetSuccess on Campus suspended
- Congressional Liaison Veterans queries suspended
Some of the services that will continue without interruption include:
- Inpatient and outpatient care
- Surgeries
- Dental treatment
- Nursing home care
- Mental health care
- Military sexual trauma counseling
- Readjustment counseling services
- Insurance and home loan processing
- Numerous hotlines will remain open including Veterans Crisis Line and Women Veterans Call Center
For a complete list of what’s halted and what’s functioning, visit the Veterans Affairs Field Guide to Government Shutdown.
More Southern California Stories:
- "Voice" Coaches Get Choosy
- Survivor of Burbank Car Crash Reunites With Rescuer
- Jury Selection Begins for a Former Bell Official Accused of Corruption
- Dodgers Beat Braves, Win NLDS
- City Dodges Pothole Payouts
- Police Find Mom of Boy, 5, Found Wandering South LA
- "Lord of the Rings" Memorabilia Up for Auction
- Zagat Taps LA's Best Pizzas Places