Many prisoners or jail inmates qualify for veterans' benefits. In New York, for example, six to ten percent of inmates in Department of Correctional Services facilities acknowledge having military experience before their current incarceration. Corrections staff or transition planners should establish relationships with local Veterans Health Administration or Benefits Administration staff to assess individuals in prison or jail for benefits and service eligibility. Unlike other federal benefits, veterans' benefits need not be suspended while the eligible individual is incarcerated, although the level of benefits will likely be reduced. Linking inmates with a benefits counselor can ensure that both reduction and reinstatement of benefits occur in a timely way.

Veterans Administration (VA) outreach staff may be able to assess inmates in a range of different areas. The VA has developed a standard administrative form (Form X) structured to elicit information from inmates about military service, history of supportive services, and other information, including eligibility for both VA and non-VA benefits. These assessments can supplement or in some cases supplant assessment conducted by corrections staff and facilitate the development of a comprehensive transition plan. (See Policy Statement 8, Development of Intake Procedure, for more on engaging community-based organizations in the assessment process.)

Example: Community Re-Entry Program, Veterans Administration, Los Angeles Ambulatory Health Center (CA)

The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department sends the names of inmates who report during screening that they are veterans to the Community Re-Entry Program. Outreach staff members from the program conduct assessments with the inmates in the facility and help these individuals to link to services upon their release, including VA health care, housing, and financial benefits. They can also serve as advocates for incarcerated veterans within the criminal justice system and in obtaining services from other community-based organizations.

Example: Incarcerated Veteran Outreach Initiative, New York State Division of Veterans Affairs and New York State Department of Correctional Services

Outreach workers from the Division of Veterans Affairs coordinate with counselors from the Department of Correctional Services and representatives of other agencies (including the State Division of Parole and the Veterans Benefits Administration) to develop a transition plan for veterans in New York correctional facilities beginning (when possible) six to nine months prior to a person's release. Outreach workers assist in determining prisoner eligibility for veterans' benefits and other VA services, including substance abuse treatment and health care, employment programs, and supportive housing.