ADVOCACYVA program

Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO)

VA Veterans Justice Outreach specialists who reach justice-involved veterans in local courts and jails, assess their needs, and connect them to VA health and mental health services as early as possible, working with the courts and the wider justice system.

View on VA.gov

Step-by-step guide

What you get

VA Veterans Justice Outreach specialists reach Veterans in jails and courts, assess their needs, and link them to VA health care, mental health and substance use treatment, housing help, and VA benefits.

Who VJO reaches

Involvement with the justice systemVJO reaches Veterans in jails and in diversionary treatment courts. The program aims to reach them at the earliest possible point.
A Veteran who can use VA health careVBA describes VJO as helping justice-involved Veterans who can use VA health care get timely access to it, mainly mental health and substance use services when clinically indicated, and other VA services and benefits.

Source: VA Homeless Programs: Veterans Justice Programs (opens in new tab); VA Homeless Programs: Veterans Justice Outreach (opens in new tab); VBA: Justice Involved Veterans fact sheet (opens in new tab)

Which situation fits?

Facing charges, in court, or in jail
VA has Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) specialists who reach Veterans in jails and in treatment courts, as early as possible, so they can get VA health care, mental health and substance use treatment, housing help, and VA benefits. If you or someone you know is a justice-involved Veteran, email the nearest VJO specialist.
Source: VA Homeless Programs: Veterans Justice Outreach (opens in new tab); VA Homeless Programs: Veterans Justice Programs (opens in new tab); VA: Veterans Treatment Court fact sheet (December 2025) (opens in new tab)
In prison and planning release
VA's Health Care for Re-entry Veterans (HCRV) program reaches Veterans in prison for pre-release planning, referrals, and medical, mental health, and social services, including employment and housing support. While a Veteran is an inmate, VA does not give hospital and outpatient care when the prison or jail has the duty to give it; VBA says the Veteran keeps their standing for VA medical care. After release, a Veteran who wants VA health care contacts the nearest VA health care facility to apply for enrollment.
1. A plan for releaseHCRV specialists provide outreach and assessment to incarcerated Veterans and support pre-release planning. VA care can start after release, including release into a halfway house or community re-entry center.
Source: VA Homeless Programs: Veterans Justice Programs (opens in new tab); VA Homeless Programs: Health Care for Re-entry Veterans (opens in new tab); 38 CFR 17.38(c)(5) (opens in new tab); VBA: Justice Involved Veterans fact sheet (opens in new tab)
Family of an incarcerated Veteran
When a Veteran is imprisoned more than 60 days for a felony conviction, VA reduces disability compensation from the 61st day. The withheld amount does not go to the family on its own: a spouse, child, or dependent parent, or someone acting for a child under 18, files VA Form 21-0788 to ask for an apportionment, and the Veteran cannot file it for them. VA tells the family about apportionment when it knows their address, and sends the form with its notice. All of the withheld compensation may be apportioned, with children sharing equally and dependent parents sharing equally. For the apportionment to start from the date of the reduction, VA needs the claim or an intent to file within 1 year after VA's notice to the Veteran; for months VA already paid the Veteran in full, the family's share goes toward the Veteran's overpayment instead. A family can also ask, on the same form, for pension VA stopped paying the Veteran.
1. A claim for apportionment on VA Form 21-0788A spouse, child, or dependent parent, or someone acting for a child under 18, files the claim. For the apportionment to start from the date of the reduction, VA needs it, or an intent to file, within 1 year after VA's notice to the Veteran, and any evidence VA asks for within 1 year of its request.
Source: 38 CFR 3.665(a) (opens in new tab); 38 CFR 3.665(e) (opens in new tab); M21-1 VI.iv.2.B (opens in new tab); VA Form 21-0788 (opens in new tab); 38 CFR 3.665(f) (opens in new tab)

What to gather, and what it shows VA

Documents for this benefit: what each is, what it shows VA, and how VA gets it
Document	What it shows	How VA gets it	Have it?
VJO assessment A VJO specialist's assessment of the Veteran's treatment needs.	Which VA treatment services fit the Veteran	The VJO specialist, who works for VA, does it after contact. There is nothing to send.
DD214 or other separation documents The Veteran's military discharge papers and service history.	Service, for VA health care enrollment after release	Keep it ready for the VA health care application after release.	Yes
Apportionment application VA Form 21-0788, the form a spouse, dependent, or dependent parent uses to ask for some or all of a Veteran's compensation.	The family member's claim for the withheld compensation	The family member files it with VA. The incarcerated Veteran cannot file it.

Court, jail, and prison records go to VA or the court. BeneVets does not ask for any of them.

Steps, in order

Find the local VJO specialist
Use VA's VJO contacts directory to find the specialist for your area, then email them for help reaching VA health care. You can do this for yourself or for a Veteran you know. For questions about the national program, email HomelessVets@va.gov.
Source: VA Homeless Programs: VJO specialist contacts (opens in new tab); VA Homeless Programs: Veterans Justice Outreach (opens in new tab)
In prison? Ask about HCRV
VA's Health Care for Re-entry Veterans specialists provide outreach and assessment to incarcerated Veterans and help with pre-release planning and referrals. VA keeps a directory of HCRV specialist contacts.
Source: VA Homeless Programs: Health Care for Re-entry Veterans (opens in new tab); VA Homeless Programs: HCRV specialist contacts (opens in new tab); VA Homeless Programs: Veterans Justice Programs (opens in new tab)
Tell VA about an incarceration
VA strongly encourages Veterans to tell VA if they become incarcerated, so payments are reduced or stopped when needed and an overpayment is avoided. Compensation is cut only for a felony; pension stops for a felony or a misdemeanor. Call VA at 800-827-1000.
Source: VBA: Justice Involved Veterans fact sheet (opens in new tab); 38 CFR 3.666 (opens in new tab)
Family: file VA Form 21-0788
A spouse, child, or dependent parent, or someone acting for a child under 18, files VA Form 21-0788 to ask for an apportionment, online or on the paper form. For it to start from the date of the reduction, VA needs the claim or an intent to file within 1 year after VA's notice to the Veteran. An apportionment can stop as soon as the Veteran is released or enters a work release or halfway house program.
Source: VA Form 21-0788 (opens in new tab); M21-1 VI.iv.2.B (opens in new tab); 38 CFR 3.665(f) (opens in new tab); 38 CFR 3.665(h) (opens in new tab)
Near release: restart payments and care
Within 30 days of a scheduled release date, the Veteran can ask VA to resume payments, and VA may do so, based on the release date from a parole board or other official source; if release does not happen that day, VA reduces or stops payments again without advance notice. After release, VA restarts compensation and pension from the release date if it gets notice within 1 year, and otherwise from the date it gets the notice. Release includes parole, a work release or halfway house program, and the end of the sentence. For VA health care, contact the nearest VA health care facility to apply.
Source: M21-1 VI.iv.1.A (opens in new tab); VBA: Justice Involved Veterans fact sheet (opens in new tab); 38 CFR 3.665(i) (opens in new tab); 38 CFR 3.665(b) (opens in new tab); 38 CFR 3.666 (opens in new tab)
At risk of homelessness? Call the national line
Call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-424-3838. The call is free and confidential, and the line is open 24/7.
Source: VA Homeless Programs: Veterans Justice Outreach (opens in new tab); VA Homeless Programs: National Call Center for Homeless Veterans (opens in new tab)
Free help with the VA claims
For an apportionment claim or a question about payments. Free help: an accredited VSO can file this with you. Find one near you in the BeneVets VSO directory at Find an accredited VSO near you.
Source: VA.gov: accredited representatives (opens in new tab); VA Form 21-0788 (opens in new tab)

Good to know

A VJO specialist at every VA medical center

VA says VJO specialists at every VA medical center reach justice-involved Veterans in jails and courts. As of December 2025, they reported serving in about 745 Veterans Treatment Courts and other Veteran-focused court programs.

Source: VA: Veterans Treatment Court fact sheet (December 2025) (opens in new tab)

VA does not decide who enters a treatment court

Veterans Treatment Courts are started, funded, and run by local governments. VA's role is limited to treatment: VJO specialists assess treatment needs, link Veterans to VA treatment, and, with the Veteran's permission, give the court regular updates on progress. VA does not decide which defendants a court admits or which offenses it accepts.

Source: VA: Veterans Treatment Court fact sheet (December 2025) (opens in new tab)

VA payments after a conviction

After more than 60 days of imprisonment for a felony conviction, VA pays a Veteran rated 20 percent or more the 10 percent rate, and a Veteran rated under 20 percent half the 10 percent rate, from the 61st day. The count starts with the first full day of imprisonment after conviction; time held before trial does not count. A misdemeanor does not reduce compensation, but VA pension stops from the 61st day of imprisonment after a felony or misdemeanor conviction.

Source: 38 CFR 3.665(a) (opens in new tab); 38 CFR 3.665(d) (opens in new tab); M21-1 VI.iv.1.A (opens in new tab); 38 CFR 3.666 (opens in new tab); VBA: Justice Involved Veterans fact sheet (opens in new tab)

Health care inside a jail or prison

VA does not give hospital and outpatient care to an inmate when the jail or prison has the duty to give it. That limit ends on release, including release into a halfway house or community re-entry center.

Source: 38 CFR 17.38(c)(5) (opens in new tab); VBA: Justice Involved Veterans fact sheet (opens in new tab); VA Homeless Programs: Health Care for Re-entry Veterans (opens in new tab)

Violating felony probation or parole

VA pays no compensation for any period a Veteran is a fugitive felon, and nothing to a dependent on the Veteran's behalf for that period. That includes violating a condition of probation or parole imposed for a felony.

Source: 38 CFR 3.665(n) (opens in new tab)

BeneVets is informational and is not an accredited representative. Free help: an accredited VSO can work through VA benefits with you at no cost. Find an accredited VSO near you