Veterans Administration Community Living Centers

Mission

The mission of the VA Community Living Centers Program is to provide compassionate care in an interdisciplinary environment to eligible veterans with sufficient functional impairment to require the level of service an skill available in VA community living centers.  Veterans with chronic stable conditions including dementia, those requiring rehabilitation or short term specialized services such as respite or intravenous therapy, or those who need comfort and care at the end of life are served in the VA Community Living Centers.

Goal of Care

The goal of care is to restore the resident to maximum function, prevent further decline, maximize independence, and/or provide comfort when dying.  Most VA living centers are well suited to providing short-term, restorative and rehabilitative care up to 100 days, and longer term care for veterans who meet eligibility criteria and/or require end of life care, prolonged active rehabilitation, are unable to sustain a placement in a community nursing home, or lack clinically appropriate community alternative.

Location

The majority of VA Community Living Centers are located on the campus of VA Medical Centers throughout the United States.  Facility Directory.

Admission Criteria

To qualify for VA Community Living Centers the following must be met:

          a.  The veteran must be medically and psychiatrically stable, 
          b.  The primary type of service needed must be documented according to paragraph 3  
                of the Directive,
          c.  The anticipated length of stay is documented,
          d.  The anticipated discharge disposition from the VA Community Living Center is
          documented a nd
          e.  Priority is established and documented.  NOTE: Special populations
               for whom community placement is difficult will receive special consideration.  
          f.  The veteran must be enrolled in the VA for health care. 
For more information:   VHA Directive 2005-061