Human services programs available for returning veterans

The Minnesota Department of Human Services, along with county and tribal social service agencies, provides a variety of services to help families, seniors and individuals with disabilities meet their basic needs. The department works to help those on government assistance become self-sufficient as quickly as possible. The department also makes sure that a strong but limited safety net is in place for the most vulnerable Minnesotans.

Some of the broader services provided include:

  • • Minnesota Health Care Programs to help pay for medical or nursing home care. Military families eligible for MinnesotaCare may be able to get coverage without a premium for up to 12 months. Beginning April 1, 2009, the premium can be waived if a family member completed a military tour of duty within two years of being approved for coverage. This benefit is available to members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, National Guard and Reserves.
  • • Financial assistance for families or aid for individuals with physical or developmental disabilities. Such programs include the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) and General Assistance (GA).
  • • Child care assistance for parents with children
  • • Child protection and child welfare services
  • • Child support enforcement
  • • Services for people with mental illness, people with chemical dependency, or people have physical or developmental disabilities
  • • Services for people with gambling addictions through the Minnesota’s Problem Gambling Program
  • • DHS also provides some direct services through State Operated Services and regional service centers for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

    • How veterans should access human services programs

    Most of Minnesota’s human services programs are administered locally, at the county and tribal level. DHS employees work closely with employees from Minnesota's county and tribal social services agencies, who provide most of the direct services to Minnesotans in need.

    Returning veterans and their families should access most human services programs through their county, tribe, or regional human services, social services or family services offices. A list of county human services programs and their phone numbers is available on DHS’ Web site.

    New hotline provides referral and crisis intervention for veterans

    To make it easier to find services and to ensure immediate crisis intervention, LinkVet, the Veterans Linkage Line for Minnesota veterans and their family members, is available. The toll-free customer service line is the first of its kind in the nation and will provide information referrals, immediate crisis intervention and psychological counseling 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The phone number for LinkVet is (888) LINKVET (546-5838). More information about LinkVet is available online.

    Links to more information about veterans services

    Other resources

  • • MinnesotaHelp.Info
  • • National Alliance on Mental Illness’ online Veterans Resource Center

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