Overview

Veterans and people leaving military service face disproportionately higher rates of poverty, employment barriers, housing instability, trauma, mental health issues, and challenges with adjusting to civilian life; consequently, service members often struggle to meet their basic human needs. Our veterans deserve better. 

Public Counsel’s Center for Veterans’ Advancement is a national leader in veterans’ advocacy, providing pro bono legal representation to veterans and their families. We work to ensure that every veteran, returning service member, and their families have access to basic life necessities and entitlements that will increase stability and self-sufficiency – including the right to government benefits, access to employment, housing, and health and mental healthcare. 

Through legal advocacy, services, and support we aim to stabilize the living situation of veterans and their families by securing VA disability benefits, including service connection, pension, caregiving, and access to VA healthcare; providing veterans with needed legal representation to overcome the burdens veterans may face in procuring employment, housing, medical care and/or supportive services; effecting systemic change within local, state, and governmental agencies in order to overcome or escape homelessness, poverty, or loss of quality of life among veterans; providing local and national training in the area of VA adjudication and representation; and providing effective legal representation before select state & federal courts, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.

WHOM WE SERVE

Public Counsel’s Center for Veterans’ Advancement serves veterans who face barriers to accessing health care, financial resources, and employment stability. Often clients have chronic health and mental health conditions, as well as a history of extreme poverty, homelessness, substance use, and involvement in the justice system. Additionally, we serve many caregivers of veterans and surviving dependents.

To get help with a veterans’ issue, visit our services page: