PRESS RELEASE
September 25, 2024

CONTACT
Melissa Thompson
(270) 886-9484
[email protected]

HOPKINSVILLE, KY, September 25, 2024 – Pennyrile Area Development District (PeADD) has been designated as a Super-Hub for the Veteran Directed Care Program at the national level.

The Veteran Directed Care (VDC) Program provides veterans with opportunities to self-direct their long-term services and supports living independently at home. Eligible veterans manage their flexible budgets, decide what mix of goods and services best meet their needs, and hire and supervise their own employees.

As a result of the recent national expansion, the VDC Program is now available in all Veteran Administration Medical Centers (VAMC) nationwide.  All program eligibility is determined by the VAMC’s, and approved veterans are referred to the Super-Hub Agency for options counseling and fiscal management services. Through an options counselor, the Aging and Disability Network Agency provides facilitated assessment and care/service planning, fiscal management services, and ongoing counseling and support to veterans, their families, and caregivers.

As a Super-Hub, the PeADD has entered into Veteran Care Agreements with 11 VAMC’s in Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia along with a subcontracted network of over 20 case management agencies providing options counseling to enrolled veterans.

According to the Pennyrile Area Agency on Aging & Independent Living Director, Jill Collins, “The expansion of the Veteran Directed Care Program will significantly enhance the ability of enrolled veterans to remain in their homes and communities, exercising greater control over their long-term care.” She continued, “This expansion ensures that veterans can hire their own caregivers and manage a personalized budget for services that best meet their individual needs. It represents increased accessible veteran services and opportunities for Aging and Disability Network agencies to support local veterans in our region and the states we serve.”

Having implemented the VDC program in 2016, PeADD was identified as one of five VDC Super-Hubs as part of the VDC national expansion and is currently serving 155 veterans through the program. Since September 2023, the Pennyrile VDC program has shown a 167% increase in veterans served.

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The Pennyrile Area Development District is the statutory regional planning and development organization for west Kentucky's nine-county Pennyrile region, which includes Caldwell, Christian, Crittenden, Hopkins, Livingston, Lyon, Muhlenberg, Todd, and Trigg counties.  Translation services and auxiliary aids are available upon request.  PeADD is an Equal Employment Opportunity/ Affirmative Action Employer, M/F/D.