About Us
The Yakima County Veterans Program is dedicated to serving Veterans and family members in Yakima
County. Our program is a division of the Yakima County Department of Human Services. The county
program has had a long standing tradition of assisting indigent Veterans and their family with
emergency needs through the Veterans Relief Fund, as well as other resources. In recent years, services
have been extended to provide outreach and case management. Additional programs and services have
also been added to serve homeless Veterans and their family as well as incarcerated Veterans. We seek
to be a local and personal contact for county Veterans and their family to bring their questions, concerns,
and issues to be addressed. Many Veterans are not aware of benefits and services they may be entitled
too. We seek to provide basic information, referral, and advocacy. It is our desire to see every returning
Veteran and their family provided with the support they need and deserve for their service to our county.
The Yakima County Veterans Advisory Board provides guidance for the program. The Program is
funded by Yakima County and other resources, and mandated by the State of Washington, RCW
73.08.010.
PROGRAMS
The Veteran’s Relief Fund
The Veterans program assists qualified indigent Veterans and their family with temporary emergency assistance for:
- Food
- Utilities
- Transportation
- Rental assistance
- Eviction prevention
- Burial expenses
The fund is not an entitlement and is used in conjunction with other available resources in the community.
Requirements to use the Veterans Relief Fund:
- Veteran verification
- Yakima County residency
- Low income status
- Emergent need must be establishe
Yakima County Veterans Incarcerated Program
The Veterans Incarcerated Program focuses on assisting incarcerated Veterans in the Yakima County Department of Corrections facilities and other municipal jails within the county. The goal is to reduce recidivism and facilitate successful reintegration into the community.
Services that may be provided:
- Case management
- Reentry planning
- Legal advocacy
- Essential needs
- Medical treatment
- Mental health treatment
- Chemical addiction treatment
- Veteran administration benefits
- Housing
- Employment and other identifiable needs
Homeless Outreach and services
We seek to provide outreach and support to homeless Veterans and their families. Our goal is to see an end to homelessness among Veterans in our county. We partner with many agencies to assist homeless Veterans. We assist in obtaining housing and supportive services. We also work to prevent homelessness as well as advocate for affordable housing for Veterans and their families.