The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) is set to award $4 million in grants for Fiscal Year 2027 to combat veteran suicide and opioid addiction across the Commonwealth. This funding continues the Suicide Prevention and Opioid Addiction Services (SOS) Program, established in 2022, which aims to build partnerships and enhance community support for service members, veterans, and their families. DVS Commissioner John Maxwell emphasized the department's commitment, saying, "Preventing suicide and opioid addiction among our military veterans is a major mission of the Virginia Department of Veterans Services."
The grants, with a maximum of $200,000 per award, will support evidence-based practices in areas such as outreach, mental health screening, clinical services, peer support, and caregiver assistance. Eligible applicants include Virginia-based non-profits, Veteran Service Organizations, and government entities, with applications due by September 30, 2026. Beyond these grants, DVS is actively hosting Veteran Benefits and Resource Fairs, including one in Southwest Virginia on September 10 and another in the East Region on October 23, offering face-to-face assistance with VA claims, healthcare, education, and employment.
Virginia will also observe significant remembrance events, including the Commonwealth’s Patriot Day Ceremony on September 11, 2026, marking the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks at the Virginia War Memorial. The department recently acknowledged the passing of Captain Eugene “Red” McDaniel, a Vietnam War POW and Navy Cross recipient, whose legacy lives on at the Davis & McDaniel Veterans Care Center. Additionally, Virginia's three state veterans cemeteries were designated as the first Purple Heart cemeteries in the nation on August 7, perpetually honoring interred Purple Heart recipients.
Further initiatives include the State Fair of Virginia's 2026 Veteran Farmer Recognition Award, with nominations open until September 1, celebrating veterans in agriculture. The Waves of Change Coalition, supported by DVS grants, offers unique water-based wellness programs for women veterans in Hampton Roads. A new Honor Guard Grant Program, providing $25,000 for FY2027, will assist Veteran Service Organizations in offering military funeral honors. The Puller Veterans Care Center in Fauquier County is also actively recruiting CNAs, RNs, and other medical staff as it expands its services.
These diverse programs underscore the Virginia Department of Veterans Services' ongoing mission to support veterans, their families, and transitioning service members through comprehensive benefits, mental health resources, career opportunities, and dignified remembrance.