Veterans’ Services, Department of

Agency Web Site: https://veterans.ny.gov/

Mission

The core mission of the New York State Department of Veterans’ Services (DVS) is to link veterans, members of the armed forces, and their families and dependents to various personal, medical, and financial benefits available to them as the result of active duty military service. DVS professional counseling staff prepares, presents and prosecutes claims, including applications for monthly compensation and pension awards, education benefits, burial benefits, vocational rehabilitation training, health care, nursing home care, tax exemptions and other services.

Organization and Staffing

The Department is led by a Commissioner, and the DVS workforce primarily consists of Veterans’ Benefit Advisors located in all State regions to allow veterans better access to services. DVS is hosted by the Office of General Services, which provides administrative, budgetary, and human resources support.

Major Programs

Blind Veteran Annuity Assistance Program

The Blind Veteran Annuity Assistance Program provides annuities to legally blind veterans and eligible surviving spouses.

Veterans’ Benefits Advising Program

The Veterans’ Benefits Advising Program offers advocacy and assistance services to veterans to secure and maintain Federal Veterans’ Affairs benefits.

Veterans’ Education Program

The Veterans’ Education Program staff investigates and approves educational programs on behalf of veterans who qualify for these benefits.

Veterans’ Cemetery Program

The Veterans’ Cemetery Program supports the maintenance of the first State Veterans’ cemetery, which provides a permanent resting place to honor New York’s veterans and their families.

Budget Highlights

The FY 2026 Executive Budget recommends $32.6 million in appropriations for DVS. This represents a $1.4 million decrease from FY 2025, attributable to the expiration of $3.5 million in one-time legislative adds offset by $2.1 million in the Gold Star Annuity program, veterans’ suicide prevention, the Military Family Relief initiative, and other programmatic adjustments.

The Executive Budget recommends a workforce of 110 full-time employees, which remains unchanged from FY 2025.

The FY 2026 Executive Budget recommends the following budgetary actions:

Gold Star Annuity. The Executive Budget includes funding necessary to support the proposed legislation to expand eligibility of the Gold Star Annuity from parents of service members who die in combat to immediate family members of any service member who dies while on active duty.
Veteran Suicide Prevention. The Executive Budget includes $1 million to expand veteran suicide prevention initiatives, including enhanced risk assessment training, outreach tools, gun safety programs, and improved access to mental health services for veterans.
Military Family Relief Fund. The Executive Budget includes $350,000 for the Military Family Relief Fund to support various relief initiatives to enhance the lives of military families throughout the State.

ALL FUNDS
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Category	Available FY 2025	Appropriations Recommended FY 2026	Change From FY 2025	Reappropriations Recommended FY 2026
State Operations	14,082,000	14,239,000	157,000	6,595,000
Aid To Localities	15,879,000	14,334,000	(1,545,000)	29,234,000
Capital Projects	4,000,000	4,000,000	0	15,449,000
Total	33,961,000	32,573,000	(1,388,000)	51,278,000

ALL FUND TYPES
PROJECTED LEVELS OF EMPLOYMENT BY PROGRAM
FILLED ANNUAL SALARIED POSITIONS
Program	FY 2025 Estimated FTEs 03/31/25	FY 2026 Estimated FTEs 03/31/26	FTE Change
Administration
General Fund	3	3	0
Veterans' Benefits Advising
General Fund	99	99	0
Veterans Education
Special Revenue Funds - Federal	8	8	0
Total	110	110	0

STATE OPERATIONS
ALL FUNDS FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS BY FUND TYPE
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Fund Type	Available FY 2025	Recommended FY 2026	Change
General Fund	10,961,000	11,118,000	157,000
Special Revenue Funds - Federal	2,221,000	2,221,000	0
Special Revenue Funds - Other	900,000	900,000	0
Total	14,082,000	14,239,000	157,000

STATE OPERATIONS
ALL FUNDS FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS BY PROGRAM
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Program	Available FY 2025	Recommended FY 2026	Change
Administration
General Fund	1,030,000	1,187,000	157,000
Special Revenue Funds - Other	900,000	900,000	0
Veterans Education
Special Revenue Funds - Federal	2,221,000	2,221,000	0
Veterans' Benefits Advising
General Fund	9,931,000	9,931,000	0
Total	14,082,000	14,239,000	157,000

STATE OPERATIONS - GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF PERSONAL SERVICE APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2026 RECOMMENDED
(dollars)
Program	Total		Personal Service Regular (Annual Salaried)
Program	Amount	Change	Amount	Change
Administration	543,000	126,000	543,000	126,000
Veterans' Benefits Advising	8,972,000	0	8,949,000	0
Total	9,515,000	126,000	9,492,000	126,000

STATE OPERATIONS - GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF PERSONAL SERVICE APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2026 RECOMMENDED CONTINUED
(dollars)
Program	Temporary Service (Nonannual Salaried)		Holiday/Overtime Pay
Program	Amount	Change	Amount	Change
Veterans' Benefits Advising	0	0	23,000	0
Total	0	0	23,000	0

STATE OPERATIONS - GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF NONPERSONAL SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE UNDISTRIBUTED
APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2026 RECOMMENDED
(dollars)
Program	Total		Supplies and Materials
Program	Amount	Change	Amount	Change
Administration	644,000	31,000	10,000	0
Veterans' Benefits Advising	959,000	0	63,000	0
Total	1,603,000	31,000	73,000	0

STATE OPERATIONS - GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF NONPERSONAL SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE UNDISTRIBUTED
APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2026 RECOMMENDED CONTINUED
(dollars)
Program	Travel		Contractual Services
Program	Amount	Change	Amount	Change
Administration	14,000	0	601,000	31,000
Veterans' Benefits Advising	104,000	0	352,000	0
Total	118,000	0	953,000	31,000

STATE OPERATIONS - GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF NONPERSONAL SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE UNDISTRIBUTED
APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2026 RECOMMENDED CONTINUED
(dollars)
Program	Equipment
Program	Amount	Change
Administration	19,000	0
Veterans' Benefits Advising	440,000	0
Total	459,000	0

STATE OPERATIONS - OTHER THAN GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2026 RECOMMENDED
(dollars)
Program	Total		Personal Service
Program	Amount	Change	Amount	Change
Administration	900,000	0	0	0
Veterans Education	2,221,000	0	1,301,000	0
Total	3,121,000	0	1,301,000	0

STATE OPERATIONS - OTHER THAN GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2026 RECOMMENDED CONTINUED
(dollars)
Program	Nonpersonal Service
Program	Amount	Change
Administration	900,000	0
Veterans Education	920,000	0
Total	1,820,000	0

AID TO LOCALITIES
ALL FUNDS FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS BY FUND TYPE
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Fund Type	Available FY 2025	Recommended FY 2026	Change
General Fund	14,879,000	12,984,000	(1,895,000)
Special Revenue Funds - Federal	500,000	500,000	0
Special Revenue Funds - Other	500,000	850,000	350,000
Total	15,879,000	14,334,000	(1,545,000)

AID TO LOCALITIES
ALL FUNDS FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS BY PROGRAM
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Program	Available FY 2025	Recommended FY 2026	Change
Administration
General Fund	999,000	1,099,000	100,000
Blind Veteran Annuity Assistance
General Fund	6,380,000	6,380,000	0
Veterans' Benefits Advising
General Fund	7,500,000	5,505,000	(1,995,000)
Special Revenue Funds - Federal	500,000	500,000	0
Special Revenue Funds - Other	500,000	850,000	350,000
Total	15,879,000	14,334,000	(1,545,000)

CAPITAL PROJECTS
ALL FUNDS FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS BY PROGRAM
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Comprehensive Construction Program	Available FY 2025	Recommended FY 2026	Change	Reappropriations FY 2026
Veteran's Nonprofit Capital Program
Capital Projects Fund - Authority Bonds	0	0	0	4,100,000
Veterans' Cemetery
Capital Projects Fund - Authority Bonds	2,000,000	2,000,000	0	5,349,000
Federal Capital Projects Fund	2,000,000	2,000,000	0	6,000,000
Total	4,000,000	4,000,000	0	15,449,000

Note: Most recent estimates as of 01/21/2025

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