LOS ANGELES (September 2026) — Veterans reported meaningful improvements in their health, financial security, employment, housing stability and overall quality of life after working with county veterans service officers, according to a new University of Southern California study released Sept. 10, in a special presentation at Bob Hope Patriotic Hall.
The study examined the experiences of 565 veterans who received services from county veterans service officers in Los Angeles, Santa Clara and Nevada counties. County veterans service officers, commonly known as CVSOs, are trained and accredited professionals who help veterans, transitioning service members and their families navigate complex benefit systems and access earned compensation, health care, education, housing and other services.
Two in five veterans surveyed had tried unsuccessfully to file a benefits claim before seeking help from a CVSO. Seventy-two percent were satisfied with the assistance they received, while “51% said their overall quality of life had improved after receiving CVSO services to obtain benefits.
“After so much sacrifice and service, our veterans deserve timely access to the support they have earned,” said Los Angeles County Board Chair and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis. “This pilot program demonstrates that when we intentionally streamline services and reduce barriers, veterans are better able to access housing, health care, mental health support and other essential resources. We have a responsibility to ensure no veteran is left navigating unnecessary bureaucracy when seeking the care and services they need.”
Veterans also reported reductions in unmet mental and physical health needs, unemployment, food insecurity and difficulty obtaining needed health care. Because the pilot study relied on participants’ retrospective reports, researchers noted that the improvements cannot be attributed solely to CVSO services or benefits. The findings nevertheless provide an exploratory look at how veterans’ lives may improve after working with CVSOs to obtain benefits.
“The findings demonstrated that CVSOs provide a vital and essential service. Many veterans reported they weren’t sure what they would have done without the support they received. Respondents described many improvements to overall well-being, and wished CVSO services were more readily available,” said Dr. Sara Kintzle, a research professor at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work and the study’s principal investigator.
The research also identified a significant challenge: The demands placed on many CVSO offices exceed their available staffing and resources. Veterans described difficulty obtaining appointments, long waits and inconsistent follow-up, even while expressing appreciation for staff members working to serve large caseloads.
Researchers recommend increasing CVSO resources and capacity, strengthening staff training and evaluation and continuing to collect data measuring veterans’ experiences and outcomes.
“For the first time, we have independent research measuring veterans’ experiences and outcomes after working with county veterans service officers, and the answers came from veterans themselves,” said Jim Zenner, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. “I’m grateful to the veteran service officers who do this work every day, often while facing demands that outpace available resources. We owe it to our veteran community to keep veterans and those who serve them at the table as we assess needs, shape solutions and advance legislation that strengthens the services veterans and their families rely on.”
Veterans interviewed for the study described CVSO expertise as essential to navigating the benefits process, understanding eligibility requirements and communicating how their military experiences affected their lives. They also emphasized that the quality of their experience often depended on individual staff members’ expertise, communication and ability to provide timely follow-up.
“The study confirms what CVSOs already know: expertise and follow-up change outcomes. AB 2219 is our commitment to raise that standard and keep improving the service veterans receive, county by county,” said Morgan Boyd, president of the California Association of County Veterans Service Officers and the San Luis Obispo County veterans service officer.
The study was released alongside a discussion of Assembly Bill 2219 (AB 2219). The bill was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on Sept. 28, and establishes statewide standards intended to strengthen the consistency, capacity and coordination of county veteran services.
AB 2219 requires CVSO vacancies to be filled within 12 months and newly appointed officers to obtain and maintain accreditation from the California Department of Veterans Affairs within nine months. It also establishes minimum training requirements addressing equitable access to earned benefits, awareness of no-cost disability claims assistance and improved data collection.
“Veterans should not have to fight through bureaucracy to access the care, benefits, and support they earned through their service. This research confirms how important County Veterans Service Officers are in connecting veterans to critical resources, while also showing where we need to do better,” said Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo, author of AB 2219 and chair of the California Assembly Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs. “That is exactly why I introduced the Faster Services for Veterans Act, AB 2219, to reduce delays, strengthen training and coordination, and make sure veterans’ experiences help improve services statewide. Our veterans served us, and we have a responsibility to make sure the system serves them.”
By Jan. 1, 2029, the bill requires the state to implement a statewide system that distributes appointments, disability claims and appeals among county veterans service officers regardless of where a veteran lives. It also establishes a service capacity and performance framework to inform funding allocations, expand statewide reporting and create a standardized survey measuring veterans’ access, trust, service effectiveness and overall experience.
“It is so important that the community, the state of California, and the nation understand what these County Veterans Service Officers do. They are the qualified and trustworthy professionals that create a lifelong connection to vital benefits and services for veterans and their families,” said Sen. Bob Archuleta, chair of the California Senate Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs. “I am so proud of this study and of our unwavering commitment in Sacramento to ensuring veterans continue to get the expert, no-cost services that they deserve.”
The USC research concluded that greater investment in county veteran services could serve as an upstream prevention strategy by connecting veterans with income, health care, housing support and other benefits before unmet needs develop into crises.
The independent pilot study was made possible through funding from the Los Angeles County Quality and Productivity Commission in partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, and the Epstein Family Foundation. The funders provided financial support but had no control over the scope, design, data collection, analysis, interpretation or final report.
“Veterans services, locally and nationally, have long been plagued by inconsistencies in quality, clarity, and costs,” said Bill Parent, chair of the Los Angeles County Quality and Productivity Commission, which funded the initiative. “This study and its recommendations provide us with a clear path forward to improve the effectiveness of the CVSOs. Its implementation will make things better for veterans across the County, and it has potential to create a new national model of service delivery.”
The full study, Examining Veterans’ Satisfaction with County Veteran Service Officers and the Impact Service Officers Have on Veteran Clients’ Well-Being, is available at https://usccvsostudy.org/.
Additional information about Assembly Bill 2219 is available through California Legislative Information at https://bit.ly/ab2219.
Story and Photos by Ashley Cohen, Public Information Associate, Los Angeles County Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
