Veteran benefits and home care in Kern County
Caring for a veteran in Kern County? This page brings together the free, official help near you — the county office that files VA claims at no charge, the VA medical centers and clinics that serve the area, and the home-health services the VA can pay for.
Free help filing a VA claim
Your County Veterans Service Office employs accredited officers who file VA claims for veterans and surviving spouses at no cost. They are listed first below. You should never have to pay anyone to prepare a VA claim — and be cautious with advisors who offer to move assets so a veteran qualifies for a pension.
Serving veteran families across Kern County, including:
- Bakersfield
- Delano
- Ridgecrest
- Wasco
- Shafter
- Arvin
- Tehachapi
- California City
- McFarland
Veteran resources in Kern County
County Veterans Service Office — free claim help
Kern County Veterans Service Department
Bakersfield
County office where Kern County veterans and their families get free, accredited help filing VA claims for disability compensation, pension, health care, and survivor benefits.
VA medical center
West Los Angeles VA Medical Center (VA Greater Los Angeles Health Care System)
Los Angeles
The full-service VA medical center whose health care system covers Kern County, handling hospital care, surgery, and specialty services that the local clinic cannot provide.
VA outpatient clinic
Bakersfield VA Clinic
Bakersfield
The VA outpatient clinic in Kern County for primary care, mental health care, optometry, nutrition counseling, foot care, and telehealth visits.
Vet Center — free counseling
Bakersfield Vet Center
Bakersfield
A relaxed, non-medical place offering free and confidential counseling for veterans, service members, and their families, including PTSD, readjustment, and grief support.
More veteran help
Kern County Library Veterans Resource Center
Bakersfield
Free library-based help points in Bakersfield, Lake Isabella, and Ridgecrest where trained volunteers help veterans find and understand their benefits.
These are official public resources listed for your convenience. Hours, phone numbers, and locations can change — and clinics occasionally close temporarily — so please call ahead before traveling.
Home-health services for veterans in Kern County
Skilled nursing at home
Learn more →Physical, occupational & speech therapy
Learn more →Home health aide & personal care
Learn more →Recovery after hospital or surgery
Learn more →Chronic condition care
Learn more →Medication management
Learn more →Wound care
Learn more →Dementia & memory support
Learn more →
Ready to get care started at home?
Tell us about your veteran and their coverage, and a caring local person will help arrange trusted, licensed home-health care. Free, and with no obligation.
Get home-health careVeteran care in Kern County — common questions
How do I get home health care for a veteran in Kern County?
Start with the veteran’s VA care team and ask for a home health consult — the VA can authorize a community agency to provide care at home, but it generally must be approved before care starts. We can also connect you with trusted, licensed home-health care in Kern County for free.
Who helps file a VA claim for free in Kern County?
The County Veterans Service Office listed above. Its officers are accredited to prepare and file VA claims at no charge, and they know the local VA system. Free help is also available from VA-accredited representatives and veterans service organizations.
Does the VA pay for a home health aide in Kern County?
It can. The VA Homemaker and Home Health Aide program provides an aide for help with bathing, dressing, and daily care, and Veteran-Directed Care may let the veteran hire their own worker — sometimes a family member. Ask the VA social worker about both by name.
What if the veteran is not enrolled in VA health care?
Enrolling is the first step, and many veterans who assume they are ineligible actually qualify — especially after the PACT Act expanded eligibility. The County Veterans Service Office will help with enrollment for free.
Related guides
If a veteran is in crisis, call the Veterans Crisis Line: dial 988, then press 1. Available 24/7.
SoCal Home Health is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This is free educational information, not legal or benefits advice, and not a determination of eligibility. Accredited Veterans Service Officers help you file claims at no charge — you should never have to pay for help applying for VA benefits.