California lawmakers hear calls to boost county veteran service officers, curb for‑profit 'claim sharks'

County veteran service officers and state veterans officials told a joint informational hearing of the California State Senate and Assembly Committee on Military and Veteran Affairs in Sacramento that local offices need more sustained funding, broader accreditation and stronger enforcement to stop for‑profit claims companies that charge veterans fees for services county offices provide for free.

The hearing brought together county veteran service officers (CVSOs), CalVet officials, national researchers and veterans groups to outline how CVSOs serve as a frontline access point to federal benefits, housing and behavioral health services — and to describe the threat posed by unaccredited private “claim consultants” that critics call “claim sharks.”

Why it matters: CVSOs said state subvention and dedicated funds have not kept pace with demand, even as filings and benefit awards have grown. Speakers argued that additional investment would generate federal benefit dollars and improve care, while new state enforcement and outreach could reduce exploitation of veterans by for‑profit firms.

David West, president of the California Association of County Veterans Service Officers, told the committees that CVSOs “are present and engaged at each step of this journey” of a veteran’s life, from separation papers through end‑of‑life assistance. West described three current state funding streams for CVSOs — the State General Fund subvention (about $11,000,000 annually), the Medi‑Cal Cost Avoidance…