Survivors Assistance & Memorial Support (SAMS) Program and Decedent Affairs (DA) Program
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has established a national Survivors Assistance and Memorial Support (SAMS) program which provides personalized, supportive services to Veterans, families, caregivers, and survivors before, during, and after a Veteran’s death.
Veterans are Survivors, too
Every Veteran and survivor deserves care and support through times of transition and loss. As a Veteran, if you are planning for or have experienced the loss of a loved one, you may reach out to the Survivors Assistance & Memorial Support team.
You may be eligible for benefits such as grief and loss counseling. SAMS can also assist you with connecting to specific Veteran-centered care in your local community.
Together, the Decedent Affairs Program Officer and the Survivors Assistance & Memorial Support Social Worker comprise a complimentary DA-SAMS Team which is uniquely able to provide dignified and compassionate end-of-life and death-care support and services to Veterans, families, caregivers, and survivors. DA-SAMS also ensures dignified interment for Veterans who die in VHA care without identified family to honor their service.
Survivors Assistance & Memorial Support (SAMS) Program
The SAMS Program Coordinator is a clinical social worker who offers VA and community resources for bereavement care, grief and loss counseling for individuals and groups, provides personalized support with VA paperwork, and accompaniment through the death, dying, and after death experiences.
Keri Anderson, SAMS Social Worker
Decedent Affairs (DA) Program
The Decedent Affairs Program Officer assists survivors with immediate needs when a Veteran has died in VHA care. This may include coordination with the funeral home or crematory of choice, questions regarding death certificates or autopsies, and assistance with contacting the National Cemetery or Veteran’s Benefits Administration.
Kristina Taylor, Decedent Affairs Program Officer
Services we offer at VA Portland Health Care System
- Pre-planning and end-of-life resources for Veterans and their families
- Autopsy requests and death certificate inquires
- Navigation and referrals to survivor benefits
- Information on planning memorial services with the National Cemetery Administration (NCA)
- Referrals to available grief and bereavement support resources
For assistance directly from other Veteran’s Administration Agencies
- National Cemetery Administration: https://www.cem.va.gov/
- Veterans Benefits Administration: https://benefits.va.gov/benefits/
DA-SAMS supports Veterans, families, caregivers, and survivors experiencing loss by helping to ease the stress of wondering “What’s next?”