January 2009 

VA and Spinal Cord Injury 

Of the more than 250,000 Americans with serious spinal cord injuries and disorders, 

about 42,000 are veterans eligible for medical care and other benefits from the 

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). 

Many veterans with spinal cord injuries qualify for disability compensation because their 

health problems occurred during military service. Veterans with spinal cord injuries 

unrelated to their military service may receive VA medical care under rules governing 

veterans with catastrophic disabilities or low incomes. Among health care workers and 

veterans’ advocates, spinal cord injuries are commonly referred to by the acronym SCI. 

What Is SCI? 

The spinal cord is the main pathway for transmitting information between the brain and 

the nerves that lead to muscles, skin, internal organs and glands. Injury to the spinal cord 

disrupts movement, sensation and function. Paraplegia results from injury to the lower 

part of the spinal cord, causing paralysis of the lower part of the body, including the 

bowel and bladder. Tetraplegia (sometimes called quadriplegia) results from injury to the 

spinal cord in the neck area, causing paralysis to the lower body, upper body and arms. 

SCI requires ongoing management of impairments and prevention of related problems. 

Compensation 

Veterans with SCI may receive up to $2,673 in monthly disability compensation. They 

may receive additional compensation if the injury resulted in loss of use of hands or feet 

or in other disabilities. The rating may include other service-connected disabilities not 

related to their spinal injury. Many veterans with service-connected disabilities are also 

entitled to vocational counseling, grants for adapted housing and automobiles, a clothing 

allowance and payment for home and attendant care. 

Health Care for Veterans with SCI 

VA has the largest single network of SCI care in the nation. It provided a full range of 

care to nearly 26,000 veterans with spinal cord injuries and disorders in 2008 and SCI 

specialty care to about 13,000 of these veterans. A study conducted by a major 

consulting firm in 2000 comparing VA's SCI services to those funded by several private 

and public health insurers showed that VA's coverage was more comprehensive. VA 

integrates vocational, psychological and social services within a continuum of care and 

addresses changing needs throughout the veteran's life. VA provides supplies, preventive 

health care and education for veterans with SCI. VA also maintains medical equipment. 

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SCI 2/2/2/2 

The average age of a person at the time of injury is increasing, as the general age of the 

population of the United States has increased. VA’s system of care provides a 

coordinated lifelong continuum of services for eligible veterans with SCI of all ages, 

including emergency care, medical and surgical stabilization, rehabilitation, primary care, 

preventive care, specialty sustaining care, surgical care, outpatient care, home care and 

long-term care. VA’s SCI specialty care focuses on the prevention or early detection of 

complications of SCI, with multidisciplinary teams providing annual comprehensive 

evaluations. 

VA services are delivered through a "hub and spoke" system of care, extending from 24 

regional SCI centers offering primary and specialty care by multidisciplinary teams to the 

134 SCI primary care teams or support clinics at local VA medical centers. Each primary 

care team has a physician, nurse and social worker, and those with support clinics may 

have additional team members. Newly injured veterans and active-duty members are 

referred to a VA SCI center for rehabilitation after being stabilized at a trauma center. 

Each year, approximately 450 newly injured veterans and active-duty members receive 

rehabilitation at VA's SCI centers. 

The 24 VA SCI centers are at the following locations: Long Beach, Palo Alto and San 

Diego, Calif.; Miami and Tampa, Fla.; Augusta, Ga.; Hines, Ill.; West Roxbury, Mass.; 

Minneapolis; St. Louis; East Orange, N.J.; Albuquerque, N.M.; Bronx and Castle Point, 

N.Y.; Cleveland; San Juan, P.R.; Memphis, Tenn.; Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, 

Texas; Hampton and Richmond, Va; Seattle; and Milwaukee. 

The SCI center nearest to a veteran can provide the name of the SCI coordinator in the 

SCI primary care team at the nearest VA facility. 

Research 

VA leads the health care profession in defining new methods of rehabilitation through 

research and engineering. In addition to receiving direct funding for spinal-cord research 

from VA, investigators at VA medical centers are supported by organizations such as the 

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, United Spinal Association and 

Paralyzed Veterans of America. VA research on SCI focuses on areas such as functional 

electrical stimulation, wheelchair and other adaptive technology, cell transplantation, 

treatment of medical complications of SCI, and rehabilitation methods and outcomes. 

National Recreational Events 

Staying active is as important to the physical and emotional well-being of people with 

SCI as it is to other people. VA sponsors three annual athletic events that offer 

camaraderie with other SCI veterans and the opportunity to enjoy and participate in 

competitive sports. These are the National Veterans Wheelchair Games, which is 

cosponsored with the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), the National Disabled 

Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, cosponsored with the Disabled American Veterans, and 

the National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic. 

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SCI 3/3/3/3 

Bringing Research to Treatment 

In the late 1990s, VA began a special effort to identify gaps in knowledge about SCI 

treatment and to share findings with its clinicians nationwide. The goal is to improve the 

quality, effectiveness and efficiency of care by translating research findings into 

improved care. 

VA is one of 20 professional organizations in the Consortium for Spinal Cord Medicine, 

which was founded by PVA to develop guidelines to improve care for all Americans with 

SCI. The Consortium represents health care providers, consumers and insurers and has 

disseminated clinical practice guidelines. Among them are guidelines for preventing skin 

breakdown and blood clots in legs. One result expected from using the guidelines is 

more consistent treatment and greater awareness by veterans of how to care for 

themselves. 

VA clinicians nationwide have access to a computer database for sharing treatment and 

outcome information that enhances the coordination of health care. This registry also 

helps make referrals to treatment locations. 

Continuing Education 

In addition to identifying research on the best approaches to treatment, VA continually 

strives to improve its expertise. The Rehabilitation Accreditation Commission, the 

standard-setting and accrediting authority for organizations providing rehabilitation 

services, has accredited 20 VA SCI centers that provide acute rehabilitation. 

Thirteen of these centers are training sites certified by the Accreditation Council on 

Graduate Medical Education, which accredits post-graduate medical training programs in 

the United States. All VA physicians can take an independent study course on medical 

care for people with SCI. Two SCI training programs are held annually for VA health 

care professionals. 

For veterans, VA prepared a guide published by PVA that explains how to handle 

problems and where to turn for help. It is called "Yes, You Can!" and is available at 

VA's SCI Centers and from PVA. 

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SCI 4/4/4/4 

VA Regional SCI Centers 

State Address Telephone Number 

California VA Long Beach 

5901 E. 7th St. 

Long Beach, CA 90822 

(562) 826-5701 

California VA Palo Alto Health Care 

System 

3801 Miranda Ave. 

Palo Alto, CA 94304 

(650) 493-3000 ext.65870 

California VA San Diego Health Care 

System 

3350 La Jolla Village Drive 

San Diego, CA 92161 

(858) 642-3117 

Florida VA Medical Center 

1201 NW 16th St. 

Miami, FL 33125 

(305) 575-3174 

Florida James A. Haley 

13000 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. 

Tampa, FL 33612 

(813) 972-7517 

Georgia Augusta VA Medical Center 

One Freedom Way 

Augusta, GA 30904 

(706) 823-2216 

Illinois Edward Hines VA Hospital 

5th & Roosevelt Rd. 

PO Box 5000-5128 

Hines, Il 60141 

(708) 202-2241 

Massachusetts VA Boston Healthcare System 

Brockton/West Roxbury 

Campuses 

1400 VFW Parkway 

West Roxbury, MA 02132 

(857) 203-5128 

Minnesota Minneapolis VAMC 

One Veterans Drive 

Minneapolis, MN 55417 

(612) 467-3707 

Missouri Jefferson Barracks Division, 

1 Jefferson Barracks Dr. 

St Louis, MO 63125 

(314) 894-6677 

New Jersey VA New Jersey Healthcare 

System 

385 Tremont Ave. 

East Orange, NJ 07018 

(973) 676-1000 ext. 11302 

New Mexico VA Medical Center 

1501 San Pedro SE 

Albuquerque, NM 87108 

(505) 256-2849 

New York VA Medical Center 

130 West Kingsbridge Rd 

Bronx, NY 10468 

(718) 584-9000 ext. 5423 
SCI 5/5/5/5 

State Regional SCI Center Address Telephone Number 

New York VA Healthcare System 

Castle Point, NY 12511 

(845) 831-2000 ext. 5128 

Ohio VA Medical Center 

10701 East Blvd. 

Cleveland, Ohio 44106 

(216) 791-3800 ext. 5219 

Tennessee VA Medical Center 

1030 Jefferson Ave. 

Memphis, TN 38104 

(901) 577-7373 

Texas VA Medical Center 

4500 South Lancaster Rd 

Dallas, TX 75216 

(214) 857-1757 

Texas VA Medical Center 

2002 Holcombe Blvd. 

Houston, TX 77030 

(713) 794-7128 

Texas South Texas Veterans Health 

Care System 

Audie L. Murphy Division 

7400 Merton Minter Blvd. 

San Antonio, TX 78229 

(210) 617-5257 

Virginia VA Medical Center 

100 Emancipation Drive 

Hampton, VA 23667 

(757) 722-9961 

Virginia Hunter Holmes McGuire VA 

Medical Center 

1201 Broad Rock Blvd. 

Richmond, VA 23249 

(804) 675-5282 

Washington VA Puget Sound Health Care 

System 

1660 South Columbian Way 

Seattle, WA 98108 

(206) 764-2332 

Wisconsin Clement J. Zablocki Medical 

Center 

5000 W. National Ave. 

Milwaukee, WI 53295 

(414) 384-2000 ext. 41288 

Puerto Rico VA Medical Center 

#10 Casia Street 

San Juan, PR 00921 

(787) 641-7582 

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