State Veterans Watchdog Says Its Budget Was Cut in Half, Forcing It to Pause Work

The independent state office that investigates the care of Massachusetts veterans says the Legislature cut its budget in half this year, and that it must now "pause significant initiatives" unless lawmakers restore the money.

The Office of the Veteran Advocate disclosed the cut in its Fiscal Year 2026 Annual Report, dated September 2026 and signed by Veteran Advocate Bob Notch. Boston City Councilor Edward M. Flynn transmitted the report to the City Council and filed an order for a hearing on it, both placed on the council's Oct. 21 agenda. Flynn's order says the report was released on Sept. 9.

"Fiscal Year 2027 funding was reduced to $1M from $2M in FY26 and FY25," the report states. "This reduction negatively impacts the OVA's ability to meet its statutory responsibilities in support of veterans and their families."

According to the report, the office had asked for $2.127 million for fiscal 2027 "to meet annual cost increases and slightly build capacity." The House and Senate budget proposals "did not align," and after a conference committee agreement, the Legislature approved $1 million. "This 50% cut in funding requires the OVA to pause significant initiatives and develop options to reduce capabilities to remain within budget limits," the report says. The office is seeking a supplemental appropriation to return to at least $2 million. If that fails, it warns, its ability "to meet its statutory responsibility of serving veterans and their families may be severely limited."

A funding summary posted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Massachusetts in July said the House and the governor had supported $2.4 million for the office while the Senate proposed $1 million. Boston Uncut could not find a public explanation from legislative leaders for the final figure.

The office was established by Chapter 144 of the Acts of 2022, a law on the governance of the state's veterans' homes., titled "An Act Relative to the Governance, Structure and Care of Veterans at the Commonwealth's Veterans' Homes." The advocate is charged with investigating fatalities and serious injuries of veterans in the Commonwealth's care and recommending changes to state agencies.

Fiscal 2026 was the office's first full year at operating strength, the report says, with 12 full-time positions, one of them vacant. Its staff list as of June 30 includes Notch, a chief of staff, four regional liaisons, a veteran safety investigator, a general counsel and data staff; the policy and research officer position was vacant. Even fully staffed, the office says, it "has limited capacity to handle several issues simultaneously and must be selective in its workplan."

During the year, the office completed 51 of 56 reported veteran safety cases and fatality investigations, including 18 fatality investigations, according to the report. Of 38 safety cases, 31 assisted the state Commission for the Protection of Persons with Disabilities. The office said it believes the number of veteran fatalities connected to agencies serving veterans "is higher than reported" and that it is still pressing agencies for reports. It completed 71 of 124 engagements responding to inquiries from veterans, families and service providers, with 53 still open.

The report describes the office's role after the July 13, 2025 fire at the Gabriel House assisted living facility in Fall River. Four of the 10 people who died were veterans, "four times the age population rate," the report says. The office determined that the facility received no federal or state veteran support and fell outside its investigative authority, and offered staff help to state and local agencies. Its Southeast regional liaison helped the Fall River veterans services officer support displaced veterans and families of those who died.

The report also sketches a shrinking population. Federal estimates put Massachusetts' veteran population at 255,345 in 2025, a net loss of more than 9,000 from 2024, with most veterans over 65. Veterans make up about 3.6% of the state's population, and women are nearly 9% of veterans. The office projects a decline of roughly 9,000 a year and warns of effects on the labor force, federal veterans' dollars coming into the state and local volunteer groups that run Memorial Day and Veterans Day events.

About 759 veterans were living in state-run or state-reported facilities as of June 2026, the report says: 354 in state prisons, 57 in county jails, 231 at the Chelsea Veterans Home and 117 at the Holyoke Veterans Home. State hospitals and substance use treatment programs did not report counts, and seven counties' jails were not included, so the total is incomplete.

Among its recommendations, the office supports House Bill 3871 and Senate Bill 2467, which would update the basic definition of "veteran" in Chapter 4 of the General Laws to close eligibility gaps left after the HERO Act. It recommends giving one state agency authority over services for active-duty service members and their families, noting that Massachusetts has no single agency responsible for them. And it says it is working with county jails and the Department of Correction to help incarcerated veterans get the physical exams needed for VA benefit claims, which it says could shift some reentry costs to the federal government.

Flynn's order asks the appropriate council committee to hold a hearing on the report's findings and recommendations. "It's critical for the Boston City Council and the public to understand the key findings and recommendations of the report in order to better advocate for services and support for our veterans, active service members, and their families," the order says. The council has no authority over the state office's budget, which is set on Beacon Hill.

A search of Boston news outlets on Thursday found no coverage of the office's budget cut or annual report.