Columbia County (Oregon) Veteran Services Office, Run by Community Action Team
Columbia County's Veteran Services Office in St. Helens is run under county contract by Community Action Team, a non-profit: accredited service officer Erin Nolan (503-366-6580) helps any veteran living in the county with VA claims and benefits, Monday to Friday 8:30 to 5 by appointment, on a fiscal 2027 budget of $173,862, mostly State money.
Also called: CVSO, VSO, veteran service officer, Erin Nolan, Community Action Team, CAT, 503-366-6580, claims, compensation, pension, ODVA, Family Resource Center, St. Helens, Scappoose, Rainier, Clatskanie, Vernonia, Columbia City, Prescott, Warren, Deer Island.
For: Veteran or service member, spouse, child, survivor.
Who runs it. Oregon counties provide veteran services and may contract them out (ORS 406.450 and 408.410; see the Oregon entry). Columbia County does: its 2024 public contracting rules explain that "Columbia County receives State funding to provide veterans services to veterans living in the County. The County initially contracted with Washington County to provide these services. When that agreement was terminated the County entered into an agreement with Community Action Team, a local non-profit corporation, to perform the services for the County", renewed by an annual direct contract. The county's own Veterans Services page carries no text; the contractor's page is the one to read.
What it does, in Community Action Team's words: "The Veteran Services Office in St Helens is open to all veterans residing in Columbia County. Our office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, by appointment. The VSO provides support, advocacy, and accurate information to veterans about VA claims processes and benefits." "Erin Nolan, our dedicated Veteran's Service Officer (VSO), is accredited through the Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs (ODVA)... Please do not hesitate to contact VSO Nolan directly at (503) 366-6580." The office also refers veterans to health care, daily living help, financial planning, payee services, legal services, housing counselling, employment and training, education, child care, drug and alcohol counselling and vocational rehabilitation. Community Action Team's Family Resource Center is at 125 N. 17th Street, St. Helens (503-397-3511).
The money. The county's application for State pass-through funds for July 2026 to June 2027, ratified by the Board on September 9, 2026, budgets $173,862: $120,482 from ODVA, $18,480 carried forward and $34,900 of county funds, of which $158,056.37 is the contract and $15,805.63 the county's administrative charge. The application carries the department's 2026-27 budget lines; the county has also declared a fiscal emergency with five furlough days for the year, so call before going in.
Thresholds
Thresholds for Columbia County (Oregon) Veteran Services Office, Run by Community Action Team
Gate
Rule
Veterans living in Columbia County, and their families
Open to all veterans residing in the county; no rating is needed.
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Disclaimer
VetTOC is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense. Information is for reference only and is not an eligibility determination. Verify with VA, the relevant state or territory, or an accredited VSO.