Veterans Services of the Carolinas Delivers Vital Support at Scale with Docusign eSignature

The transition from active duty to civilian life is challenging for many veterans. Nearly 33,000 veterans in the US are homeless on any given night. Many more are struggling with poverty and mental health issues. They’re also underserved in terms of healthcare access, with bureaucratic delays and cumbersome paperwork creating barriers to timely care.

Veterans Services of the Carolinas, a division of the Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry (ABCCM), collaborates with local partners and faith organizations to address veterans’ needs, whether it's securing stable housing, accessing mental health support, obtaining employment or navigating healthcare resources across North Carolina.

“Our mission is to meet veterans where they are, without judgment, and guide them back to a life of happiness and fulfillment by building intentional community,” said Brandon Wilson, chief operating officer. 

Under Wilson’s leadership, the organization expanded from 12 staff members and a half-million dollar budget to a nearly $11 million portfolio of veteran programs supported by 100 employees statewide.

But with growth came challenges. To accelerate support and manage the complexities of HIPAA compliance, reporting and dual authorizations, digitization was essential. By implementing Docusign eSignature, the nonprofit streamlined paperwork while enabling seamless coordination across government, healthcare and social services agencies.

Shifting staff's focus from administrative tasks to the frontline

Veterans Services of the Carolinas is primarily funded through federal and state grants. Since Wilson arrived, the nonprofit’s funding sources increased fourfold. Its statewide footprint and program volume grew, too. That meant more reporting, more authorizations and a heavier administrative workload that diverted staff from their main goal: providing vital, direct services to veterans and their families. 

The digitization and automation of approval workflows and care-related processes with Docusign eSignature not only alleviated administrative burdens for Veterans Services of the Carolinas but also streamlined the flow of documents between government agencies, healthcare entities and community-based groups.

What once required over three staff members for each program could now be managed by just one. “Docusign allowed us to shift our staffing model so we could put 10 more case managers into the field,” said Wilson.

Docusign eSignature also gave staff the freedom to approve financial assistance requests and manage care services documentation from anywhere, ensuring veterans receive the support they need without unnecessary delays. Additionally, this functionality inspired other organizations that implemented the same government grants to adopt this best practice, which was approved by federal program entities.

Stretching funds and reach

With Docusign, Veterans Services of the Carolinas rapidly extended its reach. “The biggest impact for us is being able to help more people,” said Wilson. In its first year of using Docusign eSignature, the organization connected over 400 additional veterans with services by allowing staff to focus more on direct support versus printing, scanning and reconciling documents.

The efficiency gains translated into significant cost savings, too.

Wilson’s favorite Docusign story involves a Veteran and her two children in need of housing assistance after fleeing an unfortunate domestic violence situation. The young Veteran found an apartment but didn’t have the funds for a deposit. By the time she was connected with Veterans Services of the Carolinas, she had less than an hour to get a check to the landlord. 

“We had to quickly run through the entire approvals process and get signoff from three different people before cutting a check,” Wilson said. “Without Docusign, we never would have been able to pull it off in that short timeframe—and, in such a tight rental market, she would have lost that opportunity for stable housing.”

Growing with Docusign

Building on early efficiency gains, the nonprofit integrated Docusign with the Unite Us Platform, connecting health, housing and social service providers on a unified platform. The integration helped facilitate seamless cross-agency collaboration, reduce duplication of efforts and improve outcomes—enabling veterans to receive faster, more accurate and personalized care.

By adopting Docusign technology across the entire organization, beyond just Veteran Services of the Carolinas, ABCCM is prioritizing seamless data integration and interoperability. "Data will play a crucial role as we strive to better target funding and resources within communities and accelerate the pace at which we deliver these services," said Wilson. 

The path ahead is one of continued collaboration and innovation, fueled by a shared purpose: to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those who have given so much for our nation.

“We see ABCCM growing in our partnership with Docusign,” said Wilson. "Ultimately, while it's a technology platform and workflow solution, it’s also a critical tool in how we support veterans and their families, enabling us to address broader social drivers of health more effectively. This relationship is not only predicated on business acumen but with a shared mission and values that improve our communities at scale.”