Mendry, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit outcomes-and-education platform built to support Veterans who use state-legal medical cannabis—and to strengthen continuity of care between community clinicians and VA care teams.
We exist because there’s a real gap in the system. VA policy directs VA health care providers to discuss relevant clinical information about marijuana use when Veterans request information or report use—and to document it in the Veteran’s VA electronic health record.
At the same time, VA health care providers are prohibited from recommending marijuana or helping Veterans participate in state programs (including referrals, completing forms, or registration).
That gap often creates fragmented care: one system for VA treatment planning, another for state-legal cannabis evaluation and monitoring—without a reliable bridge between them. Mendry Providers help close that gap ethically, legally, and clinically, without asking VA clinicians to cross prohibited lines.
HAT 1
This is the state lane. Mendry Provider Members are licensed clinicians who operate within state-approved medical cannabis frameworks (as permitted by their license and state rules). You provide what many Veterans need—but cannot obtain directly through VA clinicians because VA must follow federal law and VA policy boundaries.
Mendry Providers do not “prescribe cannabis through VA,” and Mendry does not position providers as VA-endorsed. VA policy is clear that VA clinicians may not recommend marijuana or complete state program paperwork.
HAT 2
This is the coordination lane. Mendry Provider Members help the Veteran’s broader care team understand what’s happening—without requiring VA clinicians to complete state paperwork or “assist a Veteran to obtain” cannabis.
VA policy emphasizes two things at once:
Mendry’s Hat 2 supports continuity by enabling clear, clinically useful documentation that the Veteran can share with VA (or that can be transmitted to VA through secure channels with a signed release, when appropriate).
the “why” behind Mendry
VA guidance also makes clear:
how, why, where
Mendry Providers use a simple, repeatable approach that supports continuity without placing VA clinicians in a prohibited role:
The CCS is designed to be clinically useful and easy to share:
This aligns with VA policy’s emphasis that marijuana use may relate to other clinical activities—including medication interactions and impacts on other aspects of care.
ease of enrollment
Mendry includes Enrollment Coordinator Members (members, not employees) who reduce friction for providers in two areas:
intake language, documentation templates, CCS standards, consent workflow
if you also participate in VA Community Care networks, coordinators help your admin workflows stay consistent
Most VA-paid community care depends on authorization. A typical episode looks like this:
Veterans generally begin with their VA care team. VA reviews eligibility and prepares the referral and authorization steps for community care when appropriate.
Your practice receives authorization details that define the episode: services approved, date range, and visit counts, plus any administrative requirements.
Enrollment Coordinators help staff build muscle memory so your clinic doesn’t accidentally schedule outside the authorized scope.
To keep this mission credible and scalable, Mendry Provider Members agree to:
Mendry is an educational platform only. We do not provide medical advice, product recommendations, or assistance with state programs. All medical decisions are made by Mendry, a nonprofit platform offering education and a professional network for providers interested in safe, legal medical cannabis access for veterans, without prescribing or product sales.
Who We Are
Why Providers Join
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Why Now
Disclaimer
the patient in consultation with their licensed healthcare provider. Mendry.org is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.