VA recognizes the critical role that family caregivers play in enabling Veterans to stay in their homes, surrounded by their loved ones. That’s why VA has expanded the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) to include caregivers of eligible Veterans of all service eras.
Now available to caregivers of eligible Veterans from all eras of service
Previously, PCAFC was only available to eligible Veterans who served on or after Sept. 11, 2001. This expansion opens the program to eligible Veterans of all eras, including those who served after May 7, 1975, and before Sept. 11, 2001.
Over the past two years, PCAFC has added approximately 20,000 active Veteran and Family Caregiver participants. This final phase of PCAFC expansion will enhance the health and well-being of thousands more Veterans by supporting the caregivers who care for them.
Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers offers clinical support services
Expansion will enhance the well-being of thousands more Veterans by supporting the caregivers who care for them.
PCAFC is one of two programs under VA’s Caregiver Support Program (CSP) that provides specialized services to caregivers.
Primary family caregivers may receive:
- A monthly stipend (paid directly to the caregiver);
- Access to health care insurance through the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) (if otherwise not insured);
- Mental health counseling;
- Certain beneficiary travel benefits when traveling with the Veteran to appointments;
- At least 30 days of respite care per year. Respite is short-term relief for someone else to care for the Veteran while the caregiver takes time away.
Secondary family caregivers may receive services such as mental health counseling and certain beneficiary travel benefits when traveling with the Veteran to appointments.
PCAFC eligibility and how to apply
To be eligible for PCAFC, the Veteran must have a serious injury (or illness), which is a single or combined service-connected disability rating of 70% or more and meet additional criteria. PCAFC eligibility criteria can be found on CSP’s website here.
Caregivers and Veterans can also visit CSP’s website or call their local CSP team to learn how to apply.
Services available to all caregivers of Veterans enrolled in VA health care
Caregivers of Veterans who are not eligible for PCAFC can also receive robust resources through CSP’s Program of General Caregiver Support Services (PGCSS).
PGCSS provides a range of services to all caregivers of Veterans enrolled in VA health care, including skills training, mobile support, education, one-on-one and group coaching, Peer support mentoring, and much more. Caregivers of Veterans are encouraged to inquire about PGCSS, even while they are applying for PCAFC.
Caregivers can contact their local Caregiver Support team to ask about PGCSS.
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This is my third comment. #2 was not published……..?
I agree with many of those comments especially the statement of eligibility requirements. To quote a statement shown “the expansion opens the program to eligible veterans of all eras including those who served after May 5, 1975 and before September 11, 2001.
To make it simple, the statement should have been written all eligible veterans of all eras who served before September 11, 2001.
I agree with the travel pay comment. The new youngsters who create these new programs forget that us older guys grew up in a different world and can’t always see or understand the new tech. KISS My travel pay is so backed up that I will probably die before I see it.
I would be interested to see at least one response to the questions that are asked otherwise we are wasting our time responding.
Oct 13, 2022
I am in need of a caregiver due to my knees and back injury it’s getting more difficult to do chores etc.
Thank you VA for this very informative information; I was with my husband at the Palestine VA Clinic and overheard some Veterans talking about this program; after MANY challenges years of providing support to my husband, not even knowing this program was available. Information/links very thorough. Thank you again!!
Would like to the amount of pay increase a 100% vet would get and the date it will be instated.
Are there any official answers to any of these questions???
I have questions too but I don’t want to waste my time on a page with no answers!
I’ve been taking care of my Disabled spouse for many years. Am I in this program or should I be ?? I’m okay as a spouse.
My Veteran husband didn’t apply before the cutoff date for health benefits and our income is too high – do we still qualify for caregiver benefits even if he isn’t getting health benefits?
My long time friend has been seeking compensation for his wife,
his primary caregiver.
He has suffered several recurring strokes, and also gout.
We recently found information, on our own, that spouses are specifically EXCLUDED
from the caregiver compensation program!!!
That is horrible!!!
His neighbor, his grandchild, and the paperboy could receive it, but not his wife!!!
Please correct this gross error, do the right thing!!!
Is this retroactive?
I would like to be my disabled husbands care giver officially. I am the one who has been taking care of him for 66 years. So why do I have to ask?
Please start reimbursement to disabled veterans benefits for travel payments that are so far behind now, go back to the same system that has been dismissed by this new system that hasn’t worked since the VA changes has been made.
My other half has ESRD (end stage renal disease) has no VA disability, in service 65 to 67 and served in Korea, has dialysis 3 times a week. Is he eligible for caregiver support?
ACCORDING TO THE NEW ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AS SHOWN ON THIS PAGE, I WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR PCAFC BECAUSE I SERVED IN VIETNAM 68-69. I AM 100% DISABLED. WHAT GOOD IS THIS PROGRAM TO US OLDER VETERANS IN NEED OF FAMILY CARE? PERHAPS THAT IS WHY I WAS REJECTED.
This is the most bull sht underfunded and oversold failed program ever. VA should be ashamed of themselves for lying to veterans about this broken program.
Can a spouse of a Veteran who had a caregiver receive these benefits?
Excluding veterans from before May 7, 1975, excludes all Vietnam veterans. Why are they being discriminated against?
All of this important information is very valuable and helpful to me …thank you
Does the assistance include Vietnam vets ?
Please read the article (above) again — states, multiple times… *key phrase” — “eligible veterans” (of ALL ERAS)…
“… This expansion opens the program to eligible Veterans of all eras. …”.
This could benefit many families — some hoops to jump through, no doubt.
I was wondering the same thing? My dad is a Vietnam vet and has dementia but I don’t think we are able to get the benefits even though I take care of him 24/7.
.Yes it does James, my Dad was a Vietnam Vet and he was in the program. I was the caregiver, a Veteran as well, but I didn’t enter the service till 1977. Unfortunately Dad passed away Aug 2021 from Covid, the VA was awesome throughout all of this ordeal as well.
IS YOUR WIFE OR HUSBAND A CAREGIVING?