More than two million servicemembers have deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. Over 40,000 have been injured, including 5,500 with severe Traumatic Brain Injury. Family Caregivers are the lifeline, allowing Vets with TBI and other injuries to not only reintegrate back into the community, but to do so in the comfort of their own homes. And now, VA has ramped up support for those Vets and their families.

As of May 9, 2011, post-9/11 Veterans can fill out the Family Caregiver program application for services offered under the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010. Included are a stipend, mental health services, and access to health care insurance. To be eligible, Vets must have sustained “a serious injury including traumatic brain injury, psychological trauma or other mental disorder incurred or aggravated in the line of duty, on or after September 11, 2001.”

Along with the launch of the application process on Monday, VA and Easter Seals also announced a new partnership—a merger that provides training to Family Caregivers for Vets who choose to receive their care at home. Training will include critical caregiving tips, like pain management, and wellness. Easter Seals and VA recognize the sacrifices family members have made, believing that education and self-care is the key to a healthy success at home. Therefore, training will be offered several ways to fit the Caregivers lifestyle; classroom, web-based, and DVD/workbook. Classroom training will be taught by Easter Seals professionals across the nationwide 21 Veterans Integrated Service Networks. Training will began as early as June.

Sarah Wade, a Family Caregiver Advocate whose husband Ted was injured by an IED in Iraq, warns Veterans and Caregivers not to exclude themselves from the program.

“People disqualify themselves, thinking they won’t get accepted and it’s not worth their time,” said Wade. “But they should try to participate. . .they will be the ones to help shape this program.”

In addition to the new program, VA offers two dozen supportive programs to Veterans of all eras. Included in that is the newly established National Caregiver Support Line that has received 6,000 calls since its launch in February. Dr. Robert Petzel, VA Under Secretary for Health, urges Caregivers to look into the available programs and apply for the Family Caregiver program as soon as possible. Stipend payments will be backdated to the day applications are submitted.

Those who care for Veterans with TBI and other mental disorders know the sacrifices they make; they are their Veterans’ doorway to the world. VA and Easter Seals hope to provide each of them and their Veteran with the education and tools to lead a full and satisfying life.

“Caregivers are American heroes,” said Petzel.

Topics in this story

AfghanistanBenefitsDepartment of Veterans AffairsDisabilityHealthHealth CareinsuranceIraqmedical careReintegrationtraumatic brain injuryVSO / Partners

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5 Comments

  1. Concerned Vet May 18, 2011 at 07:38

    Veterans deserve the truth, and the VA is sadly lacking there. The truth is that VASEC delayed implementation of the caregiver bill which ultimately “holds up” the checks of deserving caregivers, because he wanted fewer to be eligible than congress intended. This squabbling between top government officials which hurts its citizens needs to stop now.

  2. Patrick May 15, 2011 at 09:17

    Don’t blame the VA on this program that all vets are not inclusive. Call your Congressman. This has been a program that should have been implemented a long time ago. Elect congress men and women that are Veterans is a good start

  3. Marcia May 12, 2011 at 00:23

    I guess only veterans who’ve served because of the terrorist attack or during it are worthy of this kind of help… Gotta love how the rest of the vets just don’t count. I am a caregiver to a veteran of the Cold War era, and the lack of help of any kind is stultifying, but not surprising, given the track record of the US and the VA system in general.

  4. Amy May 10, 2011 at 17:11

    Family caregivers of veterans are most certainly the lifeline that enables VETS to normalize (if possible) their lives after traumatic experiences/events. I applaud programs such this and only hope it is not taken advantage of. Again, Family Caregivers often give their lives to help veterans get back into the community and they deserve support.

  5. Jon May 10, 2011 at 10:25

    Thanks for the article. However, I would take exception to the statement “And now, VA has ramped up support for those Vets and their families.”. VA has not ramped up anything. Instead, they have been forced by Congress into doing what Congress told them to do a year ago.

    Let’s see a bit more journalistic integrity. If the VA won’t let you write the truth, than maybe you shouldn’t work for the VA (I know, integrity doesn’t pay the bills)

    Still, I appreciate the blogs found on the website. Thank you guys for making the VA at least somewhat accessible. It is appreciated.

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