Military Family Central

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Caring for a disabled military veteran is never an easy task. It requires dedication, patience, and most of all, compassion. By allowing veterans to remain in the homes and communities they defended, family caregivers assume an irreplaceable role.

 Recently, under the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010, additional VA benefits have been made available. For Family Caregivers who qualify, the VA is offering support through a program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers.

The CAFC Program

The program was created to ease the burden on family caregivers. Because caring for a disabled veteran can be financially, physically and mentally strenuous, the program includes various forms of contribution, including:

• A monthly stipend
• Travel expenses (including lodging and per diem while accompanying veterans undergoing care)
• Health insurance for uninsured Caregivers
• Mental health services and counseling
• Comprehensive VA Caregiver training provided by Easter Seals
• Respite care

Program Eligibility

Veterans who have suffered a severe injury, including traumatic brain injury, psychological trauma or other mental disorder, on or after 9/11 may qualify for the program. This alone will not guarantee successful enrollment. Disabled veterans must be in need of personal care services due to an inability to perform one or more activities of daily living. Also, before eligibility can be established, veterans must be enrolled for VA health services.

You Don’t Want To Miss Out

Many family caregivers are taking advantage of the Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers program. During July, the first month of benefit payments, the VA planned to send out more than $430,000 in stipend payments to nearly 200 family caregivers.

There is still time to apply to the program. The agency continues “to process and approve applications on a daily basis,” according to Deborah Amdur, chief consultant for Care Management and Social Work. Caregiver Support Coordinators are available at every VA Medical Center to assist veterans and their family caregivers with the application process. If you feel that you qualify for the additional services, applications are available here.

Photo thanks to COD Newsroom via Flickr Creative Commons