The Department of Veterans Affairs will soon propose a rule to extend the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers eligibility for certain veterans and their family caregivers through Sept. 30, 2028.
The new rule will extend program eligibility for legacy participants, legacy applicants and their family caregivers for three years while the department continues the rulemaking process to refine the program, according to a statement from VA
The extension will ensure that legacy participants and applicants can maintain their benefits and stability while the rulemaking process continues. Legacy participants are veterans, service members, and their family caregivers who were participating in PCAFC as of Sept. 30, 2020. Legacy applicants are veterans, servicemembers, and their family caregivers who applied for PCAFC before Oct. 1, 2020, and were accepted into the program on or after Oct. 1, 2020.
“Legacy caregivers have helped shape VA’s Caregiver Support Program for many years,” said VA Secretary Doug Collins in a statement. “This decision underscores VA’s commitment to veterans and caregivers across the nation and will help provide consistency and stability to nearly 15,000 legacy participants for years to come.”
Part of VA’s broader Caregiver Support Program, PCAFC offers enhanced clinical support for family caregivers of eligible veterans who incurred or aggravated a serious injury in the line of duty, and meet other eligibility criteria.
PCAFC benefits include education and training, respite care, counseling, technical support, a monthly stipend and access to health care through VA’s Civilian Health and Medical Program and certain travel expenses.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.