Veterans Caregiver Support
Expanding Equal Access to Caregiver Services
To recognize and assist family caregivers who play a critical role in caring for and supporting veterans severely injured in the line of duty, the Department of Veterans Affairs Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) provides caregiver assistance, including access to health coverage, respite care to avoid caregiver burnout, caregiver training, modest stipends to offset the financial impact of caregiving and other forms of support.
The passage of the MISSION Act of 2018 (Public Law 115–182) expanded access to PCAFC to family caregivers of veterans severely injured before Sept. 11, 2001. In March 2022, the VA extended eligibility for legacy participants until Sept. 30, 2025, ensuring continued access to services for those affected by program delays.
On Dec. 5, 2024, the VA announced PCAFC expansion, broadening eligibility for veterans with unemployability status and enhancing financial support for caregivers. These updates aim to increase accessibility while reducing administrative burdens.
Among the key improvements, telehealth home visits will now be permitted during declared emergencies to ensure timely caregiver assistance, and reassessments will shift to a two-year cycle instead of annual reviews. Additionally, delayed discharges based on reassessments for legacy participants will be extended by 18 months beyond September 2025, further stabilizing veterans and caregiver benefits.
Despite these welcome changes, many legacy veterans were deemed ineligible for PCAFC, and others saw their caregiver stipend levels lowered without clear justification. Veterans service organizations (VSOs), such as DAV, still lack full access to veterans’ records, limiting their ability to effectively support appeals for caregiver benefits. Furthermore, the VA has not fully resolved systemic issues related to eligibility, reassessment and appeals, leading to inconsistent, nontransparent and inequitable administration of the program.
To address these challenges, the VA, Congress and VSOs must collaborate to strengthen PCAFC and uphold commitments to veteran caregivers. Clear, transparent and equitable eligibility criteria with consistent reassessment rules must be established to ensure fairness and stability.
Congress must hold the VA accountable to fully and faithfully implement PCAFC improvements mandated by the MISSION Act, ensuring access for all severely injured veterans without further delays.
Additional information
