The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Program of
Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC)
offers enhanced clinical support for caregivers of eligible
Veterans who are seriously injured. Changes to the
program result from the new “Program of
Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers
Improvements and Amendments Under the VA MISSION
Act of 2018” Final Rule, RIN 2900-AQ48, effective
October 1, 2020.
FIND EVERYTHING YOU NEED AT: VA Caregivers Support Home
These changes include:
Expanding eligibility for PCAFC
Offering legal and financial services for designated
Primary Family Caregivers of eligible Veterans in 2021
Making other changes affecting program eligibility
and VA’s evaluation of PCAFC applications
Who qualifies: Veterans who incurred or aggravated a serious injury (including serious illness)
in the line of duty in the active military, naval, or air service on or after September 11, 2001,
or on or before before May 7, 1975.
Veteran Eligibility Requirements:
The Veteran must have a serious injury, which is a single or combined service-connected disability rating of
70% or more, and meet the following eligibility requirements to participate in the Program of Comprehensive
Assistance for Family Caregivers:
1 The individual is either:
• A Veteran; or
• A member of the Armed Forces undergoing a medical
discharge from the Armed Forces.
2 The individual has a serious injury (including serious illness)
incurred or aggravated in the line of duty in the
active military, naval, or air service:
• On or after September 11, 2001; or
• On or before May 7, 1975; or
• Effective October 1, 2022, after May 7, 1975 and
before September 11, 2001.
3 The individual is in need of in-person personal care
services for a minimum of six (6) continuous
months based on any one of the following:
• An inability to perform an activity of daily living; or
• A need for supervision, protection, or instruction.
4 It is in the best interest of the individual to participate
in the program.
5 Personal care services that would be provided by
the Family Caregiver will not be simultaneously and
regularly provided by or through another individual
or entity.
6 The individual receives care at home or will do so if
VA designates a Family Caregiver.
7 The individual receives ongoing care from
a Primary Care Team or will do so if VA designates
a Family Caregiver.
How to Contact a Caregiver Support Coordinator:
Veterans and caregivers can find their local Caregiver
Support Coordinator by…
Calling the Caregiver Support Line Expanded Hours
1-855-260-3274 (Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 10
p.m. ET; Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 pm ET) Toll free
Using the Caregiver Support Coordinator locator at
www.caregiver.va.gov/support/New_CSC_Page.asp
Family Caregiver
Eligibility Requirements:
For you to be eligible to be a Family Caregiver you must:
1 Be at least 18 years of age.
2 Be either:
• The eligible Veteran’s spouse, son, daughter, parent,
stepfamily member, or extended family member; or
• Someone who lives with the eligible Veteran full-time
or will do so if designated as a Family Caregiver.
3 Be initially assessed by VA as being able to complete
caregiver education and training.
4 Complete caregiver training and demonstrate
the ability to carry out the specific personal care
services, core competencies, and additional
care requirements.
In addition, there must be no determination by VA of
abuse or neglect of the eligible Veteran by the caregiver.
Stipend Levels:
As a Primary Family Caregiver, you may qualify to receive a
monthly stipend, which is paid at one of two levels. Here
are the details:
1
If a Veteran meets all seven eligibility requirements (listed
above), then VA must determine whether the Veteran is
“unable to self-sustain in the community” in order to
determine the stipend level.
2
Level One: If VA determines that a Veteran is not “unable
to self-sustain in the community” the designated Primary
Family Caregiver will receive the lower-level stipend
payment.
3
Level Two: If VA determines the Veteran is “unable to
self-sustain in the community” the designated Primary
Family Caregiver will receive the higher-level stipend
payment.
Unable to self-sustain in the Community Definition.
Notes
Unable to self-sustain in the Community Definition
“Unable to self-sustain in the community” means that an
eligible Veteran either:
• Requires personal care services each time he or she
completes three or more of the seven activities of
daily living (ADL) listed in the definition of an
inability to perform an activity of daily living in this
section, and is fully dependent on a caregiver to
complete such ADLs;
or
• Has a need for supervision, protection, or
instruction on a continuous basis.
Inability to Perform Activity of Daily Living (ADL)
The “inability to perform an ADL” means the Veteran
or service member requires personal care services each
time he or she completes one or more of the ADLs
listed below.
• Dressing or undressing oneself
• Bathing
• Grooming oneself in order to keep oneself clean
and presentable
• Adjusting any special prosthetic or orthopedic
appliance, that by reason of the particular disability
cannot be done without assistance (this does not
include the adjustment of appliances that nondisabled
persons would be unable to adjust without aid, such as
supports, belts, lacing at the back, etc.)
• Toileting or attending to toileting
• Feeding oneself due to loss of coordination of upper
extremities, extreme weakness, inability to swallow, or
the need for a non-oral means of nutrition
• Mobility (walking, going up stairs, transferring from
bed to chair, etc.)
Requiring assistance with an ADL only some of the time
does not meet the definition of an “inability to perform
an ADL.”
A Need for supervision, protection, or instruction
A “need for supervision, protection, or instruction”
means the Veteran or service member has a functional
impairment that directly impacts their ability to maintain
his or her personal safety on a daily basis