Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC)

  PCAFC Announcements

  VA will No Longer Issue PCAFC Paper Checks after October 1, 2023. 

If you are enrolled in Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) and receive a stipend by paper check, you must enroll in direct deposit before Oct. 1, 2023, to ensure timely payments. Caregivers can enroll in direct deposit as a vendor, through VA’s Customer Engagement Portal. Step-by-step instructions for enrolling can be found in the CSP Direct Deposit Enrollment User Guide (pdf). Learn more on the PCAFC direct deposit page.


 Improved Communication for Caregiver Decision Reviews in the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC)

PCAFC participants can now get information about where their claim is in the 4-step review or appeal process via the Caregiver Support Line (CSL) at 1-855-260-3274.
The four stages are:
1. Pending intake – VHA CSP has received the individual’s request and will review it to determine if it meets specific requirements, including but not limited to, required signatures, required identifying information, and required supporting documentation, as applicable. Once the packet clears the intake process it will be placed in queue for assignment and will be worked in the order in which it was received.
2. In Queue for Assignment – The intake process has been completed, and the request is now in the queue for assignment to a reviewer.
3. Assigned and Under Review – The intake process has been completed, the request has been assigned to a reviewer, and it is now under review.
4. Decision Issued – This means a decision has been issued on the matter and the decision letter mailed. The individual can expect to receive the letter within 10-14 business days of the date of mailing.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) offers enhanced clinical support for Family Caregivers of eligible Veterans.

Veterans may be eligible for this clinical program if they:

Sustained or aggravated a serious injury (or illness) in the line of duty in the active military, naval or air service during any service era. Among other applicable eligibility criteria, an eligible Veteran must:

1. Have a single or combined service-connected disability rating by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) of 70% or more, and
2. Be in need of personal care services (requiring in-person personal care services) for a minimum of six continuous months based on any one of the following:

- An inability to perform an activity of daily living. 
- A need for supervision or protection based on symptoms or residuals of neurological or other impairment or injury; or
- A need for regular or extensive instruction or supervision without which the ability of the Veteran to function in daily life, would be seriously impaired.   

For more information on these changes, please see the Fact Sheets below.

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