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Our Office

  • Belleville Office

    Address

    175 Second Street
    Belleville, Michigan 48111

VA Family Caregiver Program

The VA MISSION Act of 2018 was amended effective October 1, 2020 to expand benefits improves eligibility for Veterans who require assistance with their personal care in their home.  The changes will be implemented in two phases. 

The first phase, which was effective October 1, 2020, significantly improves eligibility for this service by:

     1.  Expanding eligibility to Veterans who suffer from a serious injury related to service on or before              May 7, 1975 and to service on or after September 11, 2001;

     2.  Eliminating the need for a connection between personal care services and the qualifying serious            injury; and

     3.  Redefining serious injury to include any service-connected disability, including from injury, illness           or disease.

The second phase becomes effective October 1, 2022 and will further expand eligibility for this service by including Veterans who suffered a serious disability in the line of duty between May 7, 1975 and September 11, 2001. 


Eligibility requirements for Veterans

To be eligible, a Veteran must meet the following requirements:

     1.  Have a single or combined service-connected disability rating of 70% or more; and

     2. Be in need of in-person personal care services for a minimum of six continuous months due to:

  •      An inability to perform an activity of daily living each time the activity is performed; or
  •      Have a functional impairment that directly impacts his/her ability to maintain his/her safety on       a daily basis.

Activities of daily living (ADLs) include:

  • Dressing or undressing
  • Bathing
  • Grooming
  • Adjusting prosthetics or appliances
  • Toileting
  • Feeding
  • Mobility

Eligibility for caregivers

To be eligible, an individual must:

     1.  Be at least 18 years of age

     2.  Be either the Veteran’s family member (spouse, child, parent, step-family)

     3.  Be assessed by VA as being able to complete the required training

     4.  Complete the VA caregiver training and demonstrate the ability to carry out these duties


Stipend

A primary caregiver may qualify to receive a monthly stipend, which is equivalent to that pay given to a federal employee, General Service (GS) grade 4, step 1, as increased by the locality pay in the area the Veteran resides.  For a Detroit, Michigan Veteran, that rates translates into $34,611 per year.

The stipend paid can be one of two rates:

  • Level one:  requires VA to determine that a Veteran is not “unable to self-sustain in the community” or
  • Level two: requires VA to determine that a Veteran is “unable to self-sustain in the community”.

VA defines “unable to self-sustain in the community” as a Veteran who either:

  • Requires personal care services each time he or she completes three or more the seven ADLs and is fully dependent on the caregiver to complete such ADLs; or
  • Has a need for supervision, protection, or instruction on a continuous basis, which VA has meaning that the Veteran has a functional impairment that directly impacts their ability to maintain his or her personal safety on a daily basis.

The caregiver stipend provided is dependent upon the amount and degree of personal care given.

  • Level one allows for a stipend of 62.5% of the monthly rate or $1,803.
  • Level two allows for the full stipend monthly rate of $2,884 per month.

More information is available at www.caregiver.va.gov.