A recent VA briefing for MOAA and other veterans service organizations (VSOs) underscored the department’s commitment to seeing caregivers as partners in care ... and reinforced the urgency to move forward on legislation ensuring caregivers receive consistent and sustainable support.

[TAKE ACTION: Ask Your Lawmakers to Support the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act]

The VA Offices of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention highlighted ongoing and new efforts to strengthen caregiver resources during the July 15 meeting, emphasizing the growing alignment among federal and community partners to meet rising demand.

The department continues to build on long-standing caregiver programs, which MOAA helped champion through comprehensive caregiver legislation. The Caregiver Support Program (CSP), established in 2007, now includes two primary frameworks: the Program of General Caregiver Support Services (PGCSS) and the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC). Together, these programs offer a wide range of services including caregiver training and skills development, respite care, counseling and wellness programs, and financial and legal planning services.

CSP teams are located at every medical center and provide personalized, person-centered assistance. They serve as the primary point of contact for caregivers navigating VA and community resources.

[FROM VA.GOV: CSP Team Contact Information]

Recent VA Program Improvements

A VA CSP representative provided updates aligned with VA’s annual “Caregiving Connects Us; Community Strengthens Us” theme, which guides the department’s ongoing efforts to reduce isolation and improve caregiver resilience:

• Centralized eligibility decisions. The VA centralized the PCAFC case management and eligibility decision-making process as of May 18, a move designed to improve consistency and timeliness.
• Expanded mental health and peer support. The VA continues to grow access to virtual psychotherapy, peer mentoring, group programs, and targeted caregiver webinars.
• Greater community collaboration. Partnerships with VSOs and nonprofit organizations extend VA’s reach and connect caregivers to additional support networks.

Veterans Omnibus Package

The Take Care of America’s Veterans Act (TCAVA) includes MOAA’s top caregiving priority — the Veteran Caregiver Reeducation, Reemployment, and Retirement (3R) Act.

The bill recognizes caregivers as partners in VA’s care of veterans and addresses the unique burdens they face, including financial stress, emotional strain, and complex care demands.

It would expand access to education and job training, provide employment assistance, and strengthen retirement security for caregivers whose time out of the workforce often leads to lasting economic impacts.

A Fleeting Window of Opportunity

TCAVA represents a unique but time‑sensitive opportunity to advance the Caregiver 3R Act alongside other MOAA‑supported priorities, such as including relief for combat‑injured retirees affected by the disability offset, elimination of remarriage penalties for surviving spouses under age 55, and expanded eligibility for enhanced Dependency and Indemnity Compensation for survivors of veterans with ALS.

With this congressional session rapidly drawing to a close, the window for action is narrow. Add your voice and ask your lawmakers to act now and ensure swift passage of TCAVA.