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EVENTS
NEWS & INPUT
VETERAN GUIDE
Caregivers and Families
Help for the people who care for a veteran, and for a veteran's spouse, children, and survivors: caregiver support, health coverage, education, and survivor benefits.
Overview
If you help care for a veteran, or you're the spouse, child, or survivor of one, this page shows the help available to you and where to start.
VA has two caregiver programs. General Caregiver Support is open to anyone who helps a veteran enrolled in VA health care. Comprehensive Assistance adds more, including a monthly payment, for caregivers of veterans with serious service-connected needs. The table below shows the difference.
Two caregiver programs
Veteran
General Caregiver Support
Enrolled in VA health care and needs help with daily activities or supervision
Comprehensive Assistance
Rated 70% or higher, needs at least 6 months of continuous in-person care, and enrolled in VA health care
Caregiver
General Caregiver Support
Anyone — doesn't need to be related or live with the veteran
Comprehensive Assistance
18 or older, and a family member or someone who lives full-time with the veteran
Includes
General Caregiver Support
Peer mentoring, training, coaching, phone support, and help finding respite and home care
Comprehensive Assistance
Everything in General, plus counseling and travel help. The Primary Family Caregiver can also get a monthly stipend, CHAMPVA health coverage if they have no other plan, at least 30 days of respite care a year, and legal and financial planning help.
How to join
General Caregiver Support
Referral and intake — no formal application
Comprehensive Assistance
VA Form 10-10CG
General Caregiver Support
Comprehensive Assistance
Veteran
Enrolled in VA health care and needs help with daily activities or supervision
Rated 70% or higher, needs at least 6 months of continuous in-person care, and enrolled in VA health care
Caregiver
Anyone — doesn't need to be related or live with the veteran
18 or older, and a family member or someone who lives full-time with the veteran
Includes
Peer mentoring, training, coaching, phone support, and help finding respite and home care
Everything in General, plus counseling and travel help. The Primary Family Caregiver can also get a monthly stipend, CHAMPVA health coverage if they have no other plan, at least 30 days of respite care a year, and legal and financial planning help.
How to join
Referral and intake — no formal application
VA Form 10-10CG
How to get started
Call the Caregiver Support Line
855-260-3274 (TTY 711). Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–10 p.m. ET and Saturday 8 a.m.–5 p.m. ET (7 a.m.–9 p.m. and 7 a.m.–4 p.m. Central). They'll connect you with the VA Central Texas caregiver support team.
Start General Caregiver Support
Ask the caregiver support team or the veteran's VA provider for a referral. After a short intake, you can start peer mentoring, training, and coaching. There's no formal application.
Apply for Comprehensive Assistance, if the veteran qualifies
Fill out VA Form 10-10CG online, by mail, or in person with the caregiver support team. If you're approved as the Primary Family Caregiver, set up direct deposit with VA so the monthly stipend can be paid.
Line up help at home
Ask about respite care (a short break while someone else provides care), Home Based Primary Care, and Veteran-Directed Care.
Check your family's own benefits
Spouses, children, and survivors may qualify for health coverage, education, and monthly payments. See the list below.
Family & survivor benefits
These are separate from caregiver support. Each one has its own application.