VOLS continues to watch with concern as veterans in nursing homes, and those that care for them, are put needlessly at risk during the COVID19 crisis. The need for nursing home stays can be obviated when a veteran can get proper care in the community. The MISSION Act created a mandate to expand the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) to veterans who served prior to 2001. The PCAFC provides financial and other resources to family members who care for disabled veterans. The expansion of the program to pre-9/11 veterans has been long delayed by the VA and recently proposed regulations may create further barriers to veterans accessing this critical benefits. VOLS recently submitted a public comment which examines some of the problems and short comings of the proposed regulations. One of the benefits that PCAFC veterans and families are supposed to be able to access is free legal services yet the proposed regulations only provide for very narrow access to legal services. Furthermore, the proposed regulations needlessly create barriers in the application process and narrows which disabled veterans may be eligible for the program. You can read our full public comment below, which was drafted in partnership with Proskauer Rose LLP.
