Veterans (as VD-HCBS)

VA has expanded the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) to include caregivers of eligible Veterans of all service eras. Previously, PCAFC was only available to eligible Veterans who served on or after September 11, 2001. This expansion opens the program to eligible Veterans of all eras, including those who served after May 7, 1975, and before September 11, 2001. Over the past two years, PCAFC has added approximately 20,000 active Veteran and Family Caregiver participants. This final phase of PCAFC expansion will enhance the health and well-being of thousands more Veterans by supporting their caregivers.

On March 24, 2021 President Biden signed the SAVES LIVES Act into law, expanding VA's legal authority to provide COVID-19 vaccines to all Veterans, regardless of their VA health care enrollment status, as well as Veteran spouses, caregivers and some beneficiaries. The expanded authority depends on readily available COVID-19 vaccine supply and requires VA to continue to prioritize vaccinations and healthcare delivery for our nation’s Veterans enrolled in VA care.

On March 3, 2020, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report that details challenges the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) faces in meeting growing demand for long-term care (LTC). Three major challenges the VA faces includes workforce shortages, ailing care geographically, and meeting needs for specialty care. The VA currently provides or pays for LTC for over 500,000 veterans in the U.S. in both institutional and HCBS settings.

Over 15% of people ages 60+ are veterans. This issue brief from the National Council on Aging analyzes the unique needs of older veterans. It highlights demographic characteristics, financial data, and statistics on health outcomes for this population. Overall, the brief concludes that while older veterans generally have a higher income, they tend to have worse health than their counterparts, emphasizing the need for targeted outreach to connect veterans to benefits.

This paper describes the roles of mobility managers and explores the benefits of focusing on the individual and their unique transportation challenges. The report highlights emerging innovations from five case studies and presents the results of a national survey and inventory of mobility managers. It also discusses the future role of mobility managers in long-term services and supports.

While faced with new challenges, reduced budgets, and growing populations requiring more services, states are stronger than ever, and the work they do is more effective than ever in reaching individuals and addressing their needs. The National Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Conference 2018 highlights these achievements, allowing states to share best practices, present unique partnerships, and recognize the work of their peers.

This report from AARP's Public Policy Institute is part of a series of papers focusing on innovative strategies. It explores the benefits of self-directed care and looks at best practices used in Texas, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Florida. The report also provides a toolkit for educational and training purposes to help states improve and expand upon their self-directed LTSS programs.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) examined states’ needs assessment processes for provision of long-term services and supports. GAO studied six states that differed in the following ways: assessment tools in use, participation in federal initiatives, HCBS delivery systems, and geographic location. GAO also reviewed federal requirements and documents and interviewed CMS officials and stakeholders.

This paper from AARP describes promising practices on how aging and disability network agencies, Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMCs), and Veteran Benefits Offices in seven states have forged partnerships to better support Veterans in community living. The paper includes a checklist for these local organizations to enhance collaboration and truly create a “no wrong door” for Veterans and their family caregivers to receive services in the community.

The Genworth Cost of Care Survey is a tool that details the costs of different types of care in various locations. This is a tool that can assist with long term care planning, and help individuals and families plan for long term care expenses. The 2017 survey covered 440 regions across the United States.