Caregiver support
VA’s Caregiver Support Program (CSP) offers a menu of services to family members and friends who care for Veterans, including on-line courses, face-to-face classes, telephone support, and peer support. These services are offered in addition to the support provided to families and caregivers across VA by clinicians as part of a Veteran’s care. *For more information, please contact the Salisbury VAMC Caregiver Support Program.
Connect with a Support Coordinator
Julie Brawn MSW, LICSW
Caregiver Support Program Manager
VA Salisbury health care
Phone:
Email: julie.brawn@va.gov
Care we provide at VA Salisbury
If you are a caregiver for a Veteran, you can get support by contacting a VA Salisbury caregiver support coordinator. We can help with:
- Getting caregiver assistance available through VA
- Matching you with services and benefits
- Connecting you with local resources and programs
Caregiver Support Program Website
The CSP website contains tips, tools, videos, and links to resources for caregivers of Veterans of all eras. The link is: www.caregiver.va.gov.
Building Better Caregivers TM (BBC):
Building Better Caregivers (BBC) is a 6 week online workshop for caregivers of Veterans of all eras who are caring for someone with dementia, memory problems, post-traumatic stress disorder, a serious brain injury, or any other serious injury or illness. BBC helps caregivers in two key ways: training in how to provide better care, and helping caregivers learn how to manage their own emotions, stress and physical health.
Caregiver Education Calls
The VA’s National Caregiver Support Line (CSL)
Caregiver Self-Care Courses
Caregiver Self-Care courses are in-person classroom trainings provided to caregivers with a focus on supporting and meeting the needs of caregivers. The classes are led by trained facilitators and are offered in English and Spanish. Topics include: Managing Stress, Problem Solving & Effective Communication, Taking Care of Yourself, and Utilizing Technology.
Peer Support Mentoring
The Caregiver Peer Support Mentoring Program (PSM) provides an opportunity for caregivers to receive guidance and to share their experiences, wisdom, skills and passion with other caregivers.
REACH VA Intervention
Resources for Enhancing All Caregivers Health (REACH) is an evidenced-based intervention that is delivered by VA clinical staff to provide individual support to stressed and burdened caregivers of Veterans with dementia or spinal cord injury. New REACH interventions are underway for Veterans with MS, PTSD, and ALS.
General Telephone Support
General Telephone Support is an evidenced-based intervention that is delivered by a VA clinical staff to provide group sessions to stressed and burdened caregivers. The group sessions can be delivered either face-to-face at the VA or by telephone. Topics include: Caregivers of all Era’s, Post-911 Spouses, Dementia, and Spinal Cord Injury. Materials for ALS, MS and PTSD are underway.
Services for Family Caregivers of Veterans
The Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) is expanding to all eras.
Expansion rolls out in two phases beginning with eligible Veterans who served on or before May 7, 1975, and phase two, beginning October 1, 2022, will include eligible Veterans who served between May 7, 1975, and September 11, 2001.
PCAFC, which prior to this expansion was only available for eligible Post-9/11 Veterans who incurred or aggravated a serious injury in the line of duty, provides resources, education, support, a financial stipend, health insurance, and beneficiary travel to caregivers of eligible Veterans.
Veterans with a 70% service-connected disability who served either on or after September 11, 2001, or on or before May 7, 1975, and the Veteran is in need of in-person personal care services for a minimum of six (6) months based on any of the following should contact their local Caregivers Support Coordinator, or visit https://www.caregiver.va.gov for more information.
• An inability to perform an activity of daily living; or
• A need for supervision, protection, or instruction.
VA Caregiver Support Line
The Caregiver Support Line is available if you need support outside of the Salisbury region, have questions about caregiver support services nationwide, or just need someone to listen right now.
Phone: 855-260-3274