The National Family Caregiver Support Program

Article submitted by Laurie Lees-Cavalier of Nursing Management, Inc., Biloxi, MS.

The enactment of the Older Americans Act Amendments of 2000 established an important new program, the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP). The program calls for all states, working in partnership with area agencies on aging and local community-service providers, to have five basic services for family caregivers.

These services include; Information to caregivers about available services; Assistance to caregivers in gaining access to services; Individual counseling, organization of support groups, and caregiver training to assist the caregivers in making decisions and solving problems relating to their care giving roles; Respite care to enable caregivers to be temporarily relieved from their care giving responsibilities; and Supplemental services, on a limited basis, to complement the care provided by caregivers.

Currently funded at $155.2 million, this program has served more than 275,000 caregivers nationwide. Efforts regarding the NFSCP have resulted in new partnerships, improved access to services, outreach to special populations, and provisions of services to respond to the unique needs of families.

Eligible Populations

• Family Caregivers of older adults
• Grandparents and relative caregivers, age 60 years or older, of children no older than age 18 (including grandparents who are sole caregivers of grandchildren and of individuals who are affected by mental retardation or who have developmental disabilities)

The statue requires states to give priority consideration to persons in greatest social and economic need (with particular attention to low-income individuals), and older individuals providing care and support to persons with mental retardation and related developmental disabilities.

Other Important Features

In addition to the formula grants, state and area agencies on aging, non-profit community service providers, institutions of higher education, and national organizations received grants to develop innovative approaches to assist families and informal caregivers of older persons as well as grandparents of older relatives who are caregivers of children.

Also, nearly $5 million in grants were awarded to 119 tribal organizations in September 2001 to provide families of Native Americans and Native Hawaiian elders with access to information, respite care, counseling, training, and supplemental services to help them meet their real-life caregiving challenges. This new program supporting caregivers of Native Americans received $6.2 million for fiscal year 2003.

The National Aging Services Network

Under the authority of the Older Americans Act, The Area Agency on Aging works closely with the national Aging Services Network of federal, state, and local organizations to plan, coordinate, and provide home- and community-based services to meet the unique needs of older persons and their caregivers.

Who To Contact For Help

Several local organizations are trying to reach caregivers in our community. We urge anyone who is struggling with care giving now, or who may be in the future, to call the Area Agency on Aging at 800-444-8014. If aging isn't your issue now, it will be.