For spouses, family, friends and caregivers
You're helping someone you love. You don't have to figure it out alone.
Maybe the Veteran in your life won't ask for help, doesn't know where to start, or needs someone beside them. Tell us what's happening and we'll show you the next practical door.
You're not taking over their story. You're helping them find their footing, and finding support for yourself, too.
Step 1
Who are you helping?
This changes which programs and support we point out. You can change it anytime.
Step 2
What brings you here today?
Choose the closest answer. You can come back and pick another.
- I'm worried about their safety Warning signs, what to say to the Veteran in your life, and how to call the Veterans Crisis Line together.
- PTSD, mental health or TBI Signs to watch for, how to start the conversation with the Veteran in your life, treatment options and support for you.
- They need a job or new direction Free one-on-one job help from the Department of Labor, training, and job help for military spouses.Translate their military job into civilian careers
- Benefits or a VA claim Understand what may apply and file step by step, with free accredited help when you need it.Find a free county Veterans Service Officer
- Housing, money or daily needs Help with housing, rent, food, transportation and money. No place to sleep tonight? Call 877-424-3838, any time.
- Respite, money or benefits Respite care, VA caregiver programs, help at home, and extra money for the Veteran in your life and your household.
- I need support too Counseling, peer support, respite care and caregiver programs for you, not just them.
The plan
Three steps. No wrong door.
Step 1: Name what changed
Sleep, anger, memory, work, isolation, money, or just "something feels off."
Step 2: See the best next doors
We narrow verified help to what fits them and your family.
Step 3: Take one step together
Call, book, apply, or save the plan for when they're ready.
Your wellbeing matters
Supporting them shouldn't cost you yourself
Caregivers and families need counseling, peer support, rest and someone who understands. All of these are free.
VA Caregiver Support Line
Coaching, peer mentoring, support groups and your local Caregiver Support team. Caregivers of any Veteran enrolled in VA health care can use it. Veterans rated 70% or higher who need in-person care may qualify for the comprehensive program, with a monthly stipend, health coverage and respite care.
Vet Center family counseling
Free couples and family counseling at about 300 community Vet Centers when it helps the Veteran, plus grief counseling for families who lost a service member or Veteran.
Military OneSource
Free, private counseling for service members and their families, up to 365 days after separation, by phone, chat, video or in person.
Hidden Heroes
A community for military and veteran caregivers from the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, with peer connection and a caregiver resource directory.
Free apps for families
PTSD Family Coach helps you cope with a loved one's PTSD and take care of yourself. Couples Coach helps with communication.
Nonprofits that help families
Search more than 14,500 verified Veteran nonprofits, including family and caregiver programs near you.
For caregivers
Benefits, respite and money for caregivers
Caring for a Veteran, especially one with a disability, can open doors to respite, help at home, health coverage and extra money. Most families never hear about half of these. Tap a group to see what's there.
Take a break: respite care
Respite pays for someone else to help for a while, so you can rest, work or take care of yourself.
VA respite care
A helper at home, adult day health care, or a short stay in a VA or community nursing home. Up to 30 days a year of overnight respite and up to 30 days a year of daytime respite. A copay may apply, but the first 21 days of extended care in a year have no copay.
Who: Any Veteran enrolled in VA health care who meets the clinical need.
How: Ask the Veteran's VA social worker or case manager. Financial information goes on VA Form 10-10EC.
Adult Day Health Care
A daytime program with activities and health services for the Veteran, which also gives you a regular break.
Who: Enrolled Veterans who meet clinical criteria.
How: Ask the VA social worker.
Your state's respite program
Every state has respite help funded through federal Lifespan Respite and the National Family Caregiver Support Program, often vouchers, trained providers and support groups. The ARCH National Respite Locator finds providers near you, and the Eldercare Locator connects you to your local Area Agency on Aging.
TRICARE ECHO respite (active-duty families)
For active-duty families with a family member who has a qualifying special need: up to 16 hours a month of in-home respite for the primary caregiver, or up to 40 hours a week with ECHO Home Health Care.
Who: Active-duty family members enrolled in EFMP with a qualifying condition.
How: Register with your TRICARE regional case manager.
VA caregiver programs
Program of General Caregiver Support Services
Peer mentoring, skills training, coaching, phone support and referrals. There's no formal application: you contact your local Caregiver Support team, do an intake, and the Veteran agrees to list you as their caregiver. You don't have to be related or live together.
Who: Caregivers of any Veteran enrolled in VA health care, from any era.
Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers
For primary family caregivers: a monthly stipend, CHAMPVA health coverage if you have no other plan, at least 30 days of respite a year, mental health counseling, travel when going with the Veteran to care, and free legal and financial planning. Families already in the program from before October 2020 are protected from a stipend cut by reassessment until September 30, 2028.
Who: Veterans rated 70% or more, single or combined, who need at least 6 continuous months of in-person personal care, including help with safety and supervision. Open to all service eras.
How: The Veteran and caregiver apply together on VA Form 10-10CG, online, by mail or at the VA medical center's caregiver team. Don't send medical records.
Free legal and financial planning
Simple wills, advance directives, power of attorney, guardianship education, budgeting, debt and credit help, and 90-day financial coaching, at no cost.
Who: Veterans and primary family caregivers in the comprehensive program.
Training and coaching for caregivers
Building Better Caregivers is a free, 6-week online workshop for caregivers of Veterans with dementia, PTSD, brain injury or other serious conditions. REACH VA gives about four coaching sessions over 2 to 3 months. Peer Support Mentoring pairs you with an experienced caregiver.
Who: Caregivers in either VA caregiver program.
Help at home
Veteran-Directed Care: hire family or friends
The Veteran gets a budget for in-home help and decides who to hire, including a family member or neighbor.
Who: Enrolled Veterans who meet clinical criteria, where the program is offered locally.
How: Ask the VA social worker whether it's available and what the budget would be.
Homemaker and Home Health Aide care
An aide, supervised by a nurse, helps the Veteran with bathing, dressing, meals and other daily activities at home.
Home-Based Primary Care and skilled home health
A VA care team comes to the home (the Veteran doesn't have to be homebound). Skilled home health brings nursing, therapy, wound care and IV medicine at home.
Hospice and palliative care
Comfort care and symptom relief, plus grief support for the family. VA hospice has no copays.
Extra money for the Veteran's household
Rates change every December. Always use VA's current rate tables.
Aid and Attendance or Housebound
Extra monthly money on top of a VA pension when the Veteran needs help with bathing, feeding or dressing, is bedridden, lives in a nursing home, has severe vision loss, or is mostly stuck at home because of a permanent disability.
Who: Veterans and survivors who get, or qualify for, a VA pension.
How: A doctor completes VA Form 21-2680 (and 21-0779 for nursing home residents), with the pension application.
Special Monthly Compensation
Higher disability pay for Veterans with certain severe disabilities, including Veterans who need daily help from another person or can't leave home. There is a level specifically for Veterans who need regular help because of a brain injury.
How: Ask a free county Veterans Service Officer to review whether the Veteran qualifies.
Add a spouse or children to disability pay
Veterans rated 30% or more get more each month for a spouse and dependent children, and more if the spouse needs aid and attendance.
How: VA Form 21-686c, online or by mail.
SCAADL (still on active duty)
A monthly DoD payment to help with the cost of caregiving for service members with a catastrophic injury or illness who would otherwise need institutional care. It continues for up to 90 days after leaving active duty.
How: Ask the recovery team or Recovery Care Coordinator; a DoD or VA doctor completes DD Form 2948.
Home changes, vehicles and equipment
HISA grant for home changes
Up to $6,800 over a lifetime for medically needed home changes like ramps, rails or a roll-in shower, for a service-connected disability or any disability if the Veteran is rated 50% or more. Up to $2,000 for other disabilities.
How: A VA doctor's prescription plus VA Form 10-0103, through the VA prosthetics office.
Adapted housing grants
Specially Adapted Housing and Special Housing Adaptation grants help build, buy or change a home for certain severe service-connected disabilities, and can be used up to 6 times.
How: VA Form 26-4555.
Vehicle allowance and adaptive equipment
Money toward a vehicle and adaptive equipment like hand controls or a lift, for qualifying disabilities such as loss of use of hands or feet, vision loss, severe burns or ALS. VA must approve before you buy.
How: VA Form 21-4502 for the vehicle, Form 10-1394 for equipment.
Health coverage, work leave and money management
CHAMPVA health coverage
Health coverage for the spouse and children of a Veteran rated permanently and totally disabled from service, some survivors, and primary family caregivers with no other insurance. A $50 yearly deductible, then CHAMPVA pays 75% of covered costs, with a $3,000 yearly cap.
How: VA Form 10-10d, online or by mail.
Up to 26 weeks of job-protected leave
Family and Medical Leave Act military caregiver leave gives a spouse, child, parent or next of kin up to 26 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to care for a service member, or a Veteran within 5 years of discharge with a qualifying service-related condition.
Help managing the Veteran's money
If the Veteran can't manage their VA benefits, VA can appoint a fiduciary, usually a family member or friend the Veteran chooses. Free claims help is always available from accredited Veterans Service Organization representatives.
State Veterans Homes
177 State Veterans Homes offer nursing, domiciliary and adult day care. States set eligibility, and some also admit spouses or Gold Star parents. Your state's veterans affairs office can explain state caregiver help too.
Nonprofits that help caregivers
Hidden Heroes (Elizabeth Dole Foundation)
A caregiver community, resource navigation and webinars. The Bob Hope Critical Financial Assistance Program helps caregivers of wounded, ill or injured Veterans and service members with financial need (household income generally $150,000 or less).
Wounded Warrior Project family support
Help with VA caregiver benefits, mental health, finances and peer events, at no cost. Up to three family members per warrior. The Independence Program adds long-term support and caregiver respite for moderate to severe brain or spinal cord injuries.
Who: Post-9/11 Veterans and service members and the people who care for them.
The Independence Fund caregiver program
Retreats, virtual events, respite and peer connection for any caregiver of any U.S. military Veteran.
Fisher House
Free lodging near VA and military medical centers while the Veteran is in treatment, and Hero Miles airline tickets for families of service members in treatment.
Help applying for the VA caregiver program
The Quality of Life Foundation helps families prepare and apply for the VA comprehensive caregiver program. Hope For The Warriors offers clinical support and a scholarship for spouses and caregivers of post-9/11 Veterans with combat injuries or a 100% rating.
Counseling and support for you
Home Base offers free family mental health care, even if the Veteran isn't a patient. Headstrong offers 30 free therapy sessions to family connected to a Veteran's care. The Caregiver Action Network runs a free help desk.
Not sure what the Veteran qualifies for? A free county Veterans Service Officer can review it with you, and local nonprofits for families can help too. Checked against official sources on October 14, 2026. Rules and amounts change, so confirm with the program.
You don't have to solve everything today
Build a starting plan you can come back to, or call us. Sarge, our assistant, answers first and gets you to the right help.
If you're worried right now
Family and friends can call the Veterans Crisis Line: 988, then press 1, or text 838255. In immediate danger, call 911.
You don't need the perfect words. Start with: "I'm here. I'm worried about you. We can call together."