National Family Caregiver Support Program (Older Americans Act Amendments of 2006)
Categories: Family Support
The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) was established under the Older Americans Act (OAA) Amendments of 2000 (Public Law 106–501) as the first federally-funded program to support the service needs of family caregivers.
Under the program, the Administration on Aging makes grants to states and territories to develop multifaceted systems of support for family and informal caregivers of older people and individuals with disabilities. State agencies responsible for serving the aged work in partnership with local area agencies and service providers to provide five basic services:
- Information about available services;
- Assistance to caregivers in gaining access to services;
- Individual counseling, support groups, and caregiver training;
- Respite care; and
- Supplemental services (e.g., home modifications and assistive devices) on a limited basis to complement the care provided by family members.
Grants are funded on a formula basis so that each state and territory receives funding in relation to the state’s over-70 population. Funds are also made available to Indian tribal organizations and for innovative caregiver projects and programs of national significance for training, technical assistance, and research.
The goal of the program is to assist family and informal caregivers to care for their loved ones at home for as long as possible, thereby avoiding or delaying the need for costly institutional care.
As of the 2006 Reauthorization of the Older Americans Act, the following specific populations of family caregivers are eligible to receive services:
- Adult family members or other informal caregivers age 18 and older providing care to individuals 60 years of age and older;
- Adult family members or other informal caregivers age 18 and older providing care to individuals of any age with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders;
- Grandparents and other relatives (not parents) 55 years of age and older providing care to children under the age of 18; and
- Grandparents and other relatives (not parents) 55 years of age and older providing care to adults age 18-59 with disabilities.
The programs and services that are available vary from state to state and community to community.
