Noteboom The Law Firm

VA Misses Vital Deadline For Caregiver Support Programs

February 18, 2011 - Not too long ago President Obama promised this country's military families support that would be rooted in a "government-wide effort." Just a few weeks later, a deadline loomed that the President's administration had to meet in order to be able to supply those military families with the inclusive and broad support they were promised. That deadline, however, was not met.

This left thousands of military families who are caring for wounded American veterans in the lurch as far as having the necessary tools to do what needs to be done. Despite Congress acting to help these families, the rising financial, emotional, and health issues that accompany being a caregiver on that level continue to swell.

January 31, 2011 was the deadline established by the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act, which President Obama signed last year. That act provided for the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) widespread foundation of support services for family caregivers of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who have returned to the U.S. with severe wounds.

Not only did the VA seemingly ignore the deadline, the help they are legally bound to provide is likely still another year away from being implemented. Apparently the VA is plagued by baffling and inexplicable red tape delays preventing them from easing those caretakers' burdens. Critics feel bureaucracy is in no way an acceptable excuse to force these caregivers to suffer any more than they already are.

Care giving is an enormously difficult undertaking and is done at the expense of enormous sacrifice by the caregiver. Every day these most generous people are forced to wait for their promised assistance is a shame to the VA and this nation's veterans.