[Caregiver Program Husband being dropped questions]

I found it... VA use of GAF score. Although this is only one area to qualify for the Caregiver Support Program we met most of the others. If the GAF score is consistantly 30 or lower over 90 days prior to applying it should qualify them.

http://www.ptsdveteran.com/gaf-score.html

 

[Family Caregiver Program Eligibility For Ptsd Rated Sc Veteran Post 9/11]

Here is just about everything you need to know about the Caregiver Program. They are currently working or developing the final rule or law for the program.

http://veterans.senate.gov/upload/Caregivers_part%201.pdf

 

In here you can see the point system they are using on the Katz Scale for physical and or mental disabilities. There seems to be a lot of different interpretations to these qualifiers throughout the program and across all of the VAMCs and the Providers conducting the evaluations. This was caused by the pressure the Senate Veterans Committee was putting on the VA Secretary to get the program up and running since a year had already passed after the Senate had passed this bill. The staff throughout the VHA desperately needs more training on the program especially the Caregiver Support Coordinators (CSC). Some seem to be the keeper of the gate so to speak.

THank you for the link info but it is no longer available.... Can you cut and paste the scale for us?

[Caregiver Program Husband being dropped questions]

I'm still a little lost on this site. I'm a wife/caregiver. We were enrolled in the program 10/2013 - 10/2014. We had some legal issues beyond our control that forced my husband to live away from home for about 6 months. His father came to stay with him because he can not be left alone. He has severe PTSD with suicidal attempts (last one 9/14)  We did the right thing (UGGG) and reported to the VA that he was not in the home and withdrew from the program. He did not want to go through having his dad take over in the program because it was too much for him to handle doing at the time (LOTS of STRESS!) So when we were able to be back together in Jan 2015 He reapplied. We were told in April 2015 he no longer qualified because his PTSD had improved and that his seizures were not service connected (PNES) Although his MEB identifies "Syncope of Unknown Etiology" as being permanently aggravated by service. So now that the VA has done the video EEG they are called PNES Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures. Anyway, We applied again in June 2015 and just received the denial on Dec 9,2015. Same reasoning. So, how does PTSD improve with a 6 month seperation from your family, a major life altering court battle, severed extended family relationships as a result and a recent suicide attempt?  Everyone who knows us knows he is rarely left alone. His father is almost panicked when he doesn't know where he is at (Dad now lives with us).  I must be answering questions wrong or something.... He can function ok most mornings but goes downhill from there. PNES are mostly in the afternoon & evening when his brain shuts down. This happens 3-4 times a week. He has memory loss and is a risk for leaving the stove on if home alone. He has two ER visits in the last year for serious falls in the yard. He of course doesn't drive himself to town. We live very remote also so there are not many people to check on him if I was to go back to work, which is not even a thought due to his needs. He doesn't talk on the phone to people and avoids conversations in stores and such so I do all of that. I don't understand how they are coming up with their assessment. Oh and we were just informed that his VA Counselor is not allowed to comment or contribute when asked to do so by the Caregiver Support Team????? Who else knows his history and present mental health needs?

I tried to open the rating scale link you posted on the other thread but it was no longer accessible. Could you please cut and paste it here?