About the Caregiver Support Program

The Pennsylvania Caregiver Support Program helps people who take care of others. It offers resources and support to make caregiving easier and to keep a good relationship with the person being cared for. The program aims to reduce caregiver stress by focusing on the caregiver’s well-being. It provides:

• Respite Care: Temporary relief for caregivers.
• Support Services: Both formal and informal help.
• Financial Reimbursement: Money to help with caregiving costs and supplies.

The program is administered by your local Area Agency on Aging. Each caregiver is assigned a care manager who will come to the care receivers' home, conduct a comprehensive assessment of the needs of the caregiver, provide support, and work with them to develop a person-centered plan of care.

Resources for Caregivers of Adults

Your local Area Agency on Aging (AAA) is the first place to turn for caregiver resources. Some additional resources are provided below.

• Caring.com hosts a variety of online caregiver support groups.
• The Alzheimer’s Association website provides education and support groups about dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
• The National Healthcare Decisions Day and the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging provide resources to appoint a Power of Attorney or create an Advance Directive or Living Will
• The AARP Caregiving Resource Center and Family Caregiver Alliance provide additional information and resources for caregivers.
• The PA Department of Military and Veterans Affairs' Office for Veterans Affairs provides advice and assistance to Pennsylvania's veterans and their families, and also provides quality care to aging veterans through its six State Veterans Homes. 

Resources for Caregivers of Children

When a grandparent or relative takes care of a child, it brings big changes in life. This can be tough emotionally, legally, and financially. Children might also have emotional or behavioral problems and need extra help. Talking to other caregivers who are in similar situations can provide valuable support.

Contact your local Area Agency on Aging (AAA) to find out if any support groups for grandparents or relatives raising children are available in your area. Some additional resources are provided below.

• The Pennsylvania Department of Health issues birth certificates. A birth certificate costs $20 and can be obtained online, through the mail, or at one of six Pennsylvania Department of Health locations
• The Social Security website provides information about obtaining Social Security cards. You will need the child’s birth certificate and additional documentation, such as school or daycare records.  Any child age 12 and older must appear in person to apply for a Social Security card
• The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services website provides information about Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Benefits. You can also contact your local county assistance office. You may be eligible for cash assistance, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), help with child care, health care coverage for your grandchildren, home heating assistance (LIHEAP), school meals, and more. 
• The Educational Law Center ensures equal access to education for all children and has free services and publications which may help resolve issues, including School Enrollment Guide for a child living with someone other than their parent. The Educational Law Center can also be contacted at 215-238-6970.
• Head Start is a program for eligible low-income children, age birth through five years. Head Start provides children with a developmentally appropriate early childhood education, ensures that young children get health checkups and treatment, oral health screenings, and ensures that children are fed a nutritious, hot meal every day.
• The Boys and Girls Clubs of America offer recreation in addition to multiple other programs that help children and youth build character and leadership, ensure graduation from high school and prepare for college, and develop life skills.  They also offer resources for parents and caregivers, from homework tips to bullying information. 
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America offers a one-to-one supportive relationship, pairing an adult with a child or youth.  Big Brother Big Sister relationships positively impact relationships, lifestyles and schoolwork.
• Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network is a national technical assistance center funded by the U.S. Administration for Community Living. It aims to increase the capacity and effectiveness of states, tribes, and nonprofits in serving and supporting kinship families and grandfamilies. Sign up for the monthly newsletter.

Caregiver Support Act 

Act 20 of 2021 (amended June 11, 2021) was signed into law by Governor Wolf on June 11, 2021. This new law removes barriers to utilizing the program and provides more flexibility to serve caregivers most in need.

Most notably for consumers, the new law removes the prior limitations on the maximum monthly amount available to a qualified primary caregiver for out-of-pocket expenses incurred for services, and the lifetime reimbursement amount for Home Modifications and Assistive Devices. Act 20 grants the PA Department of Aging (PDA) the authority to determine those amounts.

Effective August 10, 2021, the following maximum reimbursement amounts have increased:

1. The maximum monthly reimbursement amount (based on the caregiver's calculated reimbursement percentage) will increase to $600.
2. The maximum lifetime reimbursement amount (based on the caregiver's calculated reimbursement percentage) for Home Modifications or Assistive Devices will increase to $5,000.

Older Americans Act of 1965

(Amended March 25, 2020) As part of the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act (OAA) of 2020, the requirement to limit funding and spending on grandparents/older relative caregivers (55+) to 10% of the overall funding allocation was eliminated.

This change, along with the passage of Act 20 that allows for the use of both federal and state funds to serve grandparents/older relative caregivers, will allow PDA's Caregiver Support Program to better serve these primary caregivers caring for relative children and adult children with disabilities.