Latest news with #SupportProgram
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
VA to extend caregiver support to ‘legacy veterans'? Here's what we know
The Department of Veterans Affairs said it would extend eligibility for its Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers to more "legacy" veterans and their caregivers. This change is expected to help thousands of people who served before 2001, according to a Newsweek report. The Department of Veterans Affairs would extend eligibility for its Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers .(Representative Image: Pexels) The VA is the second-largest federal department and employs about 470,000 people, including many veterans. The VA provides benefits to about 6.2 million veterans. Also Read: Major changes to veterans benefits: Key updates and what they mean About VA's new extension to caregiver support In a statement, the VA said, 'The new rule will extend program eligibility for legacy participants, legacy applicants and their family caregivers for three years while VA continues the rulemaking process to refine the program. The extension will ensure that legacy participants and applicants can maintain their benefits and stability during this time.' Legacy participants are veterans, service members, and their caregivers who were in the program as of September 30, 2020. Legacy applicants are those who applied before October 1, 2020, and were accepted on or after October 1, 2020. The VA said this move will close gaps in support and help provide ongoing care for those already approved under older rules. The agency also said it will make reassessments easier and cut paperwork for caregivers. Veteran organizations welcomed the news. The VA also said there would be a temporary increase in burial benefits for certain veterans and their families, thanks to the Dole Act. This law lets eligible veterans get their burial costs fully covered for a limited time, as per reports. Also Read: Veterans Affairs Department reverses mass layoff plans; Here's what prompted the U-turn Changes due to Trump's recent budget bill Veterans will also see some changes because of President Donald Trump's recent budget bill. Veterans' programs have usually had strong support from both parties and have been getting more funding over time. The new budget adds $83 billion more than last year, mostly for medical care and benefits. House Republicans have proposed a $453 billion budget for the VA for 2026. This bill keeps the main benefits for veterans, but it also includes changes that could affect how some services are given and paid for. New spending, from a big bill passed by the House in May, comes as the VA deals with possible staff cuts, which led to protests across the country. The bill also includes new policies about reproductive health, guns, and vaccines, which could change how people use VA services. VA Secretary Doug Collins said, "Legacy caregivers have helped shape VA's Caregiver Support Program for many years. This decision underscores VA's commitment to Veterans and caregivers across the nation and will help provide consistency and stability to nearly 15,000 legacy participants for years to come."
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
State child support program launches redesigned website
May 12—The state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance announced April 28 the launch of a new online enrollment form for child support services as part of the recently redesigned website, The new site is easier to navigate, allowing individuals to enroll for child support services online and providing existing users access to more information about their cases. New Yorkers can now enroll online for child support services using their phone, tablet, or computer. Additionally, the website enables those paying or receiving child support to easily review the dates and amounts of payments, access account statements, and message their local child support office. New York State's Child Support Program provides parents with assistance in obtaining financial support and medical insurance coverage for their children by locating parents, establishing paternity, establishing and modifying support orders, and collecting and distributing child support payments. The program serves nearly 536,000 children, collecting more than $1.67 billion annually on their behalf. Find more information on New York's Child Support Program at
Los Angeles Times
12-02-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
O.C. Asian American groups form partnership to boost cancer screenings
With cancer being the leading cause of death for Asian Americans in Orange County, five key community organizations have banned together to sound a singular message: Get screened. The newly formed Orange County Asian American Cancer Partnership held a kick-off celebration at the offices of Southland Integrated Services in Garden Grove. 'We expect not only to bridge cancer gaps for the 35,000 folks we already serve, but to expand cancer care access to upwards of 10,000 medical patients across diverse linguistic, cultural and geographic communities,' said Ellen Ahn, chief executive of Korean Community Services. The coalition brings together Korean Community Services, Orange County Asian Pacific Islander Community Alliance, Southland Integrated Services, the Cambodian Family and the Vital Access Care Foundation, which is also known as the Vietnamese American Cancer Foundation. Together, the partnership aims to train patient navigators to educate the Asian American community, through all its diversity, about cancer prevention. 'This doesn't happen through one agency or just through CEOs,' Ahn added. 'It's really a partnership with systems.' Asian Americans are the only racial group where cancer, not heart disease, is the leading cause of death. While Asian Americans have lower overall cancer rates compared to other ethnic groups, studies show that they are also less likely to get screened. Screenings are vital for breast, cervical, colorectal and lung cancer, which are easily identifiable and curable, if found in time. Dr. Richard Pitts, CalOptima's chief medical officer, stressed the importance of screenings as he donned a pink lab coat for the celebration. Pitts keeps the coat on as a reminder to all that even as Breast Cancer Awareness Month ends in October, breast cancer, itself, does not. 'We have to change the narrative so we're all on the same page,' he said. 'We understand that a little bit of fear is fine, but you have to channel it into action. Everybody here should ask five people they know if they're up to date on their cancer screenings.' In 2022, CalOptima announced a five-year, $50.1 million Comprehensive Community Cancer Screening and Support Program. Ahn helped organize a successful bid for a grant, which forged the O.C. Asian American Cancer Partnership with CalOptima. 'Having a program like this that can navigate people to screen, we can get screened earlier,' said Mary Anne Foo, executive director of OCAPICA. 'We can find cancers earlier. Having a program that talks about cancer prevention and treatment … is so vital to Asian Americans. We're just thrilled to be a part of this program.' Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong, an Orange County Health Care Agency health officer, reinforced the need to more openly discuss cancer prevention in the community. Chinsio-Kwong, a cancer survivor herself, noted that lung cancer is on the rise for Asian American women under 50 who aren't smokers with the reason why not yet known. 'We need to pay attention to our bodies, talk to our friends, talk to our community, spread the word, so that we can save more lives,' she said. 'If you do get that diagnosis, tell your friends, tell your family [and] they will be there to support you.' Other cancer survivors spoke at the event in an effort to further shrug off any stigma. Dr. Thuy Ahn Nguyen, chief medical officer for Southland Integrated Services, shared her own experiences. In 2020, an ultrasound text and biopsy led to a stage two breast cancer diagnosis, which was an early enough detection to successfully treat it. 'I am very grateful that I survived,' Nguyen said. 'It taught me to cherish every moment, to appreciate little things and never take life for granted.'
