New York National Family Caregiver Support Program and Caregiver Resource Centers¶
New York State Office for the Aging administers the National Family Caregiver Support Program through 59 Area Agencies on Aging and also supports Caregiver Resource Centers and state respite services. Caregivers can use NY Connects for statewide information, assistance, options counseling, and local program routing.
New York's National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP), administered by NYSOFA through 59 Area Agencies on Aging, provides funding and support to family and informal caregivers. AAAs are required to help caregivers become informed advocates, provide information and assistance accessing services, and help navigate the service system. Under the caregiver-directed respite model (26 TAM-01), a family member other than the primary caregiver may be hired and paid as a respite provider; the primary caregiver cannot be paid. NYSOFA defines an eligible caregiver as a family member or other non-paid person.
Eligibility¶
- Care recipient must have a qualifying disability
- Applicant age: at least 18
- Must live with care recipient
- Relationship: child, other relative, non relative
Questions to ask the program¶
These are questions to ask the program, not a verdict on your eligibility. Confirm the current rules directly with the program.
- Does the person receiving care live in New York? — Residency is usually the first thing a program checks.
- Does your relationship to the person — child, other relative, or non relative — count for this program?
- What counts as a qualifying disability or level of care need, and what documentation shows it?
- Do you need to live with the person receiving care, and how is that verified?
- Is there a caregiver-specific department, coordinator, or support line? Ask for it by name. — Many agencies have one that isn’t advertised on the website.
- What documents do you need from us to start an application?
- Is there a waitlist right now, and how long is it?
Services¶
New York's National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP), administered by NYSOFA through 59 Area Agencies on Aging, provides funding and support to family and informal caregivers. AAAs are required to help caregivers become informed advocates, provide information and assistance accessing services, and help navigate the service system. Under the caregiver-directed respite model (26 TAM-01), a family member other than the primary caregiver may be hired and paid as a respite provider; the primary caregiver cannot be paid. NYSOFA defines an eligible caregiver as a family member or other non-paid person.
How to apply¶
- apply through your local Area Agency on Aging (AAA); NYSOFA administers the NFCSP through its 59 AAAs
Use the official program page for application details: official program page.