(a) General. VA shall provide services to a veteran's family which are necessary to the implementation of the veteran's rehabilitation plan. The term family includes the veteran's immediate family, legal guardian, or any individual in whose home the veteran certifies an intention to live.

(b) Scope of services to a veteran's family. The services which may be furnished to the family are generally limited to consultation, homecare training, counseling, and mental health services of brief duration which are designed to enable the family to cope with the veteran's needs. Extended medical, psychiatric or other services may not be furnished to family members under these provisions.

(c) Providing services to a veteran's family. VR&E Staff will:

(1) Identify services which family members may need to facilitate the rehabilitation of the veteran; and

(2) Arrange for provision of the services which have been identified.

(d) Resources for provision of services to family members.

(1) The established program and services which are furnished by Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to family members of veterans eligible for Chapter 31 should be used to the extent practicable; but

(2) If services are not readily available through regular VHA programs, necessary services will normally be secured through arrangements with other public and nonprofit agencies.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3104(a)(11))

[49 FR 40814, Oct. 18, 1984, as amended at 62 FR 17708, Apr. 11, 1997]