The Defense Health Agency’s (DHA) Warrior Care Military Caregiver Support Program, operating in partnership with the National Resource Directory, issues an annual electronic Caregiver Resource Directory or e-CRD. It’s a database of caregivers and resources for wounded veterans.
The DHA began the e-CRD program in 2022 and has since added more than two thousand resources to the database. According to the DoD, there are “more than 300,000 caregivers of wounded warriors and veterans” who potentially benefit from having this information resource.
What is e-CRD?
The eCRD is an electronic platform based on the National Resource Directory. The NRD is a database of validated resources that supports recovery, rehabilitation, and reintegration for service members, veterans, family members, and caregivers. It is a joint operation of the Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Labor.
In May 2022, phase one of the eCRD rolled out, a digital version of the Caregiver Resource Directory that military caregivers and those who support caregivers have used over the years to find resources along all stages of the caregiver journey.
This resource is searchable. Information can be saved as a PDF and printed out for easier reading or access. The e-CRD is accessible anywhere using a computer, smartphone, or tablet.
The e-CRD addresses a range of topics including:
- Food Insecurity
- Benefits
- Financial and Legal Assistance
- Resiliency and Self-Care
- Respite Care
- Pet and Animal Assistance
- Children’s Needs
- Mental Health
- Education and Training
- Rest and Relaxation
- Women Veterans
According to Healthcare.mil, the most popular resources searched for on the eCRD and NRD include:
- Access to health care for caregivers
- Community resource guides
- Caregiver resources for family members with traumatic brain injury
- VA specialty resources for caregivers
- Mental health support services for children of caregivers
You can view the entire e-CRD at the official site.
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