EWA Praises Senate Passage of RAISE Family Caregivers Act
Washington, DC – The Eldercare Workforce Alliance (EWA) applauds passage by the United States Senate of the RAISE Family Caregivers Act. The bill, officially known as the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support and Engage (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act (S. 1028), requires the development of a national strategy that would identify specific actions that government, communities, providers, employers, and others can take to recognize and support family caregivers. The bi-partisan legislation was introduced by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI).
“With the continued aging of society, now is the time to tackle this important issue,” added EWA Executive Director Amy York. “We look forward to swift action by the House and to having close collaboration with the future Family Caregiving Advisory Council.”
The RAISE Family Caregivers Act directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a National Family Caregiving Project to develop and sustain a national strategy to support family caregivers. The bill would create a Family Caregiving Advisory Council composed of relevant federal agencies, as well as family caregivers, older adults with long-term care needs, individuals with disabilities, employers, health and social service providers, state and local officials, and others with expertise in family caregiving.
The Advisory Council would be charged with making recommendations to HHS that would be updated annually to reflect new developments. An initial inventory and assessment would determine the current state of federally funded caregiver efforts. The Council would also identify specific actions that government, communities, employers, providers, and others can take to support family caregivers.
“The movement to create a national strategy to support America’s caregivers is exiting and encouraging,” said C. Grace Whiting, Chief Operating Officer of the National Alliance for Caregiving. “The RAISE Family Caregiver Act sends the message that we value the contributions of family caregivers and recognize them as partners in improving health outcomes and reducing costs as America ages.”
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The Eldercare Workforce Alliance is comprised of 31 national organizations united in their commitment to address the eldercare workforce shortage in order to ensure that older adults receive quality care in the settings of their choice.
The positions of the Eldercare Workforce Alliance reflect a consensus of 75 percent or more of its members. These statements reflect the consensus of the Alliance and do not necessarily represent the position of individual Alliance member organizations.
The Eldercare Workforce Alliance is a project of The Advocacy Fund.
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