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RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council Votes to Approve Council Recommendations for Inclusion in Initial Report to Congress

On Nov. 18, 2020, the RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council convened to review and vote on a set of recommendations to support family caregivers, across the lifespan, for inclusion in its initial report to Congress. The council is tasked with creating a National Family Caregiving Strategy, as required by the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage Family Caregivers Act of 2018 (the RAISE Act).

Call to Order

The meeting began with a call to order and opening remarks by Lance Robertson, Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging. He acknowledged the celebration of National Family Caregiver Month in November of every year. 

Administrator Robertson thanked his fellow council members for what the council has accomplished since its inauguration a little over a year ago and especially, the recommendations that were the focus of this meeting in support of the 50 million family caregivers in our country who he described as “the cornerstone of our long-term systems and a true representation of the very best in all of us.”  

He acknowledged members of the public who tuned in to participate in the meeting and expressed gratitude to ACL’s partners such as the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP), the John A. Hartford Foundation, Community Catalyst, University of Massachusetts at Boston and Advancing States whose collaborative efforts have brought understanding and meaning to important areas of the council’s work.  

Caregiver Voices: Overview of the “Caregiver Stories Project”

Michael Wittke from the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) presented a series of caregiver stories and vignettes compiled via interviews by NAC in 2020, with support from The John A. Hartford Foundation. These stories feature a wide range of diverse caregiver experiences from across the United States; caregivers were interviewed about their lived experiences, caregiving challenges and experiences, and what they believed policymakers and society should know about the caregiver experience. Caregiver stories will be included as part of the council’s report to Congress and published on NAC and NASHP’s webpages. In 2021, some stories will be released as video clips to promote and disseminate caregiver voices. 

Presentation of Recommendations 

The council voted on, and unanimously approved, 26 recommendations to support family caregivers, across the lifespan, structured around the council’s goals for the national strategy. These recommendations will also be part of the council’s initial report to Congress.  

Next Steps

No formal council activities are scheduled for December 2020. The next council meeting is scheduled to take place in January 2021. The council will be discussing its draft report to Congress in the winter and spring of 2021.

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