NASHP Chart: State Approaches to Family Caregiver Education, Training, and Counseling, May 2020. This chart and interactive map highlights education, training, and counseling services for family caregivers in state Medicaid waivers.
NASHP Tracker: States’ Appendix K Waivers of Home- and Community-Based Services, May 2020. This interactive map tracks states’ use of Appendix K waivers to modify services for older adults and their family caregivers during the COVID-19 crisis.
NASHP Blog: State Approaches to Family Caregiver Education, Training, and Counseling, April 2020. NASHP reviewed states’ Medicaid 1115 waivers and state plan amendments covering older adults and adults with physical disabilities to highlight their unique approaches to education, training and counseling for caregivers.
NASHP Blog: Five Ways States Can Better Meet the Needs of Caregivers, March 2020. As part of its work to help develop a national strategy to better support caregivers through its RAISE Act Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center, the NASHP with support from The John A. Hartford Foundation, reviewed major caregiving reports, including 12 state reports, and identified the top five policy recommendations that all of the state reports had in common.
View a Webinar on Family Caregiving Policies and Innovations, Feb. 20, 2020. Funded by The John A. Hartford Foundation, NASHP’s RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center hosted a webinar to discuss state and federal policies and initiatives to support family caregivers. The webinar provided an overview of the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support and Engage (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act and featured Tennessee and Washington State leaders who shared their policies and innovations to support family caregivers. Other participants included representatives from the US Administration for Community Living and The John A. Hartford Foundation. View the webinar here.
State Policy Innovations to Support Family Caregivers: States are developing new initiatives to support family caregivers, who provide nearly $470 billion in unpaid health care support and services each year to relatives, friends, and neighbors. Passage of the federal Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage Family Caregivers (RAISE) Act underscores the urgent attention this issue requires. This blog, State Policy Innovations to Support Family Caregivers, written with support from The John A. Hartford Foundation, explores Hawaii, Washington, and Minnesota’s innovative efforts to assist family caregivers.
The Family Caregiving Advisory Council
The impact of the nation’s aging population on state budgets and policies cannot be addressed without understanding the needs of family caregivers. Under the RAISE Act, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services must develop a national Family Caregiving Strategy that recommends actions that different stakeholders can take to support family caregivers and meets their diverse needs. The RAISE Act also requires the secretary to convene a Family Caregiving Advisory Council to help inform and shape the strategy by providing recommendations to the secretary.
The council is charged with preparing a report for the secretary that includes effective models of family caregiving and support to family caregivers, as well as opportunities to improve coordination across federal government programs. The secretary will incorporate the council’s report in the strategy, in addition to identifying best practices and other information to support family caregivers. The RAISE Act requires the council to be made up of to 15 voting members who reflect the diversity of family caregivers and care recipients, as well as non-voting representatives from federal departments and agencies who play a role in this issue.
Council Meeting Materials and Resources
In August 2019, the council convened for its first meeting and members shared their guiding values and principles. Read the Family Caregiving Advisory Council Meeting Report for a comprehensive description of the meeting. Review the agenda for the day, which includes the PowerPoint presentations used by presenters during the meeting, and watch the full video of the council’s kick-off meeting.
State Resources
State Policy Innovations to Support Family Caregivers: States are developing new initiatives to support family caregivers, who provide nearly $470 billion in unpaid health care support and services each year to relatives, friends, and neighbors. Passage of the federal Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage Family Caregivers (RAISE) Act underscores the urgent attention this issue requires. This blog, State Policy Innovations to Support Family Caregivers, written with support from The John A. Hartford Foundation, explores Hawaii, Washington, and Minnesota’s innovative efforts to assist family caregivers.
Faculty
Laura Gitlin, PhD
Dean, College of Nursing and Health Professions
Drexel University
Kathleen Kelly, MPA
Executive Director
Family Caregiver Alliance
Patti Killingsworth
Assistant Commissioner and Chief
TennCare Long-Term Services and Supports
Sandy Markwood
Chief Executive Officer
N4A
Duane Mayes
Director
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development
Jenna McDavid
National Managing Coordinator
Diverse Elders Coalition
Susan Reinhard, RN, PhD, FAAN
Senior Vice President and Director
AARP Public Policy Institute
David Reuben, MD
Director, Multi-campus Program in Geriatrics Medicine and Gerontology
Chief, Division of Geriatrics,
University of California, Los Angeles
Dave Richard
Deputy Secretary
North Carolina Medicaid
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
Mary Sowers
Executive Director
National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services
C. Grace Whiting, JD
President and CEO
National Alliance for Caregiving
Jennifer Wolff, PhD
Eugene and Mildred Lipitz Professor and Director
Roger C. Lipitz Center for Integrated Health Care
Johns Hopkins University
For more information, contact Eliza Mette.
In Their Own Words: Family Caregivers from Across the Country Share their Priorities and Recommendations
/in Policy Featured News Home, Reports Chronic and Complex Populations, Council Meeting Materials and Resources, Long-Term Care, State Resources, The RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center /by NASHP StaffA new report published by NASHP’s RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center documents the concerns and recommendations for change shared by 1,613 family caregivers and organizations that work with them. The US Administration for Community Living (ACL) requested input for its report, In Their Own Words: Caregiver Priorities and Recommendations: Results from a Requests […]
State Approaches to Reimbursing Family Caregivers of Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs through Medicaid
/in Policy Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, COVID-19, EPSDT, Health Equity, Integrated Care for Children, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Population Health, Quality and Measurement, Social Determinants of Health, State Resources, The RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center /by Olivia Randi, Eskedar Girmash and Kate HonsbergerNASHP State Medicaid Policy Institute on Family Caregiving: Request for Applications
/in Policy Blogs, Featured News Home Chronic and Complex Populations, Council Meeting Materials and Resources, COVID-19, Population Health, State Resources, The RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center /by NASHP StaffThe National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP), with generous support from The John A. Hartford Foundation, is seeking state applications to participate in its State Medicaid Policy Institute on Family Caregiving. The institute will engage up to five teams of state leaders for one year to develop and/or strengthen health policies and strategies that support […]
Webinar: RAISE Act, State Policies, and NASHP’s State Medicaid Policy Institute on Family Caregiving
/in Policy Webinars Chronic and Complex Populations, Council Meeting Materials and Resources, State Resources, The RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center /by NASHP StaffStates Use Appendix Ks to Provide Innovative Flexibilities for Medicaid Enrollees and Caregivers during COVID-19
/in Policy Connecticut, Georgia, Washington Blogs, Featured News Home Care Coordination, Chronic and Complex Populations, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, COVID-19, Long-Term Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Population Health, State Resources, The RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center /by Salom Teshale, Paige Spradlin, Wendy Fox-Grage and Kitty PuringtonDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, states have used the Appendix K Emergency Preparedness and Response authority to amend Medicaid 1915(c) home- and community-based services (HCBS) waivers and quickly provide more flexible services and supports to Medicaid enrollees and, indirectly, their caregivers.
States Work to Improve Long-Term Care in the Age of COVID-19
/in Policy Ohio, Washington, Wisconsin Blogs, Featured News Home Care Coordination, Chronic and Complex Populations, COVID-19, Health Equity, Long-Term Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Palliative Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health, State Recommended Resources, State Resources, The RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center /by Paige SpradlinNursing home residents account for at least one-third of COVID-19 deaths, and this disparity reveals numerous problems with infection control in institutional settings. As a result, many states are rethinking and restructuring their long-term services and supports (LTSS) programs. A recent National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) annual conference session explored what states have […]
Public Insurance Financing of Home Visiting Services: Insights from a Federal/State Discussion
/in Policy Blending and Braiding Funding, Care Coordination, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, CHIP, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Health Coverage and Access, Integrated Care for Children, Long-Term Care, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Palliative Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health, Reimbursement Strategies, State Resources, The RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center /by Taylor Platt and Karen VanLandeghemNational Family Caregivers Month Twitter Chat hosted by NASHP
/in Policy Chronic and Complex Populations, Council Meeting Materials and Resources, Long-Term Care, State Resources, The RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center The RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center /by NASHP StaffThe National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) is hosting a Twitter chat to recognize National Family Caregivers Month. Across the nation, state health programs depend on caregivers who provide critical support to help relatives, friends, and neighbors stay safely in their homes while contributing $470 billion in unpaid health care services each year. Family […]
Medicaid Supports for Family Caregivers
/in Policy Featured News Home, Reports Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Council Meeting Materials and Resources, Long-Term Care, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Population Health, State Resources, The RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center /by Neva Kaye and Salom TeshaleFamily caregivers help Medicaid enrollees safely stay in their own homes, prevent or delay hospital and nursing facility stays, and provide personal care services that Medicaid agencies would otherwise need to pay for. However, there are strong indications that family caregivers need additional supports, which would benefit the Medicaid enrollees in their care. Recognizing family […]
Stand by Me: Supporting Long-Term Services and Supports Workers
/in Policy Oregon, Tennessee Chronic and Complex Populations, Health Coverage and Access, Health Equity, Long-Term Care, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health, State Resources, The RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center, Workforce Capacity /by Wendy Fox-GrageDirect care workers play a critical role in the success of states’ long-term services and supports (LTSS) systems, but faced with COVID-19, low wages, and few advancement opportunities, states struggle to retain this workforce. Recently, state leaders came together virtually at National Academy for State Health Policy’s annual conference to share strategies to improve recruitment […]
NASHP’s Report on Medicaid Family Caregiver Supports to Inform the RAISE Act Report to Congress
/in Policy Chronic and Complex Populations, Council Meeting Materials and Resources, State Resources, The RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center /by NASHP StaffThe National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) is developing a report on how family caregiving impacts state Medicaid programs, and the role Medicaid plays in supporting family caregivers. Medicaid — jointly funded and administered by the federal and state governments — provides health coverage to millions of Americans, including low-income adults, children, older adults, and people with disabilities. Relatives and friends […]
NASHP Awards Contracts to National Alliance for Caregiving and Advancing States to Support the RAISE Family Caregiving Council with Funding from The John A. Hartford Foundation
/in Policy Council Meeting Materials and Resources, State Resources, The RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center /by NASHP StaffTo better address the needs of family caregivers, the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) has awarded contracts to National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) and ADvancing States. Under the contracts, ADvancing States will conduct listening sessions with state aging and disability officials and NAC will hold a listening session with family caregiver advocates and to collect family caregiver vignettes. These activities […]
State Approaches to Family Caregiver Education, Training and Counseling in Medicaid Home- and Community-Based Services
/in Policy Charts, Featured News Home, Maps Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Health Coverage and Access, Palliative Care, Population Health, State Resources, The RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center, Workforce Capacity /by Salom TeshaleState Approaches to Family Caregiver Education, Training, and Counseling
/in Policy Blogs, Featured News Home Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, COVID-19, Population Health, State Resources, The RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center /by Salom Teshale, Eliza Mette, Paige Spradlin and Wendy Fox-GrageState Medicaid home- and community-based waivers and state plan amendments can provide critical information, counseling, and training to family caregivers. Recently, the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) reviewed states’ Medicaid 1915(c) and 1115 waivers, and 1915(i) and 1915(j) state plan amendments (SPAs) that focuses on waivers and state plan amendments covering older adults […]
States Race to Secure Home- and Community-Based Services during COVID-19
/in COVID-19 Blogs, Featured News Home Care Coordination, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Community Health Workers, COVID-19, Health Coverage and Access, Long-Term Care, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health, State Resources, The RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center, Workforce Capacity /by Wendy Fox-Grage, Salom Teshale and Paige SpradlinUpdated May 7, 2020 In the past two months, 35 states* have rapidly amended their Medicaid home- and community-based services for older adults and their family caregivers to ensure access to long-term services and supports during the COVID-19 crisis. Under new federal rules, the states applied for Medicaid 1915(c) Appendix K waivers to make temporary or […]
States Modify Medicaid Home- and Community-Based Waivers to Respond to COVID-19
/in COVID-19 Blogs, Featured News Home Chronic and Complex Populations, Community Health Workers, COVID-19, Health Equity, Long-Term Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health, State Resources, The RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center /by Wendy Fox-GrageStates are working rapidly to ensure that individuals with complex medical conditions and their families have access to necessary home- and community-based services during the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. Under new federal rules, states can now temporarily amend programs serving Medicaid enrollees using long-term services and supports through waiver and state plan amendment applications. The US […]
States’ Top Five Policy Recommendations to Better Meet Caregivers’ Needs
/in Policy Blogs, Featured News Home State Resources, The RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center /by Paige SpradlinIn 2017, about 41 million friends, neighbors, and family members in the United States provided support to adults with self-care needs, representing $470 billion in unpaid care. Family caregivers are crucial supports to some of the states’ most vulnerable populations, including those most affected by the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. As part of its work […]
Webinar: Family Caregiving Policies and Innovations
/in Policy Webinars Chronic and Complex Populations, Council Meeting Materials and Resources, Long-Term Care, State Resources, The RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center The RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center /by NASHP StaffFamily caregivers provide an estimated $470 billion per year in unpaid care and are a critical component for states seeking to support older adults and individuals with complex needs stay in their homes and communities.
RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center Highlights State Initiatives
/in Policy Blogs, Featured News Home Chronic and Complex Populations, State Resources, The RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center /by Kitty Purington, Eliza Mette and Wendy Fox-GrageStates are the largest public payers for long-term services and supports, and family caregivers are their crucial partners. Across the country, states have launched initiatives that assist family caregivers by addressing their diverse needs. In part to support states in developing these initiatives, the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) launched the RAISE Family Caregiver […]
State Policy Innovations to Support Family Caregivers
/in Policy Blogs, Featured News Home Chronic and Complex Populations, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health System Costs, Long-Term Care, State Resources, The RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center /by Eliza Mette and Kitty PuringtonAs the country ages, states recognize the importance of caregivers and are developing new initiatives to support and sustain their critical role in helping relatives, friends, and neighbors age in place. The recent passage of the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage Family Caregivers (RAISE) Act, a federal strategy to support family caregivers, brings new […]