Steering Committee

“A strong foundation has been laid through passage of the RAISE Family Caregivers Act and the accompanying National Family Caregiving Strategy. However, with these tools in hand, we must now work together at the federal, state, and local levels to deliver meaningful and long-overdue support to family caregivers of all backgrounds and all walks of life. The Diverse Elders Coalition and its member organizations stand ready to ensure that the Act on RAISE campaign fulfills the intent and promise of the legislation by adequately addressing and culturally responding to caregivers’ mental health, social isolation, and financial strain so they can in turn better serve diverse older adults.”

– Didier Trinh, Director of Policy and Advocacy, Diverse Elders Coalition

“The Alzheimer’s Association and the Alzheimer’s Impact Movement (AIM) applaud the Advisory Council’s release of its 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers. The number of dementia caregivers in the United States is significant. Nearly half of all caregivers (48 percent) who provide help to older adults do so for someone with Alzheimer’s or another dementia. We look forward to joining the Act on RAISE Steering Committee to support the Advisory Council and helping to drive this critical work.”

– Alzheimer’s Association

“The lack of a care infrastructure in this country continues to leave those who need care, and caregivers vulnerable to economic instability and greater financial strain, especially Black and immigrant women who disproportionately perform paid and unpaid care. Care and caregiving are undervalued and chronically underfunded, the National Family Caregiving Strategy and its call to create the systems that this country desperately needs for a just and equitable future is something that we are proud to support.”

– Caring Across Generations

“Support from family is often essential to the well-being and inclusion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). With an ongoing scarcity of direct care workers, families must increasingly fill in the gaps to ensure their loved ones have the support they need to live independently in their communities. Yet managing the needs of people with IDD without the necessary government support is leaving caregivers stressed, isolated, in poor health, and suffering financially. It’s a public health issue that’s impacting millions. What’s more, the majority of people with IDD don’t have long-term plans for when family members lose the ability to help them. As a member of the Steering Committee of the Act on RAISE Campaign, The Arc will fight to ensure people in power are building policies and programs that acknowledge, respect, and sustain family caregivers. Family caregivers deserve our support, too.”

– The Arc

“Cancer impacts the entire family, not just the person who is diagnosed. The American Cancer Society and American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) recognize caregivers as integral members of the health care team in delivering care and support to persons with cancer. Through ACS CAN’s involvement in the Act on RAISE Steering Committee, we are committed to accelerated implementation of the actions of the first-ever National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers.”

-American Cancer Society

“Unpaid family caregivers often jeopardize their own health and financial well-being to care for loved ones. NCOA is excited to be part of this pivotal effort to make a real difference in the lives of those doing this crucial work. The RAISE National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers Report is a welcome opportunity to work together to support America’s 53 million family caregivers.”

– Ramsey Alwin, President, and CEO, National Council on Aging (NCOA)

“America has become a caregiver nation. More than 50 million caregivers work every day to provide the care that makes all other work possible, often lacking training and economic resources. If we are going to make caregiving more sustainable and equitable, we need strong and consistent leadership from Congress and the Administration.”

– Jason Resendez, CEO and President of the National Alliance for Caregiving

“We have a unique and timely opportunity to make a significant difference in the lives of America’s over 48 million family caregivers by putting into action the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers, which was delivered to Congress last September. The strategy stemmed from the RAISE Family Caregivers Act, championed by AARP, and includes nearly 350 tangible actions that the federal government can take now to give family caregivers, who are the backbone of this country’s long-term care system, some of the help they so desperately need.”

– Nancy LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer

“Caregivers are a vital part of the health ecosystem. We need to work together to support these vital partners in protecting the health and well-being of people with chronic diseases and disabilities.”

– Jennifer Dexter, Vice President of Policy, National Health Council

“As Mrs. Carter famously said, ‘there are only four kinds of people in the world: those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers and those who will need caregivers.’ Her point was that caregiving is a nearly universal experience. It will affect all of us at some point in our lives. She recognized – long before most of us – that caregivers serve as the backbone of this country and they are in crisis.”

– Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving