Organization: AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CAREGIVING
Mission: TO INCREASE AWARENESS AND PROVIDE SUPPORT SERVICES FOR YOUTH CAREGIVERS AND THEIR FAMILIES BY CONNECTING THEM WITH HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES.
Activities: THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CAREGIVING YOUTH (AACY) PROVIDES DIRECT SERVICES TO MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL CAREGIVING YOUTH LOCALLY AND RESPONDS TO QUERIES FOR INFORMATION AND SUPPORT FROM OTHER REGIONS IN THE USA. ITS NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL IS CO-CHAIRED BY SARA POOLE OF MCLEAN, VA WHO, ALONG WITH HER TWO YOUNG SONS, PROVIDED CARE FOR TWO YEARS FOR HER MOM WHO HAD ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE (SEE WWW.KIDSCAREGIVERSTOO.ORG). THE CO-CHAIR IS MARTIN HUNICUTT OF CHAPEL HILL, NC WHO IS RETIRED FROM DUKE. IN 2014 AACY RECEIVED SEED MONEY TO ESTABLISH THE CAREGIVING YOUTH INSTITUTE TO EXPAND ITS REACH THROUGH C.A.R.E. - CONNECT YOUTH WITH EACH OTHER; ADVOCATE TO EDUCATE LEGISLATORS ON BEHALF OF YOUTH CAREGIVERS; RESEARCH TO EXPAND THE SCANT BODY OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THIS HIDDEN POPULATION; AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND PROFESSIONALS. RESULTS FROM THE STATEWIDE YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY ADMINISTERED BY THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL, THE FIRST EVER CAREGIVING QUESTION REVEALED THAT AMONG FLORIDA PUBLIC MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, MORE THAN 290,000 ARE DOING SOME KIND OF CAREGIVING FOR A FAMILY MEMBER WITH CHRONIC ILLNESS, DISABILITY OR OTHER HEALTH CONDITION. AS THE US LEADER IN THIS FIELD, AACY HAS A GROWING AFFILIATE NETWORK AND IS FURTHER DEVELOPING ITS NATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS. A TOLL-FREE NUMBER, DONATED BY CALL4HEALTH, HELPS TO FACILITATE THIS REACH. NATIONAL PRESENTATIONS, JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA HAVE ALSO HELPED TO RAISE AWARENESS. AACY CONTRIBUTED TO THE PUBLISHED BOOK, "I'M A TEEN CAREGIVER, NOW WHAT?". ITS PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER CONNIE SISKOWSKI, IS A FACULTY MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL RAISE FAMILY CAREGIVER COUNCIL UNDER THE AUSPICES OF HHS.
THE CAREGIVING YOUTH PROJECT (CYP), IN A FORMAL COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL, PROVIDES SERVICES TO CAREGIVING YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH ITS WORK IN 29 MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS. ONCE IDENTIFIED AND ENROLLED, A VARIETY OF PRIORITIZED AND NEED- DRIVEN SUPPORT SERVICES CONTINUES FROM SIXTH TO TWELFTH GRADE IN SCHOOL, OUT OF SCHOOL AND AT HOME. THIS HOLISTIC APPROACH HAS RESULTED IN CAREGIVING YOUTH REMAINING IN SCHOOL, PROGRESSING TO THE NEXT GRADE WITH 98.3% GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND MORE THAN 90% GOING ON TO POST- SECONDARY EDUCATION. AS OF JUNE 2020, THER WERE 543 STUDENTS PARTICIPATING DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR IN ONE REGION OF PALM BEACH COUNTY EXTENDING FROM PALM BEACH TO BOCA RATON AND TO THE WESTERN COMMUNITIES OF PAHOKEE AND BELLE GLADE. SINCE THE INCEPTION OF CYP IN 2006, NEARLY 1,800 YOUTH HAVE BEEN SERVED WITH AN AVERAGE OF 5.46 YEARS IN THE PROGRAM. THE FAMILY CAREGIVING RESPONSIBILITIES OF YOUTH MIRROR THOSE OF ADULT FAMILY CAREGIVERS, HOWEVER WITH SUPPORT, THE NEGATIVE RAMIFICATIONS ARE AMELIORATED WITH STUDENTS REPORTING SOCIALIZATION, IMPROVED SELF- CONFIDENCE, NO LONGEER FEELING ALONE AND HAVING INCREASED KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THEIR ROLE. THERE ARE MANY MORE CAREGIVING YOUTH IN NEED OF SUPPORT IN PALM BEACH COUNTY, IN FL AND THROUGHOUT THE US; THEY DESERVE NOTHING LESS
NTEE category: Human Services
Secondary category: Mental Health & Crisis Intervention