THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 11, 2014

Fact Sheet: First Lady & Dr. Biden Applaud Commitments to Support Caregivers

As part of their Joining Forces initiative – and the Administration’s ongoing efforts to engage all 

sectors of society to give our service members and their families the opportunities and support 

they have earned - First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden hosted former First Lady 

Rosalynn Carter, former Senator Elizabeth Dole and caregivers of veterans and active duty 

service members to discuss ways to improve the support and resources available for caregivers. 

The White House announced and applauded the commitments made by many organizations to 

launch additional support networks and other resources for caregivers.

New programming and commitments include:

Caregiver Peer to Peer Support Initiative

The Department of Defense

The Department of Defense is going to support all military caregivers through a peer-to-peer 

support initiative. Over the next 14 months, the Department of Defense will form in-person peerto-peer forums for caregivers at every military installation around the world that serves wounded 

warriors and their caregivers. Through online tools and webinars, caregivers who are not able to 

attend an in-person forum can connect to their peers as well.

Military and Veteran Caregiver Peer Support Network

Elizabeth Dole Foundation, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, American Legion 

Auxiliary, Caregivers Action Network, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Blue Star 

Families, Wounded Warrior Project, Military Officers Association of America, Association of 

the United States Army, National Military Family Association, National Guard Association of 

the United States

Using the spoke and wheel model of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) peer 

mentorship program, TAPS, in conjunction with a network of Military Service Organizations, 

Veteran Support Organizations, non-profit, and faith-based organizations commit to training 10 

master trainers, 50 trainers and 10,000 peer mentors in the next year. Through this process, they 

will reach 50,000 caregivers with peer support using one-on-one mentoring, online communities 

and community-based peer support groups. This commitment will also serve to increase 

caregiver knowledge and use of information and services through the VA Caregiver Helpline and 

the National Resource Directory.
Expanded Access to Training for Caregivers

Easter Seals Dixon Center, Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving, National Alliance for 

Caregiving, Family Caregiver Alliance, Caregiver Action Network ,Atlas Research

This innovative collaboration across several prominent organizations will provide countless 

caregivers expanded access to valuable training. A series of bi-monthly online educational 

seminars will provide educational support for military and veteran caregivers. Topics will focus 

on gaps as identified in the Elizabeth Dole Foundation RAND Study, including self-care, 

accessing legal and financial resources, and other issues of critical importance to caregivers. 

These training sessions will engage thousands of caregivers across the country reaching beyond 

those caregivers who are already connected with the VA Caregiver Support Program. Partner 

organizations will conduct rigorous outreach to register military and veteran caregivers – as well 

as other interested stakeholders – who may benefit from the information and training.

Free Financial/Legal/Social Resources for Military and Veteran Caregivers

MOAA, USAA, ABA, Public Counsel, Google

The Military Officers of Association of American (MOAA), with assistance from USAA, the 

Elizabeth Dole Foundation, and the American Bar Association (ABA), is launching a web-based 

guide to aid caregivers in contingency planning and decision-making. The website will be a 

major public portal for caregivers across the country to access free financial, legal and social 

resources, benefitting tens of thousands of military families. Resources include military and 

veteran benefits, finance and legal issues counsel and support during or after transitioning from 

the military and long term planning. This initiative will be further enhanced through a major 

national collaborative effort—Lawyers for Heroes—a partnership between the Center for 

Veterans Advancement (CVA) at Public Counsel, ABA and MOAA to offer free legal support to 

military families who are struggling the most financially. Google will incorporate its online 

collaboration service Helpouts into the site, giving military caregivers the ability to speak online 

with social workers who can provide free screening and resource assistance. 

Creating Jobs for Military and Veteran Caregivers 

US Chamber of Commerce

The successful Chamber of Commerce Hiring Our Heroes program will pilot an initiative aimed 

at helping caregivers find jobs. The Chamber of Commerce will expand its current job fair 

program focused on veterans by developing and piloting a targeted program in areas with high 

concentrations of military caregivers, namely, those around military treatment facilities. 

Recognizing that many military caregivers have limited flexibility, the Chamber of Commerce 

will also incorporate caregivers into an innovative virtual job fair program it is unveiling that 

will help caregivers find rewarding jobs. Additionally, the Chamber of Commerce will host a 

summit for the business community in September 2014 to promote employment and workplacefriendly environments for military caregivers.

Providing Support for the Nation’s Jewish Community’s Military and Veteran Caregivers

Jewish Chaplains Council, Jewish Community Centers Association of North America
The Jewish Chaplains Council and the Jewish Community Centers Association of North America 

will incorporate the needs of caregivers into a new program to welcome home veterans, called 

Project Welcome Home. A key focus of the JCC’s will be to coordinate with community 

organizations to engage in activities such as: providing the respite opportunities identified as a 

critical need for caregivers. To remove barriers to community engagement and prevent isolation 

of caregivers and those they care for, each participating JCC will create cost-effective ways to 

make available the resources of their center such as child care, senior care, day and overnight 

camping, fitness centers and more.

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