RAISE

November 18, 2020 

Family Caregiving Advisory Council Meeting
Call to Order

Lance Robertson

Administrator/Assistant Secretary for Aging

Administration for Community Living

2
Roll Call

3
4

Greg Link, Director

Office of Supportive and Caregiver Services

Administration for Community Living

Agenda Overview and Updates
Agenda

12:45–1:00 Agenda Overview and Updates

1:00 – 1:20 Caregiver Voices: 

Overview of the NAC “Caregiver Stories Project”

1:20 – 4:20 Presentation of Recommendations [2:30-2:40 Break]

4:20 – 4:30 Final discussion, next steps, adjourn
6

Caregiver Voices: Overview of the NAC 

“Caregiver Stories Project”

Michael Reese Wittke

Senior Director, Public Policy and Advocacy 

National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC)
RAISE Council Meeting: 

Caregiver Vignette Project

Prepared by Mike Wittke, MPA

November 18, 2020
NAC Staff Training – CONFIDENTIAL – For Internal Use Only

National Alliance for Caregiving

Vision:

A society that values, supports, and empowers 

family caregivers to thrive at home, work, and 

life.

Mission:

We build partnerships in research, advocacy, and 

innovation to make life better for family 

caregivers.

National Alliance for Caregiving
NAC Staff Training – CONFIDENTIAL – For Internal Use Only

Today’s Presentation Overview

1. About the Caregiver Vignette Project

2. Collecting the Story Details

3. Featured Caregivers

4. Next Steps

Today’s Presentation Overview
NAC Staff Training – CONFIDENTIAL – For Internal Use Only

About the Project

• Caregivers Selected Reflect the Wide Diversity of Caregivers Across the United 

States

• Caregivers Have Some Knowledge About the Policy Landscape

• The COVID Spin – Zoom!

• Summarizing in 350 Words or Less

• Elevating the Work of the RAISE Council

• National Family Caregiver Month

About the Project
NAC Staff Training – CONFIDENTIAL – For Internal Use Only

NAC Network

NAC Network
Interview Questions

• About the Care Recipient

• About the Caregiver

• Challenges and Hurdles

• What Would Have Helped

• What Should Policy Makers and Society Know

Interview Questions
Caregivers
Caregivers Cont.
Social Media: National Family Caregiver Month

Social Media: National Family caregiver Month
Next Steps: Work in 2021

• Full Vignettes to be Posted on NAC and the RAISE Resource and 

Dissemination Center (NASHP) Website

• Each Vignette to Link to RAISE Recommendations

• Interviews to be Edited into Video Clips

• 2 Listening Sessions

• Dissemination Activities Among Policy Makers

Next Steps: Work in 2021
Thank you!

Michael Reese Wittke, BSW, MPA

Senior Director, Public Policy and Advocacy

National Alliance for Caregiving

mike@caregiving.org
Presentation of Council Recommendations

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Greg Link, Director

Office of Supportive and Caregiver Services

Administration for Community Living

Wendy Fox-Grage Project Director

RAISE Family Caregiving Resource and Dissemination Center

National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP)
GOAL 1

Family caregivers’ physical, emotional, and financial well-being will 

improve as a result of expanded awareness, outreach, and 

education.

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GOAL 1 - Recommendations

• Recommendation 1.1: Increase public awareness and recognition 

of the diverse needs, issues, and challenges family caregivers face 

and of the importance of recognizing and supporting them.

• Recommendation 1.2: Increase family caregivers’ selfidentification and awareness of, and access to, information, 

services, and supports across a range of topics.

• Recommendation 1.3: Improve outreach efforts to family 

caregivers to ensure early identification and access to services and 

supports.

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GOAL 1 - Recommendations (Continued)

• Recommendation 1.4: Support the development, or revision of, 

state, territorial, Tribal and local planning that focuses specifically 

on recognizing, including, and supporting family caregivers of all 

ages and is aligned with the National Family Caregiving Strategy.

• Recommendation 1.5: Promote the expansion and role of 

public/private partnerships at all levels that recognize, assist, 

include, support and engage family caregivers. 

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Non-Federal Council Members Vote on 

Goal 1 Recommendations

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GOAL 2

Family caregivers are recognized, engaged, and supported as key 

partners with providers of healthcare and long-term services and 

supports.

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GOAL 2 - Recommendations

• Recommendation 2.1: Ensure the impact of policy and practices on 

family caregivers are studied and understood before changes are 

made in healthcare systems.

• Recommendation 2.2: Identify and include family caregivers as 

essential members and partners in the care recipient’s care team. 

• Recommendation 2.3: Engage family caregivers through the use of 

evidence-supported and culturally sensitive family caregiver 

assessments to determine the willingness, ability, and needs of 

family caregivers to provide support.

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GOAL 2 - Recommendations (Continued)

• Recommendation 2.4: Increase the integration of care through 

the inclusion of family caregivers in all relevant care coordination 

and transitions across providers and settings and when desired 

by both caregiver and care recipient. 

• Recommendation 2.5: Strengthen the training of 

healthcare, social service, and allied professionals to maximize 

family caregiver engagement and referrals to services in the 

community.

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Non-Federal Council Members Vote on 

Goal 2 Recommendations

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GOAL 3

Family caregiver have access to an array of flexible person- and 

family-centered programs, supports, goods and services that meet 

the diverse and dynamic needs of family caregivers and care 

recipients.

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GOAL 3 - Recommendations

• Recommendation 3.1: Increase access to meaningful and culturally 

relevant information, services, and supports for family caregivers. 

• Recommendation 3.2: Increase the availability of high-quality, settingappropriate, and caregiver-defined respite services to give caregivers a 

healthy and meaningful break from their responsibilities.

• Recommendation 3.3: Increase the availability of diverse counseling, 

training, peer support, and education opportunities for family 

caregivers, including evidence-informed interventions.

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GOAL 3 - Recommendations (Continued)

• Recommendation 3.4: Expand caregiver support programs and 

services that maintain the health and independence of families by 

increasing access to housing, safe living accommodations, food, and 

transportation, and by reducing social isolation.

• Recommendation 3.5: Encourage use of technology solutions as a 

means of supporting family caregivers.

• Recommendation 3.6: Expand the use of vetted volunteers and 

volunteerism as a means of supporting family caregivers. 

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GOAL 3 - Recommendations (Cont’d)

• Recommendation 3.7: Improve the support of family caregivers 

during emergencies (e.g., pandemics, natural/manmade disasters).

• Recommendation 3.8: Increase the prevalence and use of future 

planning as a means for ensuring family members have the 

needed supports in place throughout the care recipient’s life.

• Recommendation 3.9: Increase and strengthen the paid long-term 

services and supports (LTSS) and direct support workforce.

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Non-Federal Council Members Vote on 

Goal 3 Recommendations

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GOAL 4

Family caregivers’ lifetime financial and 

employment security is protected and enhanced.

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GOAL 4 - Recommendations

• Recommendation 4.1: Decrease the negative financial impacts 

for family caregivers on both a short- and long-term basis.

• Recommendation 4.2: Advance the development and broad 

adoption of employee-centered flexible workplace policies and 

practices that support work/life balance and maintain performance 

when personal circumstances change.

33
GOAL 4 - Recommendations (Continued)

• Recommendation 4.3: Increase the availability, and use of, 

financial education and planning tools for family caregivers.

• Recommendation 4.4: Improve the affordability of long-term 

services and supports and reduce out-of-pocket costs for families 

through public and private payers.

34
Non-Federal Council Members Vote on 

Goal 4 Recommendations

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GOAL 5

Family caregivers are engaged stakeholders in a national research 

and data gathering infrastructure that documents their experiences, 

translates evidence into best practices, develops person- and 

family- centered interventions, and measures progress toward the 

National Family Caregiver Strategy.

36
GOAL 5 - Recommendations

• Recommendation 5.1: Establish a national infrastructure using 

standardized data, questions, and a definition of “family caregiver” for 

obtaining, analyzing, and disseminating information about caregivers and 

their experiences.

• Recommendation 5.2: Increase family caregiver research that facilitates the 

development and delivery of programs and services that support and 

enhance the health and well-being of the caregiver and care recipient.

• Recommendation 5.3: Increase the promotion, translation, and 

dissemination of promising and evidence-supported practices to support 

family caregivers in the delivery of healthcare and long-term services and 

supports.

37
Non-Federal Council Members Vote on 

Goal 5 Recommendations

38
Next Steps

Continue Report Development

• Ongoing drafting of key sections (Nov/Dec)

• Preliminary review by select ACL staff (Dec)

Stakeholder listening sessions (December)

• No formal council activities scheduled 

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Tentative Upcoming Meeting Schedule and 

Related Activities*

• January: Full council meeting

– Presentation: NASHP’s 

Medicaid Paper

– Review Federal Inventory 

Section

– Listening Sessions Report 

out

– Discussion: Council Review 

of Report Draft

• February: Subcommittee meetings

– Review and discuss report

– Prepare and provide feedback

• March: Full council meeting

– Report review and discussion

– Vote to move report into 

clearance 

40

*Schedule subject to change
Thank you

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