NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR CAREGIVING

SINCE 1996, THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR CAREGIVING (NAC) HAS BEEN A CATALYST FOR CHANGE, TRANSFORMING HOW THE UNITED STATES RECOGNIZES, SUPPORTS, AND VALUES OUR 63 MILLION FAMILY CAREGIVERS PROVIDING COMPLEX CARE. THROUGH OUR NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED RESEARCH AND OUR ADVOCACY FOR THE FIRST-EVER NATIONAL STRATEGY TO SUPPORT FAMILY CAREGIVERS, WE DRIVE THE POLICY, SYSTEM, AND CULTURE CHANGE NEEDED TO MAKE FAMILY CAREGIVERS A NATIONAL PRIORITY. WITH MORE THAN 50 MEMBERS, WE BUILD PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS AGING, DISABILITY, HEALTHCARE, PHILANTHROPY, AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO MAKE CAREGIVING MORE SUSTAINABLE, EQUITABLE, AND DIGNIFIED.DURING 2024 PROGRAMMING INCLUDED:SHAPING FEDERAL POLICY TO VALUE CARE - IN 2024, NAC LED A DYNAMIC ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN TO STRENGTHEN THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT. AS A PART OF OUR CAREGIVER NATION SUMMIT HILL DAY, MORE THAN 100 ADVOCATES FROM 22 STATES CAME TO WASHINGTON, DC. THESE GRASSROOTS CHAMPIONS MET WITH 100+ CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES TO SHARE POWERFUL STORIES ABOUT HOW OAA PROGRAMS ENABLE CAREGIVERS TO HELP OLDER ADULTS LIVE INDEPENDENTLY WITH DIGNITY. OUR COORDINATED ADVOCACY, ALONGSIDE PARTNERS, HELPED DRIVE THE ACT'S PASSAGE THROUGH THE SENATE. IN FEBRUARY 2024, NAC CHAMPIONED CRUCIAL UPDATES TO OAA REGULATIONS THAT EXPANDED SUPPORT FOR FAMILY CAREGIVERS THROUGH THE AGING SERVICES NETWORK. THE ADMINISTRATION FOR COMMUNITY LIVING EXPANDED THE DEFINITION OF FAMILY CAREGIVERS TO INCLUDE UNMARRIED PARTNERS, FRIENDS, AND NEIGHBORS, WHILE ESTABLISHING CAREGIVERS AS AN ELIGIBLE SERVICE POPULATION AND REQUIRING THEIR INPUT IN STATE AND LOCAL SERVICE PLANNING. THIS ENSURES OAA PROGRAMS BETTER ADDRESS THE CHANGING NEEDS OF FAMILY CAREGIVERS. RESHAPING MEDICARE SUPPORT SYSTEMS THE 2025 MEDICARE PHYSICIAN FEE SCHEDULE MARKED A TURNING POINT IN RECOGNIZING FAMILY CAREGIVERS' VITAL ROLE IN HEALTHCARE DELIVERY. NAC'S ADVOCACY THROUGH THE ACT ON RAISE CAMPAIGN AND CANCER CAREGIVING COLLABORATIVE SECURED EXPANDED ACCESS FOR CAREGIVER TRAINING, PARTICULARLY FOR COMPLEX MEDICAL TASKS. PROTECTING CAREGIVERS' FINANCIAL FUTURE RESPONDING TO OUR RESEARCH SHOWING DEVASTATING FINANCIAL IMPACTS ON FAMILY CAREGIVERS, NAC MOBILIZED ITS NETWORK TO REFORM CREDIT PRACTICES. THE CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU'S JUNE 2024 PROPOSED RULE TO STRENGTHEN THE FAIR AND ACCURATE CREDIT TRANSACTIONS ACT SEEKS TO PREVENT CREDITORS FROM USING MEDICAL DEBT IN CREDIT DECISIONS. THE NATIONAL STRATEGY TO SUPPORT FAMILY CAREGIVERS, LAUNCHED IN 2022, IS TRANSFORMING SUPPORT FOR OUR NATION'S 53 MILLION FAMILY CAREGIVERS PROVIDING COMPLEX CARE. THANKS TO NAC'S ADVOCACY FOR FEDERAL FUNDING, PUBLIC REPORTING, AND ALIGNED POLICYMAKING, NEARLY ALL FEDERAL ACTIONS ARE COMPLETED OR UNDERWAY, WITH AGENCIES COMMITTING TO 40 NEW ACTIONS SINCE LAUNCH. SUPPORT FOR THE NATIONAL STRATEGY HAS HELPED SECURE AN ADDITIONAL $22 MILLION IN FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING WHILE LEVERAGING $100 MILLION IN PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT.CATALYZING A MOVEMENT AT OUR CAREGIVER NATION SUMMIT - OUR SECOND ANNUAL CAREGIVER NATION SUMMIT BROUGHT TOGETHER 600+ CAREGIVERS, POLICYMAKERS, AND ADVOCATES IN-PERSON AND VIRTUALLY TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF CAREGIVING POLICY.DELIVERING CREDIBLE RESEARCH TO DRIVE ACTION - NAC'S EVIDENCE-BASED RESEARCH EQUIPPED ADVOCATES, POLICYMAKERS, AND EMPLOYERS WITH CRUCIAL DATA TO DRIVE EQUITABLE SUPPORT FOR FAMILY CAREGIVERS. WE RELEASED "GAPS AND OPPORTUNITIES: FAMILY CAREGIVER PROGRAMS IN U.S. TRANSPLANT CENTERS," A REPORT THAT ANALYZED THE CAREGIVER SUPPORT PRACTICES AND RESOURCES OF 114 TRANSPLANT CENTERS NATIONWIDE. OUR RESEARCH INFORMED 500 PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS SPANNING HEALTHCARE AND ECONOMICS, CONTRIBUTING TO A ROBUST EVIDENCE BASE TO TRANSFORM CAREGIVER SUPPORT THROUGH POLICY AND PRACTICE INNOVATIONS. A HIGHLIGHT INCLUDED OUR LANDMARK RESEARCH PROJECT WITH AARP INCLUDED IN THE 2024 ECONOMIC REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT, MAKING THE CASE FOR INVESTMENTS IN LONG-TERM CARE SERVICES AND SUPPORTS.STRENGTHENING OUR NETWORKS TO CATALYZE CHANGE - IN 2024, WE EXPANDED AND STRENGTHENED OUR NETWORKS TO DRIVE SYSTEMIC CHANGE FOR FAMILY CAREGIVERS AT BOTH STATE AND NATIONAL LEVELS. WE LAUNCHED THE CAREGIVER NATION NETWORK, PARTNERING WITH GRANTMAKERS IN AGING TO UNITE GRASSROOTS CHAMPIONS ACROSS 10 STATES FOR PEER-LED ADVOCACY AND LEARNING. THE NETWORK HAS SHAPED LOCAL CAREGIVING NARRATIVES AND POLICY CHANGE, RESULTING IN EIGHT STATES ADOPTING NATIONAL FAMILY CAREGIVERS MONTH PROCLAMATIONS ALIGNED WITH THE NATIONAL STRATEGY TO SUPPORT FAMILY CAREGIVERS.THROUGH OUR CANCER CAREGIVING AND TRANSPLANT CAREGIVING COLLABORATIVES, WE UNITED MORE THAN 500 MEDICAL EXPERTS, FAMILY CAREGIVERS, AND PATIENT ADVOCATES IN TRANSFORMING SERIOUS ILLNESS SUPPORT. THESE INITIATIVES DELIVERED 10 EDUCATIONAL EVENTS FOCUSED ON ADVANCING HEALTH SYSTEM SOLUTIONS FOR SERIOUS ILLNESS CAREGIVING.WITH SUPPORT FROM THE ADMINISTRATION FOR COMMUNITY LIVING, WE LAUNCHED THE CREATING AND ADVANCING CAREGIVING RESEARCH AND EVIDENCE (CARE) NETWORK. THIS INITIATIVE AIMS TO IMPROVE OUR NATION'S CAREGIVING RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE, WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON ENHANCING THE DELIVERY OF CAREGIVER SUPPORTS AND SERVICES.