Elizabeth Dole Foundation Celebrates Landmark Victory in RAISE Family Caregivers Act

Law Establishes National Family Caregiving Strategy

Washington, D.C.– January 22, 2018 – The Elizabeth Dole Foundation applauds the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act, signed into law today by President Trump. The long overdue legislation, which the Foundation and more than 60 national organizations have fought for over the past two years, is a significant milestone in support of America’s 40 million family caregivers, including our nation’s 5.5 million military caregivers —the spouses, parents, loved ones, and friends caring for wounded, ill, or injured service members and veterans at home.

“This groundbreaking legislation requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop a National Family Caregiving Strategy to provide specific actions that providers, government officials, employers, and others can take to recognize and support the unique needs of caregivers that are too often overlooked,” said Senator Elizabeth Dole, Founder of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. “We look forward to working closely with HHS in moving this important work forward.”  

The National Family Caregiving Strategy will encourage the sharing of evidence-based best practices that maximize the effectiveness of existing programs in support of family caregivers. In addition, the bill requires the Secretary of HHS to convene a Family Caregiving Advisory Council, which includes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or the Secretary’s designee.   

The Foundation and its Dole Caregiver Fellows have actively championed this legislation every step of the way. The Foundation closely collaborated with Senate bill sponsor Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), Committee on Education and Workforce Chairwoman Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), and AARP to ensure a strong bill that would positively impact caregivers nationwide and achieve strong bipartisan, bicameral support. In addition, Senator Dole, Hidden Heroes Ambassador Ryan Phillippe, and several Dole Caregiver Fellows testified in support of the RAISE Act during a hearing in front of the Senate Special Committee on Aging in June of last year. Most recently, more than 60 Dole Caregiver Fellows discussed the importance of the bill in more than 120 advocacy meetings with their lawmakers in November surrounding the Elizabeth Dole Foundation and VA’s 2nd Annual Convening.