Capitol Correspondence - 09.16.19

ANCOR Joins Letter of Support for Re-Introduced Care Corps Legislation

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As part of its work with the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), ANCOR joined seven other organizations in a letter expressing support for legislation that would create a National Care Corps of volunteers to assist with the growing need for caregivers in the United States. ANCOR has long been a lead supporter of this legislation.

As written in the letter:

“More than 65 million Americans provide care for a loved one who has a disability, is chronically ill, or is elderly and spend an average of 20 hours per week providing care. For caregivers of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), the levels of responsibility are not only greater, but frequently lifelong. There are approximately 3 million family caregivers of persons with I/DD in the U.S. According to The Arc’s Family and Individual Needs for Disability Supports (FINDS) survey, the majority of these family caregivers provide more than 40 hours of care per week.

Family caregivers alone will not support the long-term services and supports needs of individuals with disabilities and older adults who want to continue to live at home and in the community. By placing Corps volunteers in communities where they will provide services that help seniors and individuals with disabilities remain independent in their communities and support their family caregivers, the Care Corps Demonstration Act will provide important gap-filling resources.”