Senate Appropriations Committee to Consider FY 2026 Funding Bill This Week!!!

ACTION NEEDED NOW to ENSURE FY 2026 FUNDING for VITAL FAMILY CAREGIVER PROGRAMS

Medicaid Advocacy Continues

Thank you for your unrelenting advocacy to save Medicaid. Last week, advocates led by Caring Across Generations and many others held a powerful 60 hour vigil on Capitol Hill to protect Medicaid in recognition of the program’s 60th Anniversary. I hope you were able to join in person or virtually. If not, you can still send a message to Congress to repeal the Medicaid cuts.

This week, Senate Appropriations Committee will consider FY2026 funding bill!

Most immediately, we need your help to urge funding for the Lifespan Respite Care Program and the National Family Caregiver Support Program, OAA Title III-E (NFCSP) when the Senate Appropriations Committee considers the FY 2026 Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations bill this Thursday, July 31.

We have new facts to amplify our voices! New data from the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP that show that the number of family caregivers has grown to 63 million, up 20 million just since 2015. Moreover, when asked what they want, more than one in three caregivers said respite services – the most requested support!

With millions of people, including family caregivers, expected to lose Medicaid HCBS services in the near future, these programs are more important than ever!

The National Respite Coalition (NRC), and more than 100 national, state, and local organizations, are requesting $20 million for the Lifespan Respite Care Program, the amount requested by our bipartisan House champions, Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and 7 other Members of the House, in their recent letter to the House Appropriations Committee. The NRC is also calling for meaningful increases for the NFCSP.

TAKE ACTION: Grassroots action is the most important way to ensure increased funding for Lifespan Respite and other critical programs.

Contact your Senators. Call your Senators this week at 202-224-3121 and when connected to the office, ask for health, disability or appropriations staff. If you don’t reach them, leave a message! Find your Senators!

MESSAGE:

Include $20 million for the Lifespan Respite Care Program and meaningful increases for the NFCSP in the FY 2026 Labor, HHS, and Educations Appropriations bill.

Lifespan Respite and family caregiver support programs may be the only safety nets for the millions of family caregivers who are likely to lose Medicaid coverage in the near future. Among the nation’s 63 million family caregivers, more than 1 in 3 rank respite care as their top service need.

Strengthening the Lifespan Respite Care Program and NFCSP perfectly align with the Administration for Community Living’s National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers that calls for a range of respite options to meet family caregivers’ unique needs.

Make it personal! Share your personal caregiving or respite story about why respite is important to you or why family caregivers in your state need respite care.

Post your message on social media and be sure to tag your House member and Senators!

NRC Actions Taken to Increase Funding

Congressional Letter. Letter to the House Appropriations Committee was sent from Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and 7 other Members of the House, requesting $20 million for the Lifespan Respite Care Program.

NRC Testimony. The NRC submitted testimony to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee in support of this vital increase for the Lifespan Respite Care Program in the next fiscal year.

National and State Organization Letter. The NRC organized a letter from 40 national organizations and 64 state and local organizations in 23 States to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees in support of $20 million for the Lifespan Respite Care Program and increased funding for the NFCSP in the FY 2026 Labor/HHS/Education Appropriations bill.

CCD Letter. The Developmental Disabilities, Autism, and Family Supports Task Force of the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities sent a letter of support from 21 national organizations, including the National Respite Coalition, requesting $20 million for the Lifespan Respite Care Program, and funding for other vital disability programs.

For more action steps and talking points, see the most recent National Respite Coalition Alert and share with your networks.