Thank Congress for Supporting Family Caregivers

The House has passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, which would fund the Department of Health and Human Services through September 30, 2026. The Senate is expected to vote on the bill next week.

Thanks to your advocacy, the Lifespan Respite Care Program will receive $11 million in FY 2026—a $1 million increase over FY 2025. While modest, this increase reflects continued bipartisan support for respite care and family caregivers.

The bill also includes funding increases for the National Family Caregiver Support Program, the Native American Caregiver Support Program, and the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers.

These gains were hard-won, and they matter—especially as millions of family caregivers and the people they support face potential losses in Medicaid home- and community-based services.

The National Respite Coalition is deeply grateful to the National Respite Network, State Respite and Caregiving Coalitions, national partners, and friends who reached out to their Representatives and Senators to make this possible during these challenging times.

Bill Highlights

• Family Caregiver Programs. The bill includes $11 million for the Lifespan Respite Care Program, a $1 million increase over FY 2025, and $209 million for the National Family Caregiver Support Program, and $14 million to carry out the Native American Caregiver Support Program. Within the total provided, the agreement includes $5.5 million for Care Corps.
• National Family Caregiver Strategy. Within the total, the agreement provides $3 million, an increase of $1 million, to support demonstration grants that develop, test, and scale models that implement commitments and recommended actions from the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers.
• Disability Programs. The Committee provides funding for important programs proposed for elimination by the Administration: Paralysis Resource Center, Limb Loss program, and University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities.

Additional details are available in the Joint Explanatory Statement for Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (included funding tables) and in the Bill Summary.

TAKE ACTION NOW
Please thank your Members of Congress for supporting family caregiver programs in the FY 2026 funding bill.

📞 Call 202-225-3121

Ask to be connected to your Representative’s or Senator’s office (or provide your ZIP code). Request health, disability, or appropriations staff. If unavailable, leave a message.

Suggested Message:

Thank you for supporting funding increases for the Lifespan Respite Care Program and the National Family Caregiver Support Program in the FY 2026 Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations bill included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026.

Family caregivers are the backbone of our long-term services and supports system. Programs like Lifespan Respite may be the only safety net for millions of caregivers and care recipients who could lose Medicaid coverage in the near future. Among the nation’s 63 million family caregivers, more than one in three identify respite care as their top service need.