California Task force on Family Caregiving: Picking up the Pace of Change in California
University of Southern California Family Caregiver Support Center – Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles, CA
“Existing policies in California to support [4 million] caregivers have not kept pace with changing needs.”
In response to this plea, the California Task Force on Family Caregiving was created by the California Legislature in September 2015 through assembly Concurrent Resolution (ARC)38 to examine the challenges faced by family caregivers and primarily caregivers of those living with dementia. Funded by the Archstone Foundation and AARP, USC’s Family Caregiver Support Center convened a diverse, multicultural team of professionals and lay caregivers to conceive of, research, and propose a set of policies with the following fundamental values: supporting diverse needs, including cultural awareness, cultural competency and sensitivity, person and family-centered care, work-life balance, choice, and options for caregivers (e.g., capacity to be a caregiver) and support paid caregivers.
The final report, “Picking up the Pace of Change in California,” included seven actionable recommendations, released to the public, and available online. To date, several pieces of legislation have directly or indirectly been influenced by the work of this groundbreaking Task Force. Several members were appointed to the California Master Plan on Aging, where they continue to bring forward the goals and recommendations of the Task Force, resulting in heightened inclusion of caregiver needs in the plan development. States and countries, including China, have used the report as a template to build efforts to secure funding for caregiver services in their communities.