CEO Ben Bledsoe joins the RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council Image

Ben Bledsoe, Chief Executive Officer of Consumer Direct Care Network, has been named to the RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council, the Administration for Community Living (ACL) announced Wednesday.

Bledsoe is among 15 voting members of the council which is charged with “providing recommendations on effective models of family caregiving and support to family caregivers, as well as improving coordination across federal government programs. These recommendations will support the development and execution of a national family caregiving strategy.”

The Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, Engage (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act (S. 1028/H.R. 3759) requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop, maintain and update a strategy to recognize and support family caregivers. The RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council will help bridge the skills gap that is widening between communities, providers, government, and family caregivers. The council will work to develop a national family caregiving strategy.

In a statement announcing council members, ACL Administrator Lance Robertson said, “The number of family caregivers, including grandparents who are raising grandchildren, is significant and growing. They are the backbone of our country’s caregiving system and supporting them is critical. ACL is proud to lead the implementation of the RAISE Family Caregivers Act and the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act. We are excited to announce the membership of the two advisory councils, and we are looking forward to the inaugural meetings.”

To view the full list of advisory council members please click here.