Governor Evers’ current budget proposal includes a number of critical items that would assist family caregivers throughout Wisconsin. As the state legislature begins drafting their own budget proposal, please consider reaching out to your elected officials to share your stories and experiences as a family caregiver. This type of advocacy can have a huge impact on what is ultimately included in the final budget. To find out who your legislators are, visit www.legis.wisconsin.gov and enter your home address in the “who are my legislators?” box. Read on to learn more about what Governor Evers is proposing!
- Increase the Alzheimer’s Family and Caregiver Support Program (AFCSP) funding by $1 million over the biennium and increase the income limit from $48,000 to $55,000.
- Family and Guardian Training. Establishes mandatory training requirements for guardians.
- Recommends providing funding for DHS to award a grant to an organization with expertise.
- Training must be in plain language, web-based, online, and free, with printed versions available for free.
- Create and fund a one-year pilot ($60,000 in FY ’22) of the Tailored Caregiver Assessment and Referral (TCARE) protocol designed to support family members who are providing care to adults of any age with chronic or acute health conditions.
- Creates an individual income tax caregiver credit for qualified expenses up to $500.
- Requires hospitals to allow caregiver designation and to provide instruction for patient care after discharge.
- Requires DHS to conduct a one-year pilot to create a home care provider registry that can be used by individuals and provider agencies seeking workers, and to issue an RFP to select the software platform (does not provide funding).
- Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA):
- Permits leave to be taken to care for a grandparent, grandchild, or sibling with a serious health condition.
- Expands definition of “serious health condition” to include medical quarantine (for the individual or a caregiver).
- Applies the law to employers with fewer employees (25 min.) and reduces the number of hours an employee is required to work before qualifying (680 hours).
- Funds two additional staff positions for the WI Board on Aging and Long Term Care Ombudsman Program.
