Supporting Our Direct Care Workforce and Family Caregivers Act
Sponsored By: Senator Kaine, Tim [D-VA]
Introduced
Summary
Builds and professionalizes the direct care workforce. This bill would create a national technical assistance center and a competitive grant program to recruit, train, retain, and advance direct care workers while supporting family caregivers.
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- Families and family caregivers: Funds projects and training to integrate family caregivers as essential team members and to give them education and support services.
- Direct care workers: Requires career pathways and advancement for workers, with not less than 30 percent of projects offering advancement opportunities, wage progression for on-the-job training tied to federal or state minimums, and supportive services like transportation and child care.
- Older adults and people with disabilities: Seeks to improve care quality by standardizing curricula, aligning with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services core competencies, and adding anti-abuse protections.
*Would increase federal spending by authorizing $1.0 billion in grants for FY2027 and $2.0 million per year for the technical assistance center for FY2027–FY2031, with authorized funds available through FY2036.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
National center and funding
If enacted, the bill would create a national technical assistance center to set training standards, career ladders, recruitment strategies, and data approaches for direct care workers and family caregivers. The bill would authorize $2 million a year for the center for each fiscal year 2027 through 2031 and would authorize $1 billion in grants for fiscal year 2027. Authorized funds would remain available until September 30, 2036. The Center would issue recommendations on curricula, credentials, apprenticeships, recruitment campaigns, and evaluation methods.
Grants to build the care workforce
If enacted, the bill would require HHS to award competitive grants within 12 months to fund projects for direct care workers, managers, self-directed care professionals, and family caregivers. Grants could cover multiple project types and at least 30% of funded projects would need to create career pathways for direct care workers. Eligible applicants would include States, unions or employer groups, nonprofits with aging or disability experience, tribes, community colleges, and consortia. Applicants would need to include older adults, people with disabilities, direct care workers, and family caregivers as advisors or trainers and consult the State Medicaid agency when appropriate. Grant recipients would have to spend at least 5% of funds on direct cash help or supportive services for direct care workers (except for family caregiver grants), keep administrative costs at or below 5%, and use grant money to add to, not replace, existing funds.
Training plans and wage progression
If enacted, grant applicants would have to submit detailed project plans. Plans must show demographics, unmet need, an advisory committee with stakeholders, and labor market data. Training must use CMS core competencies and teach recipient rights, abuse reporting, and culturally and disability-competent supports. Any on-the-job training must include a clear schedule of rising wages tied to skill gains or credentials, and entry wages must be at least the federal minimum wage or higher if state law or a union requires it. Projects must also describe supportive services, outreach, and data collection.
Reporting, evaluation, and oversight
If enacted, grant recipients would have to submit annual data and cooperate with evaluations. The Secretary would hire an independent evaluator within 6 months and must send annual reports to Congress starting within 2 years. The Comptroller General would study and report within 1 year after all projects finish. Reports would include participant demographics, employment outcomes, use of supports, and satisfaction measures.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Kaine, Tim [D-VA]
VA • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]
IL • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]
MN • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
NY • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
OR • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH]
NH • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
RI • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov