Care Can't Wait

A care infrastructure that supports caregivers and families will allow us to build back better.

Care infrastructure includes comprehensive supports and services for caregivers, who are providing both paid and unpaid care, and support for those who need care for children and aging, ill, or disabled family members. Government investment in a comprehensive care infrastructure, including living wages, benefits, and a pathway to citizenship for those who need it, is an investment in a strong and equitable caring economy that benefits us all.

Together with our partner Caring Across Generations, we’ve joined the #CareCantWait coalition to advocate for universal access to paid family leave, affordable and quality child care and caregiving options for people with disabilities and aging adults. Investing in our nation’s care economy will create jobs and boost economic recovery for millions of American caregivers and families.

Policy Demands

The coalition is working to ensure that the upcoming federal recovery package has broad support in Congress and includes:

• Investing $400 billion to Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services to create over one million union protected direct care jobs, expanding access to home and community-based services to people with disabilities and aging adults, and support unpaid family caregivers to re-join the labor force.
• Passing the Child Care for Working Families Act to ensure that no family pays more than 7% of their income for child care and that early educators have pay parity.
• Passing Paid Family and Medical Leave Legislation to ensure all working people have access to at least 12 weeks of paid leave to bond with a new child, address a personal or family related illness, or handle needs that arise from a military deployment.

Read the Policy Agenda