Alabama's Advancing State Implementation of the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers - The Alabama Department of Senior Services (ADSS), in partnership with the Alabama Lifespan Respite Resource Network™ (Alabama Lifespan Respite), a program of United Cerebral Palsy of Huntsville and Tennessee Valley, Inc. (UCP), the Alabama Lifespan Respite Coalition (Coalition), and other partners proposes to implement the principles, goals, recommendations, and actions contained in the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers. Specifically, the following goals of the Strategy will be addressed: (Goal 1) Increase awareness of and outreach to family caregivers; (Goal 3) Strengthen services and supports for family caregivers; and (Goal 5) Expand data, research, and evidence-based practices to support family caregivers. To accomplish these goals, ADSS and its project partners will utilize new strategies to achieve the key objectives: 1) Reach underserved populations; 2) Increase collaboration with new state agency partners and its local offices across the state; 3) Strengthen caregiver identification and internal referral processes within the AAA/ADRCs; 4) Enhance caregiver well-being by expanding access to respite care and evidence-based mental health support and education; and 5) Utilize data and insights from the Caregiver Wellness Initiative. The projected outcomes include: 1) Reaching new caregivers to provide support; 2) Increased partnerships and cross-training; 3) Improved workflow and efficiency identifying new caregivers and sending referrals; 4) Increased respite hours and mental health counseling to benefit caregivers; and 5) Decreased stress, anxiety, isolation, and depression experienced by caregivers. Specific products will also be developed that will include: 1) Magazine print ads; 2) Digital banner ads; 3) Caregiver toolkits; 4) Standardized caregiver information packets and referral tools; and 5) Data to be shared with the Alabama Department of Mental Health (ADMH) and other collaborative partners to determine the effectiveness of free and accessible mental health counseling and supports for family caregivers.
