Supporting Our Direct Care Workforce and Family Caregivers Act

Workforce Advancement: The bill requires that at least 30 percent of projects provide career pathways that offer opportunities for professional development and advancement for direct care professionals (Section 4(a)(3)).

Support for Family Caregivers: Grants are available to provide educational, training, or other resources to support both paid and unpaid family caregivers (Section 4(a)(2)(D)).

Financial Assistance for Workers: Grant recipients (excluding those focused solely on family caregivers) must use at least 5 percent of funds to provide direct financial benefits or supportive services to help workers with their financial needs (Section 6(a)(3)).

Training Quality and Safety: Project plans must include training regarding the rights of recipients—such as the right to be free from abuse, neglect, or exploitation—and must ensure a safe work environment (Section 5(b)(6)).

Creation of a National Resource: The establishment of a national technical assistance center is intended to support the creation, recruitment, training, and retention of the direct care workforce (Section s 3(a)(1)).

Funding Limitations on Administration: Eligible entities are restricted from using more than 5 percent of grant funds for administrative costs (Section 6(a)(2)).

Requirement to Supplement Existing Funds: The bill dictates that grant funds must be used to supplement, not supplant, money that would otherwise be available to address workforce needs (Section 6(b)).