The Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act has been two years in the making and the Foundation is letting Congress know, it’s time to pass this bill! As we push for a vote, our team is meeting directly with Members and key staff to convey the facts of the legislation. The Foundation testified before a joint hearing of the Senate Committees on Aging and Veterans Affairs to lay out the legislation’s life-saving provisions. And we are currently working side by side with the nation’s leading veteran service organizations to mobilize our communities behind the bill.
Just this past week, our policy team led education sessions with key Hill staff on details of the bill. And our Dole Caregiver Fellows joined together to co-author a letterto Congress on why they are counting on the passage of this critical legislation. More information is below, including how you can help us ensure that the promises of this bill become a reality.
As the Foundation continues our push on Capitol Hill, we are thrilled to have the fresh energy and perspectives of the Foundation’s newly announced 2024 Class of Dole Caregiver Fellows. I am always in awe of our Fellows for the selflessness they show in contributing their precious time to the Foundation’s mission, their determination to drive change, and their courage in opening their lives to others so that we can all better understand the sacrifices we are asking of our military and veteran families. Follow the links below to learn about their collective accomplishments and all they bring to our movement.
The Foundation also recently announced a promising new partnership with EMD Serono at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting. Foundation Board Chair Secretary Bob McDonald and I announced EMD Serono’s generous support of the Foundation’s mental wellness programming, including the expansion of new services that we will offer directly to military caregivers. Stay tuned for more details!
L to R: Catharine Crimes (Bristol Myers Squibb), Secretary Bob McDonald, Martin Whalen (Bristol Myers Squibb), Steve Schwab at ASCO.
Secretary Bob also presented the keynote address at ASCO’s convening on supporting veterans with cancer and their caregivers, which is an urgent and growing issue following the passage of the PACT Act. I’m grateful to our partners at Bristol Myers Squibb for supporting ASCO’s endeavor to conquer cancer among veterans and support those who care for them at home.
The Foundation’s team members were also on the road this month, presenting at the National Alliance on Mental Illness National Convention. Our Senior Director of Programs, Lisell Perez-Rogers, teamed with military mental health advocate and mental health counselor Rebecca Mullaney to present on the Caregiver Mental Wellness Framework. You can learn more about the Mental Wellness Framework, built in partnership with our dedicated allies at Philips, below and on our website. As we commemorate PTSD awareness month, we invite you to share it with military caregivers, their veterans, and families in your network.
Warmly,
Steve Schwab
CEO
Elizabeth Dole Foundation
EDF in the News
The Elizabeth Dole Foundation lead a presentation on military and veteran caregivers for the second year at the National Alliance on Mental Illness National Convention (NAMICon) in Denver, CO. EDF’s Senior Director of Programs, Lisell Perez-Rogers, and Mental Wellness Specialist Rebecca Mullaney attended the conference to present on the Caregiver Mental Wellness Framework, a resource developed by the Elizabeth Dole Foundation in collaboration with military and veteran caregivers, mental health professionals, and human-centered design experts that identifies key dimensions of military and veteran caregivers’ lives that impact their mental wellness. The presentation detailed the development of the Framework and included an interactive discussion in which participants applied their own thoughts and experiences to the Framework’s six dimensions.
Rebecca Mullany, Dole Caregiver Fellow Maggie Bristol, and Lisell Perez-Rogers at NAMICon.
Secretary Bob McDonald delivers his keynote address at ASCO.
The Foundation was honored to collaborate with our partners at EMD Serono and Bristol Myers Squibb in Chicago, IL for the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting. Our Board Chairman, Secretary Bob McDonald and CEO Steve Schwab spoke at events throughout the weekend. Every year, more than 50,000 veterans are diagnosed with cancer-related illnesses. It is crucial that we support the more than 450,000 veterans and their caregivers fighting this terrible disease. We were honored to highlight the needs of caregivers and their veterans, and we extend our heartfelt gratitude to EMD Serono and Bristol Myers Squibb for their generous pledge to invest in our programs, furthering our mission.
News you can use
Recently, Uber introduced several new initiatives, including Uber Caregiver. We are engaging with Uber to learn more about how this can benefit our broader community of military and veteran caregivers.
June is PTSD awareness month
About 70% of people worldwide will experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. Veterans are more likely to have PTSD than civilians, and multiple studieshave found that caregivers can develop PTSD themselves while caring for a loved one with severe illnesses. The National Center for PTSD is the world’s leading research and educational center of excellence on PTSD and traumatic stress has resources available. Talking about PTSD helps reduce stigma. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with PTSD, it’s okay to talk about it.
The legislation package will be life-saving and life-changing for caregivers, veterans, and survivors. It has the bipartisan support of the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman. The Elizabeth Dole Foundation also joined 26 other veteran service organizations in strongly endorsing the legislation, which would:
Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act: Expand access to Home- and Community-Based Services at every VA medical center, which would provide severely ill and aging veterans with more and better options to receive their care at home rather than in institutions.
HOME Act: Ensure veterans can get the resources they need to be lifted out of homelessness.
Caring for Caregivers: Creates mental health care grants for certain caregivers who become strained by the demands of providing help and support to veterans with heightened needs. Provides a pathway to advocacy for organizations to provide veteran families support navigating VA’s caregiver and long-term care services.
Improving Access to Care: Helps ensure that decisions between veterans and their VA providers about seeking care in the community are honored. Enhances access to critical Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Programs for mental health and substance use disorder treatment.
Increasing Home-Based Care Resources: Removes limits on how VA can support the home-based care needs of veterans who don’t pursue nursing home care. Ensures all VA medical centers can support critical programs like Veteran Directed Care and Purchased Skilled Home Care.
Honoring the Fallen: Expands education benefits for surviving families. Removes archaic language that penalizes surviving spouses from moving forward after their loss.
Despite the overwhelming support of those most affected by the bill, its passage is uncertain. Contact your Congressional Members today and urge them to Pass H.R. 8371, the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act, to give caregivers and veterans more control over their care and provide them the support they desperately need.
Staff Spotlight: Liz Rotenberry
Liz Rotenberry’s journey with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation began nearly a decade ago when she applied to become a Dole Caregiver Fellow. She was caring for her husband, Chuck, a Marine Corps veteran, and she wanted to share the lessons she had learned while helping him manage and recover from his traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress. Their experience had been difficult at times, particularly as Chuck’s symptoms emerged while still on active duty, and Liz was determined to make the road easier for other caregivers. After her fellowship, Liz went on to join the Foundation as the Fellows Program Coordinator before being promoted to the program’s Senior Manager, and then Director of Caregiving Policy.
Liz has dedicated herself to not only growing the Fellows program, but ensuring it represents the cross-section of military caregivers in America. She has also overseen the launch of the Fellows Alumni Association, which has kept the Foundation’s nationwide network of caregivers engaged in advocating and serving their peers. Liz’s oldest son, Kris, is now following in his mom’s footsteps, joining the Foundation as a volunteer representative of caregiver kids, whom the Foundation has coined Hidden Helpers. Kris has spoken on stage at Heroes & History Makers and recently was the focus of a 60 Minutes piece developed with the assistance of the Foundation on our country’s hidden helpers.
2024 Fellows Bring Diverse Experiences, Optimism to Role
The Foundation announced its 2024 Class of Dole Caregiver Fellows last month, naming 15 military and veteran caregivers to represent the growing millions of Americans who care for someone who has served. The Fellows will receive training from the Foundation to serve as community builders and voices of firsthand experience in their home states. They will also have opportunities to share their perspectives with elected officials and national leaders.
Representing: California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New York, Texas
Caring for: Spouses, Parents, and Children
Who are: Pre- & Post-9/11 Veterans
Who served in: Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy
This year’s class brings a rich diversity to the Fellows program, reinforcing the Foundation’s commitment to represent the broad experiences and backgrounds of America’s hidden heroes. Among their stories are a daughter caring for her stepfather suffering the effects of Agent Orange, a spouse challenging the stigma of mental health within her Asian community, a member of the Navajo Nation working to bring VA facilities to American Indian Reservations, and a reformed gang member who repaired his strained relationship with his veteran father and now oversees his care.
Despite their full schedules and 24/7 responsibilities, these Fellows already stand out as advocates and resources for their peers. One spouse caring for her husband marshaled support to pass a state bill to enhance educational benefits for disabled veterans and their families. Another caregiver leads peer support groups for military families struggling with PTSD. Several Fellows have earned degrees in social work and psychology and have gone on to staff suicide prevention hotlines and serve as therapists to veterans and their loved ones.
The Foundation is grateful to all our Fellows for their active role in supporting their peers. Visit our website to learn more about the amazing members of the Class of 2024!
Save the Date!
June 28 – Supporting Our Military Families and Hidden Helpers
In collaboration with Nemours Children’s Health and the office of Senator Tom Carper, the Elizabeth Dole Foundation is proud to present Supporting Our Military Families and Hidden Helpers in Wilmington, DE on June 28. In spring 2024, Nemours and EDF launched Caring for Children and Teens in Military Caregiving Families: A Three-Part Professional Development Training for Healthcare Providers and Care Team. The courses and supplemental resource guide are publicly available through Nemours’ learning management system and offer 1.75 continuing education credits for healthcare providers.
This month’s event highlights the awareness of the unique challenges facing children in military and veteran families, and particularly those children in caregiving homes. The Foundation is excited to partner with Nemours and Senator Carper to bring attention to these important issues and amplify the work of the Hidden Helpers Coalition. Follow along on social media for live coverage of the event and look out for the live stream link!
September 24 – 9th Annual National Convening
Don’t miss your chance to join us on September 24 for the 9th Annual National Convening on Military Caregiving in Arlington, Virginia. This year’s event will capture the attention of the nation as we reveal the results of the most comprehensive study ever conducted on military caregivers, three years in the making! We will present the RAND report publicly for the first time, giving attendees a detailed look into the experiences of today’s military and veteran caregivers, and their families. The data will expose alarming gaps in support in critical areas and detail how significantly the population of hidden heroes has evolved since our 2014 landmark study. Be on the lookout for an official invitation soon!
Donor Spotlight: USAA
With more than 100 years of history, USAA has set the bar high for corporate responsibility and meaningful impact in the military and veteran community. As a partner of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, USAA has taken the extra step beyond being an investor; it is a true collaborator in our work.
With the generous support of USAA and the USAA Foundation, the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, created the Campaign for Inclusive Care (CIC).
CIC is a culture change initiative that embraces and empowers caregivers and clinicians to work together to improve veteran healthcare outcomes. External review of the program has proven that Inclusive Care increases provider satisfaction, reduces caregiver stress, increases patients’ medication adherence, and reduces emergency department visits. To date, over 10,000 providers have been trained, impacting millions of veterans and their caregivers.
In addition, EDF is fortunate to be working alongside USAA, the USAA Foundation, and founding partners, Reach Resilience, an Endeavors Foundation and the Humana Foundation, on Face the Fight. Face the Fight is working to break the stigma surrounding suicide in the military community by raising awareness and fostering real, open conversations around support and hope. With a veteran suicide rate 71.8% higher than the national average, caregivers often find themselves on the front lines of suicide prevention. The Elizabeth Dole Foundation team leads the Face the Fight Coalition, a growing cohort of 175+ corporations, foundations, nonprofits, and government liaisons charged with raising awareness and support. On June 29, Face the Fight will celebrate its one-year anniversary.
We are also proud to have Wayne Peacock, USAA CEO and President, serving as Vice Chair of our Board of Directors. The impact and generous support of USAA and the USAA Foundation makes our work at the Elizabeth Dole Foundation possible, and we are so honored to accomplish our goals alongside them.
Let’s Connect
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