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Behind the Care: Families, Employment & the Budget Ripples
11/18/2025
Behind the Care: Families, Employment & the Budget Ripples
This month — as we honour National Family Caregivers Month — we turn our attention to the 63 million Americans who provide unpaid care for loved ones with disabilities or chronic health needs. That staggering number is nearly one in every four adults. () Here in Colorado, roughly 600,000 family caregivers contribute 560 million hours of unpaid care annually — a value of about $11.2 billion. () On this episode of The Shining Beautiful Series Podcast, host Katherine sits down with Cary Griffin to explore how caregivers are at the heart of employment and inclusion systems — yet often overlooked in policy, funding and workforce narratives. We’ll dig into: How the caregiving role intersects with paid employment, training and economic security What budget-pressures in Colorado, including recent cuts to critical programs like the Family Provider rates within the DD waiver and the Community Connector services, mean for caregivers and the people they support Survey findings from Our Back Office research: how caregivers are juggling employment, support teams, aging, and systems change Actionable ideas for families, providers and employment professionals to re-frame caregivers as part of the solution—not just recipients of support Whether you are a caregiver, a support professional, an employer, or someone who wants to understand the invisible backbone of community inclusion models better — this conversation is for you. Join us and discover how supporting caregivers isn’t a side conversation — it’s central to sustaining employment, inclusion and dignity for people with disabilities and their families. Additonal Data Resources: Administration for Community Living. (n.d.). 2022 National strategy to support family caregivers. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Colorado Department of Human Services, Division of Aging and Adult Services. (n.d.). Colorado aging and adult services. National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities. (n.d.). Bridging aging and disability networks.
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