Congress funds family caregivers—the unpaid backbone of home care
S. 3271 — In-Home CARE Act · Filed by Cory Booker (D-NJ) · 2 cosponsors · Introduced Nov 20, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill creates a federal grant program to fund home visiting services for family caregivers—unpaid relatives or close individuals caring for someone with a chronic illness, disability, or functional limitation at home. Grants would go to local governments, health care entities, and nonprofits to conduct in-home assessments, provide education and training (medication management, wound care, fall prevention, mental health support), connect caregivers to community resources, and offer follow-up support for up to 6 months. The goal is to help family caregivers do their job better and enable people to stay home longer instead of moving to institutions or hospitals.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core function is straightforward: establish a competitive grant program to fund home visiting and education services for unpaid family caregivers. It is a direct public health and social support measure with no hidden mechanisms or narrow beneficiaries.
What the text implies
- By funding caregiver training and support, the bill may reduce demand for institutional long-term care (nursing homes, assisted living), which could affect the long-term care industry's revenue if adoption is widespread.
- The program's success depends on uptake and sustainability; without ongoing appropriations or demonstrated cost savings to Medicare/Medicaid, grants may lapse after 3 years, leaving caregivers without support.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
nonprofit and community organizations providing caregiver services; local government agencies; health care entities and home health providers