South carolina's implementation of the national strategy to support family caregivers

The South Carolina Department on Aging received a $372,521 Cooperative Agreement award from the Administration for Community Living (ACC), effective September 1, 2025 through August 31, 2027, under the National Family Caregiver Support Program (CFDA 93.052). This funding supports South Carolina's implementation of the 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers, a federal initiative designed to strengthen state-level systems serving both family caregivers and older relative caregivers. The agreement aligns with the broader federal program objective of establishing multifaceted caregiver support services across the state.

Under this Cooperative Agreement, the South Carolina Department on Aging will develop and implement a comprehensive caregiver support system delivering core services including information and referral services for caregivers, counseling and training assistance to help caregivers manage their responsibilities, respite care to provide temporary relief from caregiving duties, and supplemental services to complement informal care arrangements. These services will be coordinated through the department's existing network of Area Agencies on Aging and community partners, leveraging the agency's extensive experience administering federal aging programs and sub-awarding funds to local service providers statewide. The two-year project period allows for planning and implementation phases, with sustainability planning requirements to ensure ongoing state commitment beyond the federal funding period.