President Biden Signs Executive Order on Increasing Access to High-Quality Care and Supporting Caregivers
Calling it “the most comprehensive set of executive actions any president has ever taken to make care more affordable and accessible for hardworking families and further support care workers and family caregivers,” the Biden-Harris administration announced a series of executive orders (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/04/18/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-most-sweeping-set-of-executive-actions-to-improve-care-in-history/) to broaden the availability of support services and resource across the United States. The April 2023 order (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/04/18/executive-order-on-increasing-access-to-high-quality-care-and-supporting-caregivers/) included more than 50 directives for government agencies, such as the Department of Health and Human Services.
- Make child care and long-term care more accessible and affordable for families.
- Improve access to home-based care for veterans.
- Boost job quality for early educators.
- Enhance job quality for long-term care workers.
- Support family caregivers.
- Advance domestic workers’ rights.
- Ease construction of early childhood facilities for tribes.
- Engage affected communities.
“It is the policy of my administration to enable families—including our military and veteran families—to have access to affordable, high-quality care and to have support and resources as caregivers themselves,” Biden said (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/04/18/executive-order-on-increasing-access-to-high-quality-care-and-supporting-caregivers/). “It is also the policy of my administration to ensure that the care workforce is supported, valued, and paid well. Additionally, care workers should have the free and fair choice to join a union.”