Awakening America to the service and struggles of our nation’s military and veteran caregivers 1

2 The Role of Faith in Military Caregiving Steve Schwab Executive Director The Elizabeth Dole Foundation

3 A Personal Call to Action Senator Elizabeth Dole was inspired to launch the Foundation in early 2012 after she saw first-hand the struggles of the spouses, parents, and other loved ones caring for wounded, ill and injured warriors at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

Five core principles guide the philosophy of our Foundation: Conduct evidence-based research on the needs of military and veteran caregivers Empower caregivers Promote collaboration Drive innovation Raise awareness 4 Our Philosophy

Measuring the Crisis The Foundation commissioned the RAND Corporation to conduct the first nationwide, comprehensive study of America’s military and veteran caregivers The goals of the study were to: 5 Describe the magnitude of military caregivers in the U.S. Describe current policies, programs, and other initiatives designed to support military caregivers Identify specific recommendations for filling gaps in support

Measuring the Crisis 5.5 million Americans serve as military and veteran caregivers Caregivers provide nearly $14 billion worth of voluntary care, each year Military caregivers consistently experience more health problems, face greater strains in family relationships, and have more workplace problems than civilian caregivers Post-9/11 caregivers are 4 times more likely to suffer depression than civilian caregivers As 37% of post-9/11 caregivers are under the age of 30 years old, long-term financial and legal planning is critical Service and Sacrifice of Caregivers: 6

Measuring the Crisis 7 The Complete RAND Study is available online at: military-caregivers

Armed with the RAND Study results, the Foundation’s next step was to begin directly impacting the lives of these hidden heroes: Congressional Caucus and Caregiver Legislation Hidden Heroes National Coalition Dole Caregiver Fellows Program Innovation Grants Impact Councils Awareness Building Hidden Heroes Caregiver Community Preparing a National Response 8

Held February 2015 Impact Councils Hosted May 2015 Caregiver Summit Announced the Hidden Heroes Campaign Expanded the Dole Caregiver Fellows program Since we last saw you 9

The Foundation’s Dole Caregiver Fellows reflect the challenges faced by both pre- and post-9/11 caregivers Our Fellows are active caregivers—representing all 50 states and Puerto Rico—and serve as key ambassadors and advisors for the Foundation and its partners. The Foundation will be announcing its new class of Fellows on February 2, 2016 Dole Caregiver Fellows 10

The Foundation is leading a national effort to raise awareness and educate the public on military and veteran caregiver issues Actor Tom Hanks has agreed to chair the Hidden Heroes Campaign Hidden Heroes Campaign 11 At the 2015 Hidden Heroes Summit, keynoted by First Lady Michelle Obama, Tom Hanks announced the campaign and unveiled the Hidden Heroes Campaign logo in a video message

Senator Dole and Foundation representatives have briefed hundreds of high profile leaders, preparing decision-makers and cultural icons to serve as strong advocates for military and veteran caregivers: Campaign Partners White House Cabinet Secretaries Congressional Members Governors Mayors County Officials Celebrities 12

The Foundation’s Hidden Heroes National Coalition includes prominent leaders from the public, private, nonprofit, labor, government and faith communities Hidden Heroes National Coalition Over 300 Leaders and organizations Members will serve as: ▫ Campaign information dissemination partners ▫ Campaign spokespersons ▫ Campaign sustainability support ▫ Service providers for military and veteran caregivers 13

Community Support at Home Education and Training Employment and Workplace Support Interfaith Action and Ministry Financial and Legal Issues Mental and Physical Health Respite Care February 2015 Impact Councils 14

29% of military caregivers seek support for their caregiving responsibilities through a spiritual or religious outlet Faith-based programs created specifically for military caregivers are very scarce Many faith leaders and communities don’t have adequate resources in place to effectively support people who are struggling with such issues such as P.T.S., T.B.I., or depression as a result of caregiving Interfaith Action and Ministry 15

The Interfaith Action and Ministry Council has been tasked with identifying the disconnect between the caregiver and faith communities, and creating adequate resources to fill this gap Council members have collaborated extensively with Dole Caregiver Fellows and Staff since the February Impact Forum to create a plan of action Interfaith Action and Ministry 16

The Council has outlined a 4 part plan to address the gaps in services and support: 1.Create and disseminate a survey to faith and military caregiver communities 2.Use survey results to determine most critical areas of need 3.Create materials and identify existing programs and replicable resources 4.Leverage Hidden Heroes National Coalition to distribute materials to faith and military caregiver communities Interfaith Action and Ministry 17

Survey 18 EDFFaithSurvey Laurel Rodewald

Chaplain Craig Muehler CAPT, CHC, USN, (Ret.) Director, Ministry to the Armed Forces The Lutheran Church - Operation Barnabas Diana Dale CEO & President Worklife Institute 19 Promising Programs

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