According to a 2009 report by the National Alliance for Caregiving, there are 16.8 million unpaid family caregivers of children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) in the US. As health care costs rise, CYSHCN are increasingly dependent on home-based family caregivers to meet their formal health care needs. Despite this, family caregivers do not receive the training or ongoing support they need from health care systems.  In August 2013 a factsheet sheet was written that describes the emotional, physical and financial costs to CYSHCN family caregivers and the need for an available support system. It was written by U of MN MCH student Jess Nelson, a 2012-2013 MN LEND Fellow, and Donna Yadrich, Patient/Family Advocate & 2012-2013 AMCHP Family Scholar.

– To read this factsheet, go to: http://lend.umn.edu/docs/LEND-Family_Caregiver-FACT_SHEET-9-13-13.pdf.