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MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today announced 29 appointments to serve on the Governor’s Task Force on Caregiving. The goal of the Task Force is to analyze strategies to attract and retain a strong direct care workforce and support families providing caregiving supports and services.
“Caregivers provide critically important care and services, and it is essential that we recognize the important contributions these unsung heroes make to families in Wisconsin,” said Gov. Evers. “These Task Force members bring a wealth of knowledge and personal experience that will be essential in helping us improve our direct care system while developing a plan to support and retain our caregivers so we can ensure folks in our communities have the resources and they need to live and age with dignity across our state.”
Serving on the Task Force will be:
- Sen. Kathy Bernier - Wisconsin State Senator, Chippewa Falls
- Sen. Patty Schachtner - Wisconsin State Senator, Somerset
- Rep. Chuck Wichgers - Wisconsin State Representative, Muskego
- Rep. Deb Kolste - Wisconsin State Representative, Janesville
- Stephanie Birmingham - Advocacy Coordinator, Options for Independent Living, Inc., Green Bay
- Susan Rosa - Volunteer Leader, Caregiver Challenge, Cable
- John Sauer - President/CEO, LeadingAge Wisconsin, Madison
- Lisa Schneider - Executive Director, Respite Care Association of Wisconsin, Appleton
- Lisa Pugh - State Director, The Arc Wisconsin, Stoughton
- Beth Sweeden - Executive Director, Board for People with Developmental Disabilities, Madison
- Helen Marks Dicks - Associate State Director for Advocacy, AARP Wisconsin, Madison
- Jane Mahoney - Caregiving Specialist, Greater Wisconsin Agency on Aging Resources, Madison
- Irma Perez - Bilingual Community Services Coordinator, Broadscope Disability Services, Milwaukee
- Michael Pochowski - CEO, Wisconsin Assisted Living Association, Madison
- Todd Costello - Executive Director, Community Living Alliance, Oregon
- Ted Behncke - President, St. Coletta of Wisconsin, Jefferson. Veteran.
- LaVerne Jaros - Director, Kenosha County Division of Aging & Disability Services, Pleasant Prairie
- Jason Endres - Retired Consumer, Eau Claire
- William Crowley - Ombudsman, Disability Rights Wisconsin, Milwaukee
- Delores Sallis - Founder, Parent University, Milwaukee
- Anne Rabin - Family Caregiver, Pleasant Prairie
- Mo Thao-Lee - Co-founder/President, Universal Home Health Care, Inc., Sheboygan
- Elsa Diaz-Bautista - Executive Director, Alianza Latina Aplicando Soluciones (ALAS), Whitefish Bay
- Margie Steinhoff - Family Caregiver and IRIS Consultant, TMG/Magellan Health, Beaver Dam
- Jane Bushnell - Vice President, Knapp’s Development, Inc., Prairie du Chien
- Adien Igoni - CEO, Flora Homecare LLC, Glendale
- Mike Lauer - Campaign Director, Services Employees International Union, Shorewood
- Carol Bogda - Oneida Nation Social Services/Elder Services Coordinator, Green Bay
- Sharon Cornell - Caregiver for husband, a veteran, Appleton
In February, Gov. Evers signed Executive Order #11 creating the Task Force on Caregiving. The Department of Health Services will staff and support the Task Force and will work with the Department of Workforce Development to provide data and other technical assistance as necessary.
Executive Order #11 charges Task Force members with developing strategies to attract and retain a strong workforce, improve compensation and other benefits for caregivers, and establish a provider registry to help connect more families to the care they need. Many caregivers are family members or unpaid. The Task Force looks to help address the needs of all caregivers in Wisconsin.
The first meeting of the Governor’s Task Force on Caregiving is scheduled for September 25.
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