Empowering Caregivers
Our mission is to translate research into reform, modernizing workplace protections for Colorado's 600,000+ family caregivers. Through nonpartisan advocacy and legislative strategy, CASI ensures those who care for others are cared for in return.
Our Approach: Three Intersecting Frameworks
CASI operates at the intersection of three critical systems:
PRIVATE SECTOR: Employers need legal clarity for accommodation requests and workforce retention strategies that reduce turnover costs.
PUBLIC POLICY: Legislators need revenue-neutral solutions that strengthen workforce stability during budget crises.
HOME CARE: Families need workplace protections that allow caregivers to maintain employment while managing care responsibilities.
Our policy frameworks serve all three constituencies simultaneously—aligning economic incentives with social outcomes.
Our Mission
The Caregiver Advocacy Support Initiative (CASI) provides nonpartisan research, policy frameworks, and legislative strategy to modernize workplace protections for family caregivers. We bridge the gap between private sector employment practices, public policy, and home care systems—positioning caregiving as essential infrastructure rather than private burden.
Colorado's 600,000+ family caregivers provide an estimated $13 billion in unpaid care annually. When workplace discrimination forces these caregivers to choose between employment and care responsibilities, the economic consequences are catastrophic: workforce exits, lost tax revenue, and premature institutionalization that costs Colorado Medicaid $75,000-120,000 per nursing facility resident annually.
CASI exists to prevent this collapse through evidence-based policy advocacy.
Leadership
Mark Fukae
Founder & Executive Director
Mark Fukae founded CASI in 2024 after nearly a decade as a family caregiver navigating workplace discrimination, institutional barriers, and the systemic gaps in caregiver support infrastructure.
As Title I Coordinator for Family & Community Engagement at Denver Public Schools (serving 90,000+ students across 200+ schools), Mark manages complex data systems, multilingual compliance requirements, and volunteer services coordination. He is also Director of Advocacy for Professionals Who Care and a registered Colorado volunteer lobbyist advocating for caregiver workplace protections.
Mark publishes 'The Revenue Neutral Caregiver' newsletter and podcast on Substack, analyzing governance and policy through a caregiving lens. His work focuses on a single premise: caregiving is not a private problem requiring private solutions—it is public infrastructure requiring legal protection.
Our Research Methodology
CASI employs rigorous, nonpartisan analysis grounded in:
- Colorado-specific demographic and fiscal data from HCPF, DORA, and legislative fiscal notes
- Comparative policy analysis from jurisdictions with caregiver protections
- Economic modeling of Medicaid savings through prevented institutional placements
- Stakeholder consultation with employers, disability advocates, labor organizations, and legislative staff
- Cost-benefit frameworks using existing state agency data
We do not advocate for unfunded mandates, new bureaucracies, or speculative programs. Every CASI recommendation includes fiscal analysis, implementation timelines, and administrative feasibility assessments.
What We Don’t Do
CASI does not provide:
- Direct caregiver services or case management
- Legal representation for individual discrimination cases
- Benefits navigation or social services referrals
- Fundraising for other organizations
- Partisan political endorsements
- Membership programs or events
Our sole focus is legislative policy analysis and advocacy for systemic workplace protections.
Contact & Media Inquiries
Mark Fukae, Founder & Director
Email: mark_fukae@casiadvocacy.org
Website: casiadvocacy.org
For weekly policy analysis:
Subscribe to 'The Revenue Neutral Caregiver' on Substack
CASI is a nonpartisan advocacy initiative. 501(c)(3) nonprofit status pending.