About CASI
Positioning Caregiving as Infrastructure, Not Burden
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.
Why Now: The 2026 Legislative Opportunity
Colorado faces an $850 million budget shortfall for FY 2026. In this constrained environment, legislative proposals requiring general fund appropriations face significant headwinds.
The Colorado CARE Act represents a strategic solution: workforce protection that generates Medicaid savings ($9-18M annually) while requiring zero new state spending. By modernizing the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act to include 'caregiver status' as a protected class, we prevent the workforce exodus and premature institutionalization that occur when family care systems fail.
This is not about new programs or expanded services. This is about updating 21st-century employment law to reflect 21st-century workforce realities.
Private Sector
Employers need legal clarity for accommodation requests and workforce retention strategies that reduce turnover costs.
Our Approach: Three Intersecting Frameworks
CASI operates at the intersection of three critical systems:
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.