HHS Backs AI Innovation for America’s Caregivers

WASHINGTON—NOVEMBER 18, 2025—The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced a new $2 million Caregiver Artificial Intelligence Prize Competition to support the 1 in 4 Americans serving as caregivers for older adults and people with disabilities.

This initiative through HHS’ Administration for Community Living (ACL) recognizes the millions of caregivers who support aging relatives and loved ones with disabilities. Their compassion and commitment form the backbone of America’s long-term care system, helping older adults and people with disabilities live with dignity and independence at home and in their communities.

Despite their essential role, many family and friend caregivers remain unseen and unsupported, often facing emotional, physical, and financial strain. Nearly half of caregivers report worsening mental health and only one in four say they are in good physical health. As staffing shortages and high turnover continue in direct care, family caregivers are being asked to do more with fewer resources.

“America’s caregivers carry our nation’s most vulnerable on their shoulders, and they do it with a strength and devotion that rarely gets the recognition it deserves,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “With the Caregiver AI Challenge, we are advancing the goals of the Make America Healthy Again Strategy Report by mobilizing innovation to lighten caregivers’ load and ensure every family has the support they need to care for the people they love.”

To strengthen support for family caregivers and sustain the network that helps prevent the health care system from shouldering the full burden of care, HHS is investing in innovative AI solutions. The AI Prize Competition will fund and recognize innovators developing tools that:

• Support caregivers—including family, friends, and the direct care workforce—in providing safe, person-centered care at home.
• Support employers by improving efficiency, scheduling, and training in the caregiving workforce.

These tools aim to educate, assist, and reduce administrative strain so caregivers can focus on their own well-being and the people they care for.

The prize competition builds on existing efforts by HHS and ACL to support family caregivers and direct care workers, including the National Family Caregiver Support Program, the Lifespan Respite Care Program, National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers, RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council, Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, and the Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center.

“Through this prize competition, we aim to identify technologies that empower caregivers and expand access to high-quality care at home,” said Acting Administration for Community Living Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging Mary Lazare. “ACL is committed to advancing scalable, practical solutions that improve the lives of the millions of Americans who give and receive care every day.”

For updates on the competition, visit ACL’s Caregiver AI Prize Competition page.