The nation’s first comprehensive school-based program created to identify and support Caregiving Youth has served more than 3,000 Caregiving Youth and their families in Palm Beach County and helped establish a model for the country.

BOCA RATON, Fla., September 30, 2026 | This fall, the American Association of Caregiving Youth (AACY) is marking the 20th anniversary of its Caregiving Youth Project (CYP), a Palm Beach County program that began in one middle school in 2006.

Today, CYP supports more than 700 students in 44 middle and high schools with formal in-school programming, plus students enrolled from additional schools across Palm Beach County. Since 2006, CYP has served more than 3,000 Caregiving Youth and their families. Students remain in the program an average of 5.5 years.

CYP was the first program in the United States created to identify and provide comprehensive direct services specifically for middle and high school students who provide ongoing care for a family member with a chronic health condition, physical limitation, mental health need, disability, or frailty due to aging, regardless of the age or diagnosis of the person they care for. Many take on the same kinds of responsibilities as adult family caregivers. CYP supports them in school, at home, and through year-round programming.

All CYP services are provided at no cost to participating youth and their families. The program depends on grants, individual donors, foundations, and community partners to make that support possible.

Today, CYP remains the nation’s only comprehensive school-based direct-service program for Caregiving Youth.

Once identified and enrolled with parental consent, students receive support at school, at home, and through connections to community resources.

Over the past 20 years, the experiences of CYP students and families, research involving CYP participants, and the program’s outcomes have helped bring Caregiving Youth into the national conversation and shape how the country recognizes and responds to them.

The program grew out of the doctoral research of Connie Siskowski, RN, PhD, AACY’s founder and president. As a student at Lynn University, Siskowski conducted research with Palm Beach Atlantic University and The School District of Palm Beach County, examining family caregiving among thousands of middle and high school students and how those responsibilities could affect their education.

“When I started this work, I knew these students were in our schools, but there was no system built to identify or support them,” said Siskowski. “The School District of Palm Beach County was willing to try something new. Because of that partnership, thousands of Caregiving Youth have received support while staying in school and caring for their families. No child in our country should have to choose between their own education and providing care for family.”

CYP participants have maintained a 98.3% high school graduation rate across the past 12 graduating classes, even as they balance school with significant family caregiving responsibilities.

Celebrating the 20th Anniversary

AACY will mark the milestone on November 1, the first day of National Family Caregivers Month, with its Caregiving Youth Champions’ Brunch.

AACY Caregiving Youth Champions’ Brunch
Sunday, November 1, 2026
Broken Sound Club, Boca Raton, Florida
11:30 a.m. Reception | 12:00 p.m. Program

The brunch will celebrate the Caregiving Youth Project and recognize the people who have helped sustain and strengthen it over the past 20 years.

The event is co-chaired by Ellyn Okrent and Neil Saffer.

Tickets and sponsorship opportunities:
https://aacy.ejoinme.org/20thAnniversary

For more information on tickets or sponsorships, contact julie@aacy.org.

About the American Association of Caregiving Youth

The American Association of Caregiving Youth (AACY) is the only organization in the United States dedicated solely to Caregiving Youth, regardless of the diagnosis of the family member receiving care.

AACY provides direct services in Palm Beach County through the Caregiving Youth Project and leads national work through its Caregiving Youth Institute. Founded by Connie Siskowski, RN, PhD, the organization works across education, healthcare, research, advocacy, and community systems to improve recognition and support for Caregiving Youth and their families.

American Association of Caregiving Youth Media Contact: Dr. Connie Siskowski 6401 Congress Avenue, Suite 200 Boca Raton, FL 33487 connie@aacy.org | 561-391-7401 | aacy.org