Treat chronic pain’s isolation, too

I urge you to fund accessible peer support, integrated mental-health care, and practical assistance for people living with chronic pain and their caregivers. Chronic pain affects far more than the body. It can disrupt work, relationships, sleep, independence, and a person’s sense of identity. Isolation may deepen when someone cannot travel reliably or participate in activities designed around healthy bodies. Family and unpaid caregivers often carry complex responsibilities while navigating fragmented systems with little guidance or relief. Please establish sustained funding for accessible, peer-led chronic-pain support groups through community organizations, clinics, libraries, independent-living centers, and disability-serving agencies. Programs should be available in multiple languages and designed with people who live with chronic pain—not merely for them. Mental-health services should be integrated into pain care while respecting that chronic pain is not “all in someone’s head.” Patients need timely access to clinicians who understand disability, trauma, medication issues, and the emotional effects of persistent pain. Funding should also provide: ● Caregiver navigation and training. ● Respite services for family and unpaid caregivers. ● Accessible transportation. ● Virtual and telephone participation. ● Flexible attendance for people with unpredictable symptoms. ● Outreach to rural, homebound, and underserved residents. Please create a coordinated grant and service program developed with patients and caregivers. Require public reporting on accessibility, participation, unmet needs, and whether funded programs reach communities facing the greatest barriers. Community connection is not a luxury. It is part of humane, effective chronic-pain care.