Central News (Central News Agency, reporter Tseng Yi-ning, Taipei, July 1) The Legislative Yuan's Health and Welfare Committee convened a public hearing on the amendment of the Long-Term Care Services Act today, with various parties focusing on the issue of insufficient long-term care manpower. Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare, Lu Chien-te, stated that a three-phase plan is being formulated to integrate foreign labor into the long-term care system, and agreed that tiered caregiver classifications would help promote professional development. The Social Welfare and Health Environment Committee of the Legislative Yuan held a public hearing today on the amendment of the "Long-Term Care Services Act," inviting experts, scholars, practitioners, non-governmental organizations, and user representatives to jointly examine the challenges faced in promoting Long-Term Care 3.0. DPP legislator Lin Yueh-chin pointed out that the Ministry of Health and Welfare estimates that an average of about 4,000 additional caregivers will be needed each year over the next 10 years to support the growing care demands. She also noted that many counties and cities are already experiencing a shortage of professional care management personnel and suggested a review of manpower allocation. KMT legislator Wang Yu-min stated that many groups have previously advocated for the formal inclusion of foreign caregivers, currently used by over 200,000 people, into the long-term care system. Now that long-term care is entering its 3.0 phase, the government should make appropriate adjustments. Li Shih-hung, chairman of the Taiwan Community-Based Long-Term Care Strategy Alliance, pointed out that the caregiver industry has flourished since the launch of Long-Term Care 2.0 in 2017, but manpower growth has slowed in the past four years. Since Long-Term Care 1.0, home care services have been defined to include physical care and domestic services. However, due to potential unnecessary behaviors and troubles d