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Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006

Date: Dec. 6, 2006
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Health and Health Care


LIFESPAN RESPITE CARE ACT OF 2006 -- (House of Representatives - December 06, 2006)

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Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3248, the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006, and I am glad to be a cosponsor of this legislation. Respite care programs are an integral part of the long-term delivery systems for long-term care. All too often family caregivers provide arduous and ongoing care for aging and disabled loved ones. The programs contained within this legislation seek to provide interim relief in these situations and for those overextended families.

Despite the numerous Federal programs that have the potential to fund respite services, there is no single coordinated caregiver friendly program to support the development or implementation of lifespan respite care services. Even where resources are available many families cannot find providers who are adequately trained to care for people with disabilities who can provide them the temporary relief that they desperately need.

The Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006 would authorize the award of grants and cooperative agreements to eligible State agencies to develop or enhance lifespan respite care programs at the State and local levels. These grants and cooperative agreements would provide assistance to programs that provide training, information, counseling and access to the range of publicly supported long-term care programs for family caregivers of children and adults with special needs.

State agencies would work to ensure meaningful involvement of family members, family caregivers and care recipients. This bill would also establish the National Resource Center on Lifespan Respite Care to provide technical assistance, information referral and educational programs on lifespan respite care.

Without respite and other services of support for family caregivers, many are forced to quit their jobs or reduce their paid employment. Other would-be caregivers are forced to place their relatives in unwanted and more costly institutional or foster care programs.

H.R. 3248 enjoys a great deal of bipartisan support, as well as support from a diverse stakeholder community, including Easter Seals, the National Education Association, the National Mental Health Association and the Children's Defense Fund. I would like to thank Mr. Ferguson for sponsoring this legislation and urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this bill.

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