Lifespan Respite Care Program
Authorizing Legislation: Title XXIX of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C 201)
The Purpose of the Program and How it Works
The Lifespan Respite Care Program was authorized by Congress in 2006. In FY 2009, Congress appropriated
$2.5 million for grants to eligible State agencies to implement the program. Lifespan Respite Care programs
are coordinated systems of accessible, community-based respite care services for family caregivers of
children or adults of all ages with special needs.
Lifespan Respite Care programs bring together Federal, state and local resources and funding streams to
help support, expand and streamline the delivery of planned and emergency respite services while also
providing for the recruitment and training of respite workers and caregiver training and empowerment.
The Lifespan Respite Care Act is intended to accomplish several objectives, including:
- Expanding and enhancing respite services in the states;
- Improving coordination and dissemination of service delivery between the various programs
available;
- Improving access to programs by streamlining the means by which consumers access programs and by
filling gaps in service where necessary; and
- Improving the overall quality of the respite services currently available.
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2009 Lifespan Respite Care Program Grantees
In May 2009, the U.S. Administration issued a Program Announcement seeking applications from eligible
State agencies to implement the Lifespan Respite Care Program. On September 24, 2009, Assistant Secretary
Greenlee announced the twelve states to be funded in 2009. To learn more about how each state will be
implementing Lifespan Respite Care Programs, please click on the State name below to read a project
summary:
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Resources and Useful Links
The ARCH National Respite Network
http://chtop.org/ARCH.html
Full text of the Lifespan Respite Care Program legislation may be found at:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/T?&report=hr716&dbname=109&
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| Last Modified: 11/24/2009 11:55:17 AM |
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