Federal funds open up for respite care

More than two years after passage of the federal Lifespan Respite Care Act, Congress has allocated $2.5 million for the program, which will help states establish programs to assist family caregivers in accessing affordable and high-quality respite care services.
In addition, funds will be used to create a National Resource Center on Lifespan Respite Care to better coordinate and monitor respite services.
“Many families are struggling to care for loved ones while balancing jobs and household duties because adequate home and community based programs remain difficult to find,” said U.S. Rep. James R. Langevin, D-R.I., in a news release. “By funding respite care programs, we are taking a proactive step toward providing quality at-home care for millions of Americans with special needs, while preventing caregiver burnout.”
Locally, the Parent Support Network of Rhode Island is working on new respite care programming as the state implements its new global Medicaid waiver.
Cathy Ciano, executive director of the Parent Support Network, said the group has joined the ARCH National Respite Coalition and is currently recruiting members for a state coalition.
Langevin noted that Congress also recently passed the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act, which seeks to avert redundancies and encourage collaborative research in paralysis and improve the quality of life for people living with paralysis and mobility impairments.
“These two pieces of legislation are about providing better care for individuals with chronic diseases and disabilities,” he said. “I will continue to advocate for both programs and make sure they receive appropriate funding and support.”
To learn more about the Parent Support Network of Rhode Island, go to www.psnri.org.