HP0397
LD 519
First Special Session - 123rd Legislature - Text: MS-Word, RTF or PDF LR 1122
Item 2
Bill Tracking Chamber Status

Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following:

‘Resolve, Regarding Supplemental Services under the National Family Caregiver Support Program’

Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and before the summary and inserting the following:

Emergency preamble. Whereas,  acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and

Whereas,  this legislation authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct a demonstration project of supplemental services until June 30, 2008; and

Whereas,  in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore, be it

Sec. 1. Supplemental services under the National Family Caregiver Support Program. Resolved: That the Department of Health and Human Services shall initiate a demonstration project regarding the provision of supplemental services provided under the federally funded National Family Caregiver Support Program until June 30, 2008 as provided in this section.

1. Supplemental services. The supplemental services must be offered through the 5 Area Agencies on Aging under contracts with the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Elder Services and must include supplemental services on a one-time, limited basis. The services for the consumer and those services that are necessary to support the family caregiver's role and to complement the care provided by the family caregiver must be determined by a collaborative process of the consumer, the family caregiver and the family caregiver program coordinator for the local Area Agency on Aging, working together to complete the screening tool. The maximum amount of funding for supplemental services available for each consumer is $1,000.

2. Administration. Funding for the supplemental services demonstration project is $40,000 for each Area Agency on Aging, of which up to 10% may be expended for administrative costs.

A. The family caregiver program coordinator at each Area Agency on Aging shall use a screening form to identify unmet needs developed at the state level through a collaborative process and, after provision of the supplemental services, shall conduct a written survey with the family caregiver and consumer and request written confirmation that the funds have been used for the designated purposes.
B. Priority must be given to family caregivers of elderly family members, who have the greatest social and economic need.
C. Demonstration project funding may be used, without prior approval of the Office of Elder Services, for family respite services, assistive technology, simple home modifications, individual and household needs such as clothing, heating oil and rent, homemaker services, personal care, health maintenance, home health services, physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy and community connections. If other uses of these funds are requested, the family caregiver program coordinator at the local Area Agency on Aging must get prior approval from the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Elder Services.
D. The local Area Agency on Aging may determine to purchase a service or product in paragraph C on behalf of the family caregiver.
E. Funding under the demonstration project may not be used to provide respite or adult day services to caregivers of persons who are eligible for or receiving other state-funded or Medicaid-funded home and community-based services, including private duty nursing, personal care services, and respite care for people with Alzheimer's and related disorders, except when there is a waiting list for those services.

Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.

summary

This amendment changes the bill to a resolve and changes the title. The amendment directs the Department of Health and Human Services to initiate a demonstration project regarding the provision of supplemental services provided under the federal National Family Caregiver Support Program. The project will provide funding of $40,000 per Area Agency on Aging and will fund up to $1,000 per consumer.

FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)


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