Langevin Presses for Renewal of Respite Care Program; Bill Needed to Support RI Effort

Press Release

Having played a lead role in raising awareness about the value of respite care and creating a funding stream to support it, Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) today announced a bipartisan effort to renew and strengthen the program he worked to establish, which has helped Rhode Island and 29 other states improve the quality and affordability of long-term care.

Langevin introduced the Lifespan Respite Care Reauthorization Act (H.R. 3266) with his fellow co-chair of the Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus, Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA). In a video message, he urged attendees at the National Lifespan Respite Conference, which began today in Phoenix, AZ, to be engaged in the legislative process and to call and write their representatives about the importance of respite services.

"In the midst of a passionate debate on rising health care costs and our growing federal deficit, policymakers often overlook the contribution that millions of families make by providing full time care for their aging or disabled loved ones," said Langevin. "Family caregivers are our nation's silent heroes, ensuring family stability and helping those with chronic and disabling conditions avoid more expensive out-of-home placements. This legislation will give an additional lift to those caregivers and provide cost savings for our health care system."

In 2009, AARP estimated that family caregivers provide nearly $450 billion annually in uncompensated care, a staggering statistic that exceeds annual federal and state spending on Medicaid. However, we could achieve greater savings, while allowing more patients to stay at home in the company of loved ones, if more families had access to respite services.

"As Congress searches for thoughtful solutions to improve America's health care system, it is crucial that we find common bipartisan ground upon which we can agree," said McMorris Rogers in a message to the conference. "I believe that respite care can be one of those areas where both parties can work together to make a positive difference in the lives of millions."

The legislation provides competitive grants to states, reauthorizing the program Langevin worked to pass in 2006, which allowed funding for five years to start or enhance Lifespan Respite systems. Short-term, or respite, care offers individuals or family members temporary relief from the daily routine and stress of providing care and is critical to maintain family stability and the health of the caregiver. Respite is the most frequently requested support service among the 65 million family caregivers nationwide, but nearly 90 percent do not receive services.

States have used the resources to identify and coordinate services through various agencies, recruit and train workers, and carry out public education campaigns. A $200,000 grant to the Rhode Island Department of Elderly Affairs has supported a project that partners the agency with the Parent Support Network in Johnston, the Diocese of Providence and The Point in Warwick to provide caregivers information about and easier access to available resources when they need help.

"We have made great progress over the past three years by increasing access to respite care across Rhode Island because of this funding," said Lisa Conlan-Lewis, Director of Rhode Island TimeBanks at Parent Support Network. "As we see time and again in our efforts to help family caregivers of individuals of all ages and disabilities, a brief respite is an invaluable benefit that keeps loved ones at home with their families. However, our efforts cannot continue without the additional resources this bill will help provide."

Funding from this legislation can be used to care for individuals across the lifespan, recognizing that long-term care issues impact families dealing with a variety of circumstances, such as a soldier injured in war, a spouse with multiple sclerosis or Alzheimer's, or a child with autism. More than half of long-term care recipients are under age 75 and almost one-third (28 percent) are under age 50.

"A critical aspect of the Lifespan Respite Care program is that it serves all individuals and families -- regardless of their age or disability. People living with multiple sclerosis are typically diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, a period of life which existing respite services often do not support. In many cases, Lifespan Respite is literally the only open door for caregivers of people with MS to get the short-term relief necessary to keep families healthy," said David Chatel, Executive Vice President of Advocacy for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. "We applaud Representatives Langevin and McMorris Rodgers for their bipartisan effort to reauthorize this program and for their steadfast commitment to our nation's 65 million family caregivers."

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