Respite CARE Act
- Bill Number
- S. 3231
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Social Welfare
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-11-20: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-02T14:57:13Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Respite Care and Resources for Everyone Act (Respite CARE Act) aims to improve support for family caregivers by amending the Older Americans Act of 1965. It focuses on creating and growing programs that combine short-term relief (respite care) with other helpful services for caregivers of older adults, people with Alzheimer's or related brain conditions, or children and individuals with disabilities.
Key Provisions
- Grant Program: The Assistant Secretary (likely referring to the head of the Administration for Community Living under the Department of Health and Human Services) can award grants to eligible organizations to build or expand "integrated caregiver support services." These services provide respite care—temporary care for the person being cared for, which may include health or child care—alongside other support like counseling, training, or assistance groups, all in the same place and time.
- Eligible Recipients: Grants go to state or local government agencies, nonprofit organizations, area agencies on aging (local groups that plan services for older adults), providers of multipurpose senior centers, colleges or universities, or Tribal organizations.
- Application Process: Organizations must apply as specified by the Assistant Secretary, including details on how they will use the funds.
- Use of Funds: Money must be used to offer accessible services, such as through technology (e.g., apps or devices), in multiple languages, with translation help for non-English speakers, or in formats like American Sign Language. Services can be provided directly by the grant recipient or through contracts with licensed health care providers or child care providers.
- Definitions:
- Family Caregiver: An unpaid adult relative or friend providing in-home or community care to an older person, someone with Alzheimer's or similar conditions, or an "older relative caregiver" (a person 55+ caring for a child or disabled adult relative, often when parents can't).
- Respite Care: Temporary relief care for the care recipient, including health or child care.
- Child Care Provider: Licensed centers, family-based home care, or similar services that meet state quality standards (or federal rules for Tribes).
- Health Care Provider: Doctors, hospitals, or community health centers as defined in federal health laws.
- Other terms align with existing laws, like those for Indian Tribes.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill adds a new Section 415 to Title IV of the Older Americans Act of 1965, which previously focused on general aging services but did not specifically mandate integrated respite and support programs for family caregivers. It builds on existing sections (like 373(b) for support services) by requiring combined delivery of respite care and other aids, emphasizing accessibility and partnerships with health/child care providers. It does not alter funding levels but introduces a targeted grant mechanism.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Increases responsibilities for the Administration for Community Living to administer grants, potentially requiring more oversight and coordination with state, local, and Tribal entities. It may strain budgets if not paired with new funding but could ease long-term costs by supporting informal caregivers and reducing reliance on public programs like nursing homes.
- On Citizens: Family caregivers—often relatives without pay—gain better access to relief and resources, reducing burnout and improving care quality for older adults, people with dementia, or vulnerable children/disabled individuals. This could help millions of unpaid caregivers, especially in underserved areas or non-English speaking communities.
- On International Relations: No direct impact, as the bill is domestic and focused on U.S. aging and family support systems.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Family Caregivers: Primary beneficiaries, including adult children caring for aging parents, relatives of people with brain disorders, and older adults raising grandchildren or disabled relatives.
- Care Recipients: Older individuals, those with Alzheimer's or related conditions, children in kinship care, and people with disabilities who receive better-coordinated support.
- Service Providers: Nonprofits, senior centers, universities, government agencies, Tribal organizations, health clinics, and licensed child care providers that can apply for or deliver grants.
- Government Entities: Federal (e.g., Department of Health and Human Services), state, local, and Tribal agencies involved in aging, health, and child services.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens the Older Americans Act's framework by integrating it with child care and health laws (e.g., Child Care and Development Block Grant Act, Public Health Service Act), promoting consistency without creating new mandates. It ensures services meet existing licensing and quality standards, avoiding conflicts.
- Constitutional: Aligns with federal spending power under the Constitution for social welfare programs; no apparent issues with states' rights, as participation is voluntary via grants.
- Political: Highlights bipartisan support for family caregiving (introduced by Senators from different parties), potentially advancing aging policy amid growing U.S. demographics of older adults and "sandwich generation" caregivers. It could influence future funding debates but raises questions about implementation costs and equity for rural or Tribal communities.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (2)
Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY], Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ]
Recent Actions
- 2025-11-20: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 2025-11-20: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Respite Care and Resources for Everyone Act — issued 2025-11-20 — PDF (7 pages)