RESPITE SERVICES H.B. 4476 (H-1): FLOOR ANALYSIS
House Bill 4476 (Substitute H-1 as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Representative Barb Vander Veen
House Committee: Family and Children Services
Senate Committee: Health Policy
CONTENT
The bill would create the "Michigan Lifespan Respite Services Resource Act" to require the Director of the Department of Community Health (DCH) to establish the Michigan Lifespan Respite Services Resource Network, in order to develop and encourage statewide coordination of respite services and to work with community-based private nonprofit or for-profit agencies, public agencies, and interested citizen groups to engage in networking community lifespan respite services information resources.
The Network would have to do the following:
-- Develop and distribute respite services information.
-- Promote information exchange and coordination among State and local governments, community lifespan respite services programs, agencies serving individuals who need respite care, families of individuals unable to care for themselves, and respite care advocates to encourage efficient provision of respite services and reduce duplication of effort.
-- Promote a statewide network of community lifespan respite services.
-- Establish a respite care website and toll-free respite care information hotline.
Legislative Analyst: Julie Koval
FISCAL IMPACT
This bill would have an indeterminate fiscal impact on the Department of Community Health. Funding would need to be provided (either through a new appropriation or a redirection of current appropriations) to pay for costs related to the establishment of the program as well as administrative costs necessary for maintaining it. Similar programs have been established in other states since the late 1990s. Appropriations for these programs have ranged from $50,000 to $1,200,000 a year.
The U.S. Senate has passed Federal legislation (S. 538) authorizing Lifespan Respite Care grants and cooperative agreements that would be made available to the states. The U.S. House has not taken any action on this bill. If this legislation were enacted and funds were appropriated for this purpose, Michigan could be eligible to apply for and receive these funds to cover costs related to the establishment and maintenance of a Lifespan Respite Services Resource Network.
Date Completed: 6-14-04
Fiscal Analyst: Dana Patterson
Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. hb4476/0304