SENIOR ASSEMBLY FEDERAL PROPOSAL NO. 15

INTRODUCED BY SENIOR ASSEMBLY MEMBER LOH

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AFP 15: CAREGIVER SERVICES.

UNDER EXISTING FEDERAL LAW, THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT PROVIDES FUNDING FOR NUTRITION AND SUPPORTIVE HOME- AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES, DISEASE PREVENTION AND HEALTH PROMOTION SERVICES, ELDER RIGHTS PROGRAMS, THE NATIONAL FAMILY CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAM, AND THE NATIVE AMERICAN CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAM. EXISTING FEDERAL LAW AUTHORIZES THE ACT THROUGH THE 2011 FISCAL YEAR.

THIS MEASURE WOULD MEMORIALIZE CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT TO ENACT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD REAUTHORIZE THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT.

VOTE: MAJORITY.

AFP 15: RELATING TO CAREGIVER SERVICES

WHEREAS, CAREGIVER SERVICES ARE AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT TO OUR SOCIETY, CREATING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SENIOR ADULTS TO RECEIVE AT-HOME CARE FROM EITHER FAMILY MEMBERS OR PROFESSIONAL CAREGIVERS SO THAT THEY MAY CONTINUE TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY AND SAFELY IN THE COMFORT OF THEIR OWN HOMES; AND

WHEREAS, BECAUSE OF THE STATE’S FINANCIAL SITUATION, THE GOVERNOR PROPOSES TO ELIMINATE FUNDING FOR CAREGIVER SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY; AND

WHEREAS, UNTIL RECENTLY, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN ABLE TO FINANCIALLY HELP SUPPORT CAREGIVER SERVICES THROUGH THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT (OAA), PROVIDING FUNDING FOR, AMONG OTHER THINGS, ELDER RIGHTS PROGRAMS AND THE NATIONAL FAMILY CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAM (NFSP); AND

WHEREAS, ESTABLISHED IN 2000, THE NFSP HELPED TO FUND A RANGE OF SUPPORT SERVICES TO HELP FAMILY AND INFORMAL CAREGIVERS PROVIDE CARE FOR THEIR LOVED ONES AT HOME, AND, THROUGH THE 2011 FISCAL YEAR, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ALLOCATED THE PROGRAM APPROXIMATELY $153,911,000 PER YEAR TO PROVIDE CAREGIVER SERVICES; AND

WHEREAS, WITHOUT THAT YEARLY ALLOCATION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND IF THE CALIFORNIA BUDGET ELIMINATES OR REDUCES FUNDING FOR CAREGIVER SERVICES, CAREGIVER SERVICES WILL SIGNIFICANTLY SUFFER AND MORE SENIOR ADULTS WILL BE FORCED TO MOVE OUT OF THEIR HOME AND LIVE IN NURSING HOMES OR OTHER SIMILAR FACILITIES; AND

WHEREAS, WITH THE MELLO-GRANLUND OLDER CALIFORNIANS ACT, THE STATE HAS DECLARED ITS COMMITMENT TO ITS OLDER POPULATION; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT

RESOLVED, BY THE SENIOR ASSEMBLY AND THE SENIOR SENATE, JOINTLY, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AT ITS 2012 REGULAR SESSION, A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS VOTING THEREFOR, HEREBY PROPOSES THAT THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT BE REAUTHORIZED; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT BE AMENDED TO ENCOURAGE EACH STATE TO DEVELOP A STRATEGIC PLAN IN ORDER TO PROVIDE CAREGIVER SERVICES FOR OLDER ADULTS; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT EACH STATE’S STRATEGIC PLAN SHALL ADDRESS SENIOR CAREGIVER ISSUES, SUCH AS THE BACKGROUND OF CAREGIVERS, THE CHARACTER QUALIFICATION OF CAREGIVERS, THE TRAINING OF CAREGIVERS BY QUALIFYING INSTITUTIONS, IMPLEMENTING LICENSING AND REGULATION OF HOME CARE AGENCIES, AND DATA FOR WHERE, WHO, WHAT, AND HOW EACH AGENCY CAN BE FOUND; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT BE AMENDED TO REQUIRE THE USE OF A UNIFORM ASSESSMENT TOOL IN THE NATIONAL FAMILY CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAM IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY THE USE OF EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMS, CAREGIVER NEEDS, AND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR RESPITE CARE; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA RESPECTFULLY MEMORIALIZES THE CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT TO ENACT APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE CONCERNS SET FORTH IN THIS MEASURE; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT A COPY OF THIS MEASURE BE TRANSMITTED TO THE PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT, THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE CHAIRPERSONS OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE COMMITTEES ON AGING, AND TO EACH SENATOR AND REPRESENTATIVE FROM CALIFORNIA IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES.

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