Report Title:

Appropriation; Respite Care

 

Description:

Makes an appropriation to the Department of Human Services to fund respite care services to relieve family stress.

 

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

89

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2001

  

STATE OF HAWAII

  

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

mAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR RESPITE CARE SERVICES.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that family members and informal caregivers are the backbone for providing long-term care services. According to a survey conducted by the Family Caregiver Alliance, about 14,400,000 working Americans are providing care for someone with a disability or chronic health problem. The time-consuming role of being a caregiver often creates enormous emotional, physical, and financial hardships. As a result, caregivers commonly experience a tremendous sense of burden, fair-to-poor physical health, and high rates of depression.

In addition, the legislature finds that the stress of providing long-term care has been found to increase the mortality rates of caregivers. A study on caregivers reported in the 1999 Journal of the American Medical Association showed that older spousal caregivers had mortality risks that were sixty-three per cent higher than the non-caregiving control subjects.

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Respite care provides family members with temporary relief or rest from the daily stress and strain of caring for a loved one. Respite care allows families to visit friends, enjoy leisure time, take a vacation, run errands, or do other chores. The time provided when using respite care reduces stress on families by allowing caregivers to spend more time together with spouses or children.

The purpose of this Act is to preserve and strengthen families by appropriating funds to provide respite care services for caregivers of the ill or disabled.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2001-2002 and the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2002-2003 for the provision of respite care services to relieve family stress.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2001.

INTRODUCED BY:

 

 

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