| 1 | 1 | | 81R159 CLG-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 50 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the creation of the lifespan respite services pilot |
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| 8 | 8 | | program. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 161, Human Resources Code, |
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| 11 | 11 | | is amended by adding Section 161.076 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 161.076. LIFESPAN RESPITE SERVICES PILOT PROGRAM. (a) |
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| 13 | 13 | | In this section, "respite services" means support services, |
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| 14 | 14 | | including in-home services, adult day-care services, and |
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| 15 | 15 | | facility-based services, that are provided for the purpose of |
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| 16 | 16 | | temporarily giving relief to a primary caregiver who provides |
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| 17 | 17 | | ongoing care to an individual with a chronic illness or disability. |
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| 18 | 18 | | (b) The department shall develop and implement the lifespan |
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| 19 | 19 | | respite services pilot program to promote the provision of respite |
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| 20 | 20 | | services. As part of the pilot program, the department shall |
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| 21 | 21 | | contract with community-based organizations or local governmental |
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| 22 | 22 | | entities selected by the department to provide respite services or |
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| 23 | 23 | | to facilitate access to local respite services. A contract may be |
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| 24 | 24 | | awarded under this subsection only after the department issues a |
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| 25 | 25 | | request for proposals regarding the contract. |
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| 26 | 26 | | (c) A community-based organization or local governmental |
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| 27 | 27 | | entity that receives a contract under this section to facilitate |
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| 28 | 28 | | access to local respite services may: |
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| 29 | 29 | | (1) recruit and train respite services providers; |
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| 30 | 30 | | (2) maintain a registry of respite services providers; |
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| 31 | 31 | | (3) connect caregivers with available respite |
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| 32 | 32 | | services providers or programs; |
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| 33 | 33 | | (4) identify, coordinate, and develop community |
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| 34 | 34 | | resources for respite services; |
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| 35 | 35 | | (5) build local partnerships with respect to respite |
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| 36 | 36 | | services; |
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| 37 | 37 | | (6) implement public awareness activities regarding |
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| 38 | 38 | | respite services; and |
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| 39 | 39 | | (7) subject to the availability of funds, provide |
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| 40 | 40 | | vouchers for respite services to eligible primary caregivers who |
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| 41 | 41 | | are not eligible for respite services provided through other |
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| 42 | 42 | | programs. |
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| 43 | 43 | | (d) In implementing the pilot program, the department |
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| 44 | 44 | | shall: |
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| 45 | 45 | | (1) provide technical assistance to community-based |
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| 46 | 46 | | organizations and local governmental entities that receive a |
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| 47 | 47 | | contract under this section; |
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| 48 | 48 | | (2) provide policy and program development support for |
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| 49 | 49 | | organizations and entities described by Subdivision (1); |
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| 50 | 50 | | (3) monitor the activities for which the department |
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| 51 | 51 | | contracts under this section; and |
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| 52 | 52 | | (4) select the areas of this state in which to |
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| 53 | 53 | | implement the pilot program. |
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| 54 | 54 | | (e) In developing the pilot program, the department shall |
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| 55 | 55 | | review similar initiatives in other states. |
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| 56 | 56 | | (f) This section expires September 1, 2013. |
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| 57 | 57 | | SECTION 2. Not later than November 1, 2010, the Department |
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| 58 | 58 | | of Aging and Disability Services, in consultation with the |
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| 59 | 59 | | executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission, |
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| 60 | 60 | | shall submit a report to the governor and the Legislative Budget |
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| 61 | 61 | | Board regarding the lifespan respite services pilot program |
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| 62 | 62 | | established under Section 161.076, Human Resources Code, as added |
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| 63 | 63 | | by this Act. The report must include an evaluation of the effect of |
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| 64 | 64 | | the pilot program on: |
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| 65 | 65 | | (1) access to respite services by primary caregivers |
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| 66 | 66 | | of persons with chronic illnesses or disabilities; and |
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| 67 | 67 | | (2) Medicaid expenditures for long-term care services |
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| 68 | 68 | | provided in institutional care settings. |
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| 69 | 69 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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