ACTION ALERT: URGE CONGRESS TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR FAMILY SUPPORT

Summary:

Beginning right now and throughout the summer, Congress will be deciding how much money federal programs will receive for the coming year. There are several key programs that provide family supports (see below) but they are seriously underfunded. We need your help to educate Members of Congress about why it is important to provide more money for family support programs.

Action:

Contact members of the House and Senate Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittees. Urge them to provide additional funding for family support programs at the levels recommended below, which are consistent with recommendations from the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD).

Click for:
Members of Senate Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee
Members of House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee
You can contact members of Congress by calling the Capitol switchboard:
(202) 224-3124.
You can also click here to send your members of Congress a prepared e-mail message.

Background:

*While over 80% of all long-term services and supports are delivered informally, little funding is provided to support family and other informal caregivers.

*Investing in family support is fiscally wise:

-The economic value of informal caregiving is over $350 billion a year.
-American businesses lose between $17.1 and $33.6 billion annually in lost productivity costs due to family members providing informal supports.
-Respite and other supports contribute to the well-being of caregivers and can reduce undesirable, costly placements in nursing homes and other institutions.

*Funding for key family support programs has not kept pace with growing demands and pressures on families. Three important programs are:

1.National Family Caregiver Support Program:
The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) is authorized under Older Americans Act. It is intended to provide a variety of supports to caregivers of older individuals and older caregivers of children and adults with disabilities. Funding for the NFCSP has not kept pace with an aging population and actually received a slight cut last year. It is currently funded at $153.4 million; it is recommended that Congress increase funding to $250 million for FY 09.

2.Lifespan Respite Care Act:

The Lifespan Respite Care Act was signed into law on December 21, 2006.
It is intended to provide competitive grants to assist states in developing statewide respite systems to make quality respite available to family caregivers regardless of age or disability. However, it has not yet received any funding to be implemented. It is recommended that Congress provide funding at the full authorization level of $53.3 million for FY 09.

3.Family Support Program:

Title II of the Developmental Disabilities Act authorizes the Family Support Program to promote and strengthen systems of family support services to families with relatives with developmental disabilities.
Currently, only 21 states receive grants and funding is provided through a different section of the Act. It is recommended that funding for family support be increased from approximately $7.2 million to $17 million for FY09 to allow every state and US territory to receive grants. It is also recommended that this funding be provided through Title II without negatively impacting funding for other initiatives within Projects of National Significance.