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2007 Legislative Agenda
Page 1

To address recent legislation and ready the network for an increased population, the Illinois Association of Area Agencies on Aging requests $10,000,000 in FY06 to accomplish the following tasks:

Increase Community Based Services

• Increase State dollars available to support Older Americans Act services to assist in the restructuring of delivery systems and to aid in filling gaps in services, inclusive of but not limited to, Home Delivered Meals and Transportation. These dollars are critical to the continuation of the established service network. Without proper funding these services cannot grow and prosper.

Investment: $5,044,000

Increase Respite under the Family Caregiver Act

• Provide funding for respite services in underserved Planning and Service Areas and eliminate waiting lists for services were they occur.

Investment: $1,600,000

Provide for Home Modifications under the Community Re-integration Act

• Assist with home modifications for individuals leaving long term care facilities.

Investment: $2,000,000

Provide for a coordinated point of entry and solid information system

• Develop a brand for aging services that can be used statewide.

Investment: $230,000

• Provide a searchable database for consumers to easily access services.

Investment: $608,550

• Train the workforce for a coordinated point of entry

Investment: $515,000

Caregiver Respite Services

In Illinois, an estimated 1.6 million adults provide unpaid care about 18% of the total adult population at a value to the States economy of at least $11 billion per year. (Source: National Caregiver Survey published by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, 2004)

Since 2000, Area Agencies on Aging in partnership with the Illinois Department on Aging and local service agencies have implemented the National Family Caregiver Support Program authorized by the federal Older Americans Act. The Area Agencies on Aging have established Caregiver Resource Centers across the state to provide information, assistance, counseling, education, support groups, respite services and supplemental services to support families as they carry out their critical role as caregivers of older adults in Illinois.

The Family Caregiver Act (Public Act 93-0864) establishes a family caregiver support program. The law authorizes the Department on Aging to contract with Area Agencies on Aging and other appropriate agencies to conduct family caregiver support services to the extent of available State and Federal funding. The law defines "respite care" as substitute supports or living arrangements provided on an intermittent, occasional basis. The term includes, but is not limited to, in-home respite, adult day care, child care, and institutional care. The term includes respite care as defined in the Respite Program Act to the extent that such services are allowable and participants are eligible under the National Family Caregiver Support Program.

The Illinois Association of Area Agencies on Aging surveyed all 13 Area Agencies on Aging in Illinois to determine the availability of caregiver respite services funded under Title III-E of the Older Americans Act in FY 2004. The survey found the following:

● All 13 AAAs expended a total of $1,618,783 on caregiver respite services in FY 2004.

● Caregiver Respite Services were provided on behalf of a total of 2,547 persons.

● Total Respite Service Units for FY 2004: 117,883; the statewide average expenditure per unit of service in FY 2004 was $13.73.

● Services included Companion Care, Homemaker, Home Health Aide, Home Health Nursing, Adult Day Services, and a temporary stay in a licensed Assistive Living Establishment or Long Term Care Facility.

● Annual expenditures per person ranged from $400 to $1,500; the statewide average annual expenditure per person in FY 2004 was $635.56

The Illinois Association of Area Agencies on Aging requests $1,600,000 GRF allocated to Area Agencies on Aging in FY06 to support an average annual expenditure for respite services of $1,000 per caregiver and provide services to an estimated 3,190 caregivers. An average expenditure of $1,000 per caregiver would provide 84 hours of homemaker services, or 20 days of adult day care, or 8 days of care in a long term care facility over the course of one year. During FY03, Area Agencies on Aging expended $1.5 million in federal Older Americans Act funds for respite services and generated $135,000 in local matching funds. I4A and the Department on Aging will explore the feasibility of covering respite services in a Medicaid waiver to generate federal financial participation for services to Medicaid eligible clients. (revised 10-29-04)

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