**GAO-11-28R**                      Published: Oct 22, 2010. Publicly Released: Oct 22, 2010.                  

-   
-   
-   
-   

    Jump To:  
-  Elder Abuse 
-  Services for Older Adults 
-  State and Local-Level Drivers and Trends 
-  State and Local Fiscal Projections 
-  Federal Borrowing 
-  Managing the Debt 
-  Summary of Funding Provisions 
-  Auditing the Government's Books 
-  Unpacking the Financial Report 
-  Highlights 
-  Recommendations 
-  Background 
-  About This Work 
-  About This Work 
-  Trends 
-  About the Center 
-  Why It's High Risk 
-  What Remains To Be Done 
-  Key Reports 
-  Newest COVID-Related Reports 
-  AI Use Cases 
-  Flood Insurance 
-  Past Pandemic-Related Reports 
-  CARES Act Oversight Reports 
-  All COVID-19 Reports 
-  Report Suspected Fraud 
-  Subjects 
-  How to Get Notified 
-  Past Reports 
-  Public Health Threats 
-  Explore the FY 2022 and 2023 Funds 
-  Lessons Learned 
-  Agency Reports 
-  Recent Reports 
-  Recommendations 
-  Supplemental Material 
-  Full Report 
-  Additional Data 
-  View Decision 
-  Downloads 
-  Previously Identified Actions 
-  Related Pages 
-  Associated Agencies 
-  Tough Choices and Opportunities Ahead 
-  Americas Fiscal Future Key Areas 
-  Retirement Security Key Areas 
-  Current List 
-  About The High Risk List 
-  Area Ratings 
-  Previous High Risk Products 
-  Search Federal Vacancies 
-  Past Federal Vacancies 
-  Violation Letters 
-  About the Yellow Book 
-  Advisory Council 
-  Related Resources 
-  Comment Letters 
-  Related Publications 
-  Contacts and Resources 
-  Major Issues Facing the Nation 
-  Meeting Strategic Challenges 
-  Additional Resources 
-  Resources 
-  GAO Contacts 
-  Mission Teams 
-  Operations and Staff Offices  
-  Organization Chart  
-  Why a Career at GAO? 
-  Am I Qualified? 
-  Company Culture 
-  Reasonable Accommodations 
-  Video Gallery 
-  Paid Internships 
-  Student Volunteers 
-  Professional Development Program 
-  Advancement 
-  Executive Candidate Program 
-  Summer Associates 
-  Externships 
-  Benefits 
-  Contacts 

Skip to Highlights

## Highlights

Individuals who are limited in their capacity for self-care because of a physical, cognitive, or mental disability or condition that results in a functional impairment may depend on family caregivers for assistance with routine daily activities. According to a 2009 study by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, an estimated 65.7 million people, or 29 percent of the population, had served as unpaid family caregivers to an adult or child with special needs in the previous 12 months, providing an average of about 20 hours of care per week. Activities caregivers conduct can range from assistance with routine daily tasks like bathing and dressing, to carrying out more complex health-related interventions like administering medication and wound care. The responsibilities of caregiving may present physical, emotional, and financial challenges for caregivers. In December 2006, the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006 (LRCA) was enacted to improve the delivery and quality of respite care services available to families across age and disability groups by establishing coordinated lifespan respite systems. The LRCA authorized the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award competitive grants or cooperative agreements to eligible state agencies7 to: (1) expand and enhance respite care services to family caregivers; (2) improve the statewide dissemination and coordination of respite care; and (3) provide, supplement, or improve access and quality of respite care services to family caregivers. The LRCA also authorized the Secretary of HHS to award a grant or cooperative agreement to a public or private nonprofit entity to establish a National Resource Center on Lifespan Respite Care to: (1) maintain a national database on lifespan respite care; (2) provide training and technical assistance to state, community, and nonprofit respite care programs; and (3) provide information, referral, and educational programs to the public on lifespan respite care. For fiscal years 2007 through 2011, over $289 million was authorized to carry out activities under the Act. Since the enactment of the LRCA, $5 million has been allocated to date to implement the federal Lifespan Respite Care Program--$2.5 million in each of fiscal years 2009 and 2010. The Administration on Aging (AOA), the agency within HHS responsible for administering the Lifespan Respite Care Program, has had two competitive grant announcements for state agencies, with funding starting in September 2009 and September 2010 respectively. Both announcements offered federal funding of up to $200,000 per award for a 3-year project period; grantees are required to provide at least a 25 percent match of total project costs. In addition, in May 2009, AOA announced the availability of funding for a public or nonprofit entity to enter into a cooperative agreement with AOA to provide caregiver and respite program development and technical assistance, including establishing the National Resource Center on Lifespan Respite Care. The LRCA required that GAO evaluate lifespan respite programs. This report describes the grants and cooperative agreements that have been awarded to implement the requirements of the LRCA.

## Full Report

Full Report (18 pages)

Accessible Text 

## GAO Contacts

Debra A. Draper
draperd@gao.gov

(202) 512-7114

## Office of Public Affairs

Sarah Kaczmarek
kaczmareks@gao.gov

(202) 512-4800

## Topics

Health Care

Children with disabilitiesCooperative agreementsDatabasesElder careEligibility criteriaEligibility determinationsFederal aid programsFederal fundsGrant administrationGrantsHealth care planningHealth care servicesPeople with disabilitiesProgram evaluationState aidState programsTechnical assistanceTraining utilizationProgram coordination