‘‘SEC. 2902. LIFESPAN RESPITE CARE GRANTS AND COOPER-
ATIVE AGREEMENTS. 
‘‘(a) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this section are— 
‘‘(1) to expand and enhance respite care services 
to family caregivers; 
‘‘(2) to improve the statewide dissemination and 
coordination of respite care; and 
‘‘(3) to provide, supplement, or improve access 
and quality of respite care services to family care-
givers, thereby reducing family caregiver strain. 
‘‘(b) AUTHORIZATION.—Subject to subsection (e), the 
Secretary is authorized to award grants or cooperative 
agreements for the purposes described in subsection (a) to 
eligible State agencies for which an application is sub-
mitted pursuant to subsection (d). 
‘‘(c) FEDERAL LIFESPAN APPROACH.—In carrying out 
this section, the Secretary shall work in cooperation with 
the National Family Caregiver Support Program of the Ad-
ministration on Aging and other respite care programs 
within the Department of Health and Human Services to 
ensure coordination of respite care services for family care-
givers of children and adults with special needs. 
‘‘(d) APPLICATION.— 
‘‘(1) SUBMISSION.—Each Governor desiring the 
eligible State agency of his or her State to receive a 
grant or cooperative agreement under this section 
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shall submit an application on behalf of such agency 
to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 
containing such information as the Secretary shall re-
quire. 
‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—Each application submitted 
under this section shall include— 
‘‘(A) a description of the eligible State agen-
cy’s— 
‘‘(i) ability to work with other State 
and community-based agencies; 
‘‘(ii) understanding of respite care and 
family caregiver issues across all age 
groups, disabilities, and chronic conditions; 
and 
‘‘(iii) capacity to ensure meaningful 
involvement of family members, family 
caregivers, and care recipients; 
‘‘(B) with respect to the population of fam-
ily caregivers to whom respite care information 
or services will be provided or for whom respite 
care workers and volunteers will be recruited and 
trained, a description of— 
‘‘(i) the population of family care-
givers; 
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‘‘(ii) the extent and nature of the res-
pite care needs of that population; 
‘‘(iii) existing respite care services for 
that population, including numbers of fam-
ily caregivers being served and extent of 
unmet need; 
‘‘(iv) existing methods or systems to co-
ordinate respite care information and serv-
ices to the population at the State and local 
level and extent of unmet need; 
‘‘(v) how respite care information dis-
semination and coordination, respite care 
services, respite care worker and volunteer 
recruitment and training programs, or 
training programs for family caregivers 
that assist such family caregivers in making 
informed decisions about respite care serv-
ices will be provided using grant or cooper-
ative agreement funds; 
‘‘(vi) a plan for administration, col-
laboration, and coordination of the proposed 
respite care activities with other related 
services or programs offered by public or 
private, nonprofit entities, including area 
agencies on aging; 
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‘‘(vii) how the population, including 
family caregivers, care recipients, and rel-
evant public or private agencies, will par-
ticipate in the planning and implementa-
tion of the proposed respite care activities; 
‘‘(viii) how the proposed respite care 
activities will make use, to the maximum 
extent feasible, of other Federal, State, and 
local funds, programs, contributions, other 
forms of reimbursements, personnel, and fa-
cilities; 
‘‘(ix) respite care services available to 
family caregivers in the eligible State agen-
cy’s State or locality, including unmet 
needs and how the eligible State agency’s 
plan for use of funds will improve the co-
ordination and distribution of respite care 
services for family caregivers of children 
and adults with special needs; 
‘‘(x) the criteria used to identify fam-
ily caregivers eligible for respite care serv-
ices; 
‘‘(xi) how the quality and safety of any 
respite care services provided will be mon-
itored, including methods to ensure that res-
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pite care workers and volunteers are appro-
priately screened and possess the necessary 
skills to care for the needs of the care recipi-
ent in the absence of the family caregiver; 
and 
‘‘(xii) the results expected from pro-
posed respite care activities and the proce-
dures to be used for evaluating those results; 
‘‘(C) assurances that, where appropriate, 
the eligible State agency will have a system for 
maintaining the confidentiality of care recipient 
and family caregiver records; and 
‘‘(D) a memorandum of agreement regard-
ing the joint responsibility for the eligible State 
agency’s lifespan respite program between— 
‘‘(i) the eligible State agency; and 
‘‘(ii) a public or private nonprofit 
statewide respite coalition or organization. 
‘‘(e) PRIORITY; CONSIDERATIONS.—When awarding 
grants or cooperative agreements under this section, the Sec-
retary shall— 
‘‘(1) give priority to eligible State agencies that 
the Secretary determines show the greatest likelihood 
of implementing or enhancing lifespan respite care 
statewide; and 
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‘‘(2) give consideration to eligible State agencies 
that are building or enhancing the capacity of their 
long-term care systems to respond to the comprehen-
sive needs, including respite care needs, of their resi-
dents. 
‘‘(f) USE OF GRANT OR COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT 
FUNDS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.— 
‘‘(A) REQUIRED USES OF FUNDS.—Each el-
igible State agency awarded a grant or coopera-
tive agreement under this section shall use all or 
part of the funds— 
‘‘(i) to develop or enhance lifespan res-
pite care at the State and local levels; 
‘‘(ii) to provide respite care services for 
family caregivers caring for children or 
adults; 
‘‘(iii) to train and recruit respite care 
workers and volunteers; 
‘‘(iv) to provide information to care-
givers about available respite and support 
services; and 
‘‘(v) to assist caregivers in gaining ac-
cess to such services. 
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