An Act To Help Veterans Who Are Caregivers of Children with Special Needs and of Family Members To Optimize Their Respite Hours
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 1495
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: ANDREWS
Amends: 37-B MRSA §508-A

Legislative Document
No. 1495
H.P. 1105
House of Representatives, April 14, 2021
An Act To Help Veterans Who Are Caregivers of Children with 
Special Needs and of Family Members To Optimize Their Respite 
Hours
Received by the Clerk of the House on April 12, 2021.  Referred to the Committee on 
Veterans and Legal Affairs pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint 
Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative ANDREWS of Paris.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  37-B MRSA §508-A is enacted to read:
§508-A.  Veteran caregivers
The bureau shall ensure that veteran service officers have the training and resources 
necessary to:
1.  Caregivers of children with special needs.  Provide information to veterans who 
are caregivers of children with special needs on state and federal resources and programs 
for respite hours and services and on any available funding for respite hours and services; 
and
2.  Caregivers of family members.  Provide information to veterans and assistance to 
veterans who provide caregiver services to their family members who are not veterans on 
utilizing federal caregiver programs.
Sec. 2.  Review of federal caregiver programs for veterans.  The Director of 
the Maine Bureau of Veterans' Services within the Department of Defense, Veterans and 
Emergency Management shall review which federal caregiver programs exist to assist 
veterans and report to the Joint Standing Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs by 
January 1, 2022 on the potential for and cost of implementing similar programs in the State.  
The Joint Standing Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs may report out legislation 
based upon the report to the Second Regular Session of the 130th Legislature.
Sec. 3.  Adapt programs to assist veterans caring for children with special 
needs.  The Director of the Maine Bureau of Veterans' Services within the Department of 
Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management shall review programs currently provided 
by the State to veterans and adapt the programs as necessary to ensure the programs provide 
assistance specifically targeted to the needs of veterans who are caregivers of children with 
special needs.  In adapting programs under this section, the bureau shall ensure that 
program staff consult with doctors, therapists, educational professionals and other 
professionals in fields relevant to caring for children with special needs to ensure that the 
services provided to each veteran who is a caregiver of a child with special needs are 
adapted to serve the specific needs of that child.
Sec. 4.  Other services for veterans caring for children with special needs.  
The Director of the Maine Bureau of Veterans' Services within the Department of Defense, 
Veterans and Emergency Management shall consult with and provide resources to other 
entities in the State that offer services to veterans to encourage those entities to provide 
services specifically targeted to the needs of veterans who are caregivers of children with 
special needs.
SUMMARY
This bill directs the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management, 
Maine Bureau of Veterans' Services to ensure that veteran service officers are able to 
provide information to veterans who are caregivers of children with special needs on state 
and federal resources and programs and any available funding for respite hours and services 
and provide information and assistance to veterans in utilizing federal caregiver programs 
for family members who are not veterans.  It directs the Director of the Maine Bureau of 
Veterans' Services to review which federal caregiver programs exist to assist veterans and 
report back to the Joint Standing Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs by January 1, 
2022 on the potential for and cost of implementing similar programs in the State.
This bill also directs the director to review programs currently provided by the State to 
veterans and adapt the programs as necessary to ensure the programs provide assistance 
specifically targeted to the needs of veterans who are caregivers of children with special 
needs and to consult with and provide resources to other entities in the State that offer 
services to veterans to encourage those entities to provide services specifically targeted to 
the needs of veterans who are caregivers of children with special needs.