BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



          SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                             Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair
                            2015 - 2016  Regular  Session

          SB 1377 (Nguyen) - Cognitively impaired adults:  caregiver  
          resource centers
          
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          |Version: April 12, 2016         |Policy Vote: HEALTH 9 - 0       |
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          |Urgency: No                     |Mandate: No                     |
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          |Hearing Date: April 25, 2016    |Consultant: Brendan McCarthy    |
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          This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File.

          Bill  
          Summary:  SB 1377 would appropriate $3.3 million from the  
          General Fund each year to provide support for Caregiver Resource  
          Centers. The bill would also clarify that services provided by  
          Caregiver Resource Centers may be provided through remote  
          technologies.


          Fiscal  
          Impact:  
           Ongoing appropriation of $3.3 million per year for support of  
            Caregiver Resource Centers (General Fund).

           No significant costs are anticipated due to the change in law  
            specifically allowing most services to be provides through  
            remote technologies. Under current practice, Caregiver  
            Resource Centers are allowed to provide services through  
            remote technologies such as telephone, the internet, or other  
            services. To the extent that Caregiver Resources Centers do  
            make use of such technologies, they may be able to provide  
            services to the public at lower cost.







          SB 1377 (Nguyen)                                       Page 1 of  
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          Background:  Under current law, Caregiver Resource Centers are authorized  
          to provide services to the caregivers of cognitively impaired  
          adults - such as individuals with Alzheimer's disease, stroke,  
          traumatic brain injury, or other degenerative diseases.  
          Caregiver Resource Centers generally provide support services to  
          caregivers, such as education and training or emotional support  
          services. In addition, Caregiver Resource Centers provide  
          respite care to cognitively impaired adults. Respite services  
          are used to provide care to a cognitively impaired adult for a  
          limited amount of time so that caregivers have some relief from  
          the constant demands of caring for a loved one. Respite services  
          can be provided in the home or in other settings such as adult  
          day care centers. There are eleven Caregiver Resource Centers in  
          the state.
          Funding for Caregiver Resource Centers has gone from a high of  
          $12.2 million in 2000-01 to a low of $2.9 million from 2009-10  
          to 2014-15. In 2015-16, funding was increased to $4.9 million  
          (which is the amount proposed in the 2016-17 budget as well).  
          All funding for Caregiver Resource Centers comes from the  
          General Fund.




          Proposed Law:  
            SB 1377 would appropriate $3.3 million from the General Fund  
          each year to provide support for Caregiver Resource Centers. The  
          bill would also clarify that services provided by Caregiver  
          Resource Centers may be provided through remote technologies  
          (except for respite services).


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