[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 5672

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED MAY 12, 2021

 


 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  P. CHRISTOPHER TULLY

District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)

Assemblywoman  LISA SWAIN

District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Increases maximum number of monthly respite care service hours funded through DCF for certain families.  

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As reported by the Assembly Women and Children Committee on June 16, 2021, with amendments.

  


An Act concerning respite care and supplementing Title 30 of the Revised Statutes.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    1[As used in this act:

     "Respite care" means the provision of temporary, short-term care for, or the supervision of, an eligible child on behalf of the caregiver, in emergencies or on an intermittent basis to relieve the daily stresses and demands of caring for a child with a functional impairment.  Respite care may be provided hourly, daily, overnight, or on weekends, may be paid or volunteer, but may not exceed service and cost limitations as determined by the Commissioner of Children and Families. 

     b.    The family of a child that is eligible to receive respite care services for the child, which services are funded through the Division of the Children’s System of Care in the Department of Children and Families,]

     a.     The family of a child eligible to receive respite care services for the child, funded through the Children’s System of Care in the Department of Children and Families,1 shall be eligible to receive no more than 30 hours of respite care each calendar month 1[through funding provided by the department]1.

     1[c.] b.1  The Commissioner of Children and Families shall use available State and federal funds to effectuate the provisions of subsection 1[b.] a.1 of this section.

     1c.   As used in this act, "respite care" means the provision of temporary, short-term care for, or the supervision of, an eligible child on behalf of the caregiver, in emergencies or on an intermittent basis to relieve the daily stresses and demands of caring for a child with a functional impairment.  Respite care may be provided hourly, daily, overnight, or on weekends, may be paid or volunteer, but may not exceed service and cost limitations as determined by the Commissioner of Children and Families.1

 

     2.    The Commissioner of Children and Families shall adopt rules and regulations, in accordance with the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), as are necessary to effectuate the provisions of this act.

 

     3.    This act shall take effect immediately.