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HHS
Launches National Family Caregiver Program HHS
Secretary Tommy G. Thompson approved the release of $113 million in grants to
states under the new National Family Caregiver Support Program, which helps
family members provide care for the elderly at home. Secretary
Thompson said the grants will be used by states to run programs that provide
critical support, including home and community-based services, to help families
maintain their caregiver roles. It is the largest new support program under the
Older Americans Act since 1972, when Congress established nutritional programs
to serve the elderly. "We
must do all we can to ensure that our older residents can remain at home and
receive care from loved ones for as long as possible," Secretary Thompson
said. "This money will allow states to develop systems of support to ease
the burden on hundreds of thousands of family caregivers nationwide." In
November 2000, Congress created the new caregiver program as part of the Older
Americans Act Amendments of 2000. The
principal component of the program consists of grants to states distributed
through a congressionally mandated formula.
Other components include innovative competitive grants and a new Native
American caregiver support program. Information
about these components will be announced in the near future. In
January, the department's Administration on Aging (AoA) issued comprehensive
program guidance to states and has been providing technical assistance as states
provide needed information for the grant program. AoA's Web site includes a
description of the program and a list of frequently asked questions about the
Older Americans Act and the new caregiver program (http://www.aoa.gov). "States
will work closely with their local area agencies on aging and other service
providers in the community to put into place program services," said Norman
L. Thompson, acting principal deputy assistant secretary for aging. "Among
those services are information and assistance, training, counseling and support,
and respite opportunities to allow caregivers to take short breaks from their
often stressful daily caregiving responsibilities." A list
of state and territorial allocations under the grant program is below. National Family Caregiver Support Program grant allocations:
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