Senate HELP Committee Advances Lifespan Respite Care Act Through FY29

The U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee voted to advance the Lifespan Respite Care Reauthorization Act of 2024 (S.4325), introduced by Sen. Susan Collins and Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) that would reauthorize the Lifespan Respite Care program through FY 2029. 

The program's goal is to elevate the quality and availability of respite care through...

• Expansion and enrichment: Boosting respite services within states.
• Coordination and circulation: Enhancing dissemination and coordination of these services.
• Streamlined access: Facilitating ease of access to these programs.
• Gap fulfillment: Identifying and addressing any existing service gaps.
• Quality improvement: Enhancing the overall quality of present respite services.

Since 2009, the Administration for Community Living (ACL) has awarded grants to agencies in 38 states and the District of Columbia. In FY 2023, Congress allocated $10 million for the Lifespan Respite Program, an increase of $2 million compared to FY 2022. The bill now moves to the full Senate for consideration.