Sponsors (3)
The bill expands funded respite and quality care services—benefiting caregivers, children, and tribal communities—but requires additional federal funding and may leave coverage gaps or impose administrative burdens on small providers.
Family caregivers (including parents, families, caregivers of seniors and people with disabilities) gain expanded access to federally funded integrated respite and supportive services, reducing caregiver burden and freeing time for work or rest.
Children and other care recipients (including people with disabilities) can access grant‑funded licensed, quality‑tier child care and related health services, improving safety and continuity of care.
Tribal organizations and area agencies on aging become eligible grantees, increasing availability of culturally appropriate services and access for residents of tribal communities.
All taxpayers may face increased federal spending or reallocation of funds because the program expansion requires new federal funding.
Competitive grant structure may leave some high‑need communities without awards, creating gaps in respite and supportive services coverage.
Small providers and family child care homes could face added administrative, licensing, and quality‑tier application burdens to receive funds, which may limit provider participation.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Adds a competitive grant program under the Older Americans Act to fund integrated respite care and supportive services with accessibility and provider-quality requirements.
Creates a new competitive grant program under the Older Americans Act to fund development or expansion of integrated caregiver support services that deliver respite care together with other supportive services. Grants may go to state and local agencies, nonprofit organizations, area agencies on aging, senior centers, colleges, and Tribal organizations, and may be provided directly or through contracts with health care or child care providers. The program sets definitions for key terms (caregiver, respite care, health care and child care providers, Tribal organizations), requires accessible service delivery (assistive tech, translation/interpretation, ASL, multiple formats and languages), and requires applicants to submit applications as specified by the federal Assistant Secretary administering the program.
Introduced November 20, 2025 by Edward John Markey · Last progress November 20, 2025