Garden State Times

The New Jersey Senate has passed Senator Kristin Corrado’s (R-40) bill aimed at increasing the number of respite care hours available to parents with a disabled child.

“Increasing the number of hours and dedicating funds for those that take care of our loved ones not only helps our families with much-needed assistance, but it will also attract highly qualified people to the profession,” said Corrado. “Additionally, this bill will help relieve the daily stresses and demands of caring for a child with a functional impairment to give everyone involved the peace of mind they deserve.”

Currently, the Division of Children’s System of Care in the department authorizes eligible families for a maximum of 60 hours of respite services over a 90-day authorization period. Under bill S-2491, families with an eligible child would be able to receive up to 90 hours of respite care services over a 90-day period. These services could be provided by either an agency-hired or self-hired respite worker, funded by the department.