2002 S Aging - Family Caregiver Support Program Contract with Triangle J Council of Governments (TJCOG)

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Orange County Proposal ,For National Farrzzly Caregiver Support Program Funds Subrnitted to Triangle J Council of GovernmentsArea Agency on Aging November 27, 200X Background Triangle J Area Agency on Aging has received National Family Caregiver Support Funds from the Reauthorization of the Older Americans Act to be distributed to all counties in Region J. The purpose of these funds is to support respite services for family caregivers of adults aged 60 and older which may include: (l) Infozmation regarding services to caregivers, (2) Assistance to caregivers in accessing those services, (3) Caregiver training, support groups, individual counseling, (4) Respite care and (5) Supplemental services. 1Etespxte is defined as providing a sitter, at home or other care location, which relieves the family/unpaid primary caregiver(s) of a person, aged 60+ from direct care responsibilities for a short time. The duration can be from a half hour to several days under various circumstances. 7n a fully developed county respite service program, different fornnats (in and out of home, short and long team, etc.) would be available to meet the needs of the different types of caregiving situations. Orange County has been allocated a minimum of $26,667 for FY2002 which includes a $5,000 Iocal match, either cash or in-kind. Each County is responsible for establishing a work group that would prepare a respite service pzoposal and submit it to the ztegion J Aging Advisory Council for approval by December 2001. To be funded, proposed county respite plans must: (1) Serve family/unpaid caregivers of adults aged 60 and over; (2) Give service priority to those in "greatest need;" (3) ~Zeflect longer-term awareness and intention to address the particular needs of-all segments of county caregivers; (4) Allow for "cost-sharing" (client caregiver given opportunity to contribute, but not denied service); (5) Represent at least the initial stage of a respite system approach that is designed to deliver more actual service than the federal dollars could purchase on the service market; (6) Give priority consideration to the utilization of volunteers. 4ran~e County P~annin~ Process During the FY 1999-2000, the Orange County Board of Commissioners approved a process to develop a Master Aging Plan (M.A.P.) for Orange County for the pexiod from July 2000- June 2005. The Commissioners' goal was "to develop and implement a Master Aging Plan (M.A.P.) that would provide a comprehensive and coordinated delivery of community services to senior citizens over the life span who have different levels of functional capacity." To achieve this goal, the County Commissioners established a M.A.P. Task Force in November 1999, comprssed of a Steering Committee and three functional subcommittees: the 'Well-Fit Subcommittee, the U ro~n~{ : Page 1 of 5