House Bill 5296 (sHB5296 File No. 128) aims to enhance the Connecticut Home-Care Program for the Elderly (CHCPE) by introducing several key changes. The bill mandates the compensation of family caregivers, including spouses, for providing personal care assistance services to program enrollees, aligning with federal law allowances. It also requires the Department of Social Services (DSS) commissioner to report additional data in the annual CHCPE report to the Human Services Committee, focusing on adult family living services. This includes participation rates, the number of agencies providing these services, the primary languages spoken by recipients, and the estimated state savings from avoiding institutionalization of these individuals.

Additionally, the bill directs the DSS commissioner to create and implement a multilingual public awareness campaign by January 1, 2025, to promote adult family living services under the CHCPE. The campaign materials are to be translated into the 15 most common languages spoken in Connecticut and disseminated through various channels, including the DSS website. The bill also updates statutory language by replacing "elderly foster care" with "adult family living." Set to take effect on July 1, 2024, the bill has fiscal implications for the DSS, which may incur costs related to compensating family caregivers and possibly additional staffing and resources for the awareness campaign. The Aging Committee has recommended the bill with a Joint Favorable Substitute.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill:
AGE Joint Favorable Substitute:
File No. 128: