This bill mandates the Division of Children's System of Care (DCSOC) within the Department of Children and Families to implement significant changes to the provision of family support and respite care services for individuals under the age of 21 with developmental disabilities. Key provisions include establishing a 12-month authorization period for agency-hired, agency-weekend, and self-hired respite care services, which is an extension from the current 90-day period. Additionally, families or guardians of eligible individuals will receive a separate bank of respite care service hours that can be utilized based on their specific needs, without being limited to a set number of hours during the authorization period.

Furthermore, the bill introduces an annual reevaluation process to assess the need for family support services, replacing the existing annual reapplication process. This reevaluation will help determine the entitlement to the bank of respite care service hours. Importantly, the bill stipulates that the DCSOC cannot reduce the amount of respite care service hours authorized for individuals during the 12-month period. Overall, these changes aim to provide greater flexibility and support for families caring for individuals with developmental disabilities.