Pennsylvania Expands Access To Caregiver Support Program

On August 10, 2021, the Pennsylvania Department of Aging (PDA) will implement a new law that expands caregiver access to the state’s Family Caregiver Support Program (CSP). The CSP assists adult caregivers of functionally dependent adults age 60 and older, adult caregivers for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder, grandparents age 55 and older raising grandchildren (related by blood, marriage, or adoption), and older relative caregivers age 55 and older for adults ages 18 through 59 living with non-dementia-related disability. Through the CSP, caregivers can receive supports and services.

The legislation, House Bill (HB) 464, updated the previous definition of “primary caregiver” and defined “older relative caregiver for a child” and “older relative caregiver for an individual with a disability” to align with the federal National Family CSP of the Older Americans Act. HB 464 was signed on April 28, 2021, and goes into effect on August 10, 2021. The provisions of HB 464 are as follows:

• Clarifies eligibility criteria for program participants.
• Removes a statutory spending limit on the cost of monthly care plans, allowing PDA to adjust those limits across the program, as necessary. This spending limit had not been increased since 1993.
• Eliminates a $300 aggregate average requirement for all CSP care plans, which will allow Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) to build plans that are more customized and person-centered to the needs of each individual caregiver and better support them in their caregiving role.
• Removes the program’s $2,000 lifetime limit on home modification reimbursement, allowing PDA to adjust this limit as necessary. This change is intended to better align with the costs associated with obtaining home modifications and assistive devices in present-day markets and is more beneficial to caregivers.

The program is open to all Pennsylvania residents meeting the state’s caregiver criteria. Individuals are not eligible for the CSP if the caregiver or care receiver are enrolled in Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports (Community HealthChoices/ LIFE). Caregivers are ineligible if they have been convicted of or found liable for a crime relating to abuse, neglect, exploitation, or abandonment, or found to be a perpetrator in a substantiated report of need for older adults protective services.

Income-eligible caregivers may receive financial reimbursement of approved, caregiving-related expenses. The list of services includes care management, benefits counseling, caregiver education and training. Income-eligible caregivers may also receive financial reimbursement of approved, caregiving-related expenses, including respite and consumable supplies. Amounts awarded will be between $200 and $2,000 per month, depending on applicant qualifications. Funding for the CSP comes from the State Lottery Fund.

The percentage of reimbursement is determined using a sliding scale based on the current Federal Poverty Level (FPL) guidelines and covers care receiver incomes up to 380% of the FPL. Caregivers for a recipient with income above 380% of the FPL receive no financial reimbursement for respite and consumable supplies but can receive care management and other non-reimbursable services such as caregiver education.

For more information, contact:

• Jack Eilber, Deputy Communications Director, Pennsylvania Department of Aging, 555 Walnut Street, 5th Floor, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17101; 717-214-7510; Email: agingcomms@pa.gov; Website: https://www.aging.pa.gov/