LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
April 16, 2009

TO:
Honorable Jane Nelson, Chair, Senate Committee on Health & Human Services
 
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
SB1766 by Watson (Relating to informal caregiver support services.), As Introduced



Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB1766, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($1,168,992) through the biennium ending August 31, 2011.

The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.



Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2010 ($584,496)
2011 ($584,496)
2012 ($584,496)
2013 ($584,496)
2014 ($584,496)




Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) from
General Revenue Fund
1
Probable Savings/(Cost) from
Federal Funds
555
Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2009
2010 ($584,496) ($202,494) 11.0
2011 ($584,496) ($202,494) 11.0
2012 ($584,496) ($202,494) 11.0
2013 ($584,496) ($202,494) 11.0
2014 ($584,496) ($202,494) 11.0

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would implement recommendations in the report, "Strengthen the Delivery of Informal Caregiver Support Services," in the Legislative Budget Board's Government Effectiveness and Efficiency Report submitted to the Eighty-first Texas Legislature, 2009.

The bill would amend Chapter 161 of the Human Resources Code to require the Department of
Aging and Disability Services (DADS) to coordinate with local entities regarding public awareness outreach efforts related to informal caregiving.  Local entities are defined as area agencies on aging, disability resource centers, mental retardation authorities, provider organizations, advocacy groups, or other entities that provide support or advocacy for elderly or disabled persons and their caregivers.

DADS is required to include a form in the eligibility determination process for Medicaid long-term care programs or other long-term care support services that identifies informal caregivers.  DADS is required to develop and implement a protocol, including the use of a standardized assessment tool, to evaluate the needs of certain informal caregivers who access services through a local entity.  DADS is required to analyze data collected from both the caregiver form included in the eligibility determination process and the standardized assessment tool and to submit a report on the data to the governor and the Legislative Budget Board by December 1 of each even-numbered year.

This bill would take effect September 1, 2009.


Methodology

The bill would result in a cost of $786,990 in All Funds per year for fiscal years 2010 through 2014. Implementing strategies to strengthen the current delivery of informal caregiver support services can help sustain the informal care system and has the potential to avoid future spending on Medicaid institutional long-term care.

The cost for each fiscal year includes $404,990 in salary and benefits for 11 Full-Time Equivalents to administer the caregiver status form and caregiver assessment tool, $2,000 in travel expenses, and $380,000 for mental retardation authorities to administer the caregiver status form and caregiver assessment tool. 


Technology

It is estimated to take 3,450 hours of existing information technology staff time in fiscal year 2010 and 3,450 hours in fiscal year 2011 to modify existing systems to include the caregiver status form and caregiver assessment tool.  These programming changes could result in the redirection of existing resources from other projects.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.


Source Agencies:
539 Aging and Disability Services, Department of
LBB Staff:
JOB, DM, CL, JI, TP