Herring and Plum Work for Better Respite Care Information in Virginia
Richmond- Delegate Charniele Herring (VA-46) and Delegate Kenneth Plum (VA-36) have been working to ensure easy access for citizens of the Commonwealth to information regarding respite care services in Virginia. Legislation that would establish a Respite Care Registry and Fund was defeated 8-13 in the Health, Welfare, and Institutions Committee in the House of Delegates today.
“Everyday elderly and disabled individuals are provided care services from a variety of sources—family, agencies, and care centers. A term that enters into this conversation is respite care which encompasses a variety of services which allow the primary caregiver to be able to take a break. These can be specific services such as bathing assistance or staying with an individual as a companion for a few hours,” says Herring, “Respite care is an essential component of caring for our elders and those with special needs. It covers gaps in care as well as help to prevent the primary caregiver from experiencing burnout.”
This is the second year that Herring and Plum introduced this bill. Herring says, “The idea for HB 2086 came from my constituents who were having difficulty accessing respite care services and providers in their home communities. The Respite Care Registry bills were carried over from last year to give time for stakeholders to study the issue. I feel this is relevant because when I researched the subject, a simple web search for Virginia respite care resulted in a website directed to services based out of Arizona.”
Herring and Plum plan to move forward by keeping up to date with the Department of Aging as they continue with current projects related to the subject of respite care, such as Virginia Easy Access (http://www.easyaccess.virginia.gov) which includes agency information on respite care and is searchable by location. Herring plans to reintroduce the legislation if no progress is made in a year.
Delegate Charniele Herring represents the people of Virginia’s 46th District which includes Alexandria and parts of Falls Church. She serves on the Science and Technology Committee and Courts of Justice Committee where she serves as a Whip. Delegate Kenneth Plum represents the people of Virginia’s 36th District which includes Reston and Fairfax County. He is the Chair of the Virginia House Democratic Caucus.
