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Statewide Caregiving and Respite Coalition of New York, (SCRCNY) is a statewide, cross-disability, cross-generational caregiving and respite coalition that was borne out of agencies and individuals understanding the need to build strong coalitions to advance caregiver policy and program issues in New York State. The Coalition, as recommended by the New York State Family Caregiver Council, will support and foster cooperative efforts and communication among state, county, community, and faith-based organizations that serve and advocate for caregivers and the loved ones they care for. Informal caregivers from across the lifespan - caregivers of elderly individuals and caregivers of adults and children with special needs - have a valuable role in the health and long term care system because of the care they provide. This unpaid care saves billions of dollars in state and federal funds and helps their loved ones to remain in their homes. The mission of the Coalition is to provide support services for caregiver and respite programs by fostering cooperative efforts to develop public awareness, advocacy, professional development and fund development.
The Coalition will work with local and regional caregiving coalitions to build upon their strengths and help to form new networks where needed. Working with local and regional groups will help the Coalition to learn about the unique issues and concerns of professionals and caregivers from across the state and enable local and regional groups to work collectively through the Coalition to advocate for and address those unique issues as well as universal issues that affect all caregivers. A primary goal this year is to establish a statewide lifespan respite task force designed to help New York prepare for available state and federal funding, for example, from the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006. Thus, SCRCNY is hosting an invitation-only summit for key stakeholders on May 19, 2009 that will focus on the recently enacted and funded federal Lifespan Respite Care Act. Jill Kagan, MPH, Chair of the National Respite Coalition, will facilitate discussions aimed at helping New York to be ready to apply for federal lifespan respite funding. To learn more about the Lifespan Respite Act and the National Respite Coalition, an alliance that advocates for preserving and promoting respite in policy and programs at the national, state, and local levels, link to: http://chtop.org/ARCH/ARCH-National-Respite-Coalition.html. |
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The Coalition will provide a unified statewide platform to advocate for caregiver issues, and promote and provide professional development and training. The Coalition will also provide a mechanism for members to share best practices, training, and educational opportunities for professionals and/or caregivers.