(a) The department shall establish and administer a family caregiver grant pilot program to provide grants to family caregivers of eligible family members in each of the three (3) grand divisions to offset eligible expenditures incurred by the family caregivers. The pilot program must be operated from July 1, 2026, to December 31, 2027.
(b) There is created a separate fund within the general fund to be known as the family caregiver grant fund. The fund is composed of:(1) Funds appropriated by the general assembly for the fund; and(2) Gifts, grants, and other donations received by the department for the fund.
(1) Funds appropriated by the general assembly for the fund; and
(2) Gifts, grants, and other donations received by the department for the fund.
(c) Subject to the availability of funds, the department shall allocate and disperse grants each fiscal year of the pilot program period to family caregivers of eligible family members giving primary priority to very low income households and secondary priority to low income households. A grant awarded under this chapter is limited to six thousand dollars ($6,000) per family caregiver in a fiscal year.
(d) Family caregivers must continue to qualify for a grant while the eligible family member is temporarily relocated for health care to a hospital or skilled or intermediate care facility if the eligible family member indicates an intent to return to the private residential home when recovered sufficiently.
(e) The state treasurer shall invest moneys in the fund for the benefit of the fund in accordance with § 9-4-603. Interest accruing on investments and deposits of the fund must be returned to the fund and remain part of the fund. Any unencumbered moneys and any unexpended balance of the fund remaining at the end of a fiscal year do not revert to the general fund, but must be carried forward until expended in accordance with this section.