a. Many children in the State with limited life expectancies or complex, life-limiting illnesses receive care at pediatric medical day care facilities, but the families of these children remain responsible for the overall care of their children and become overwhelmed because they lack the built-in breaks typically available to most families;

b. Inadequate support services exist to provide respite for families responsible 24 hours per day for children with limited life expectancies or complex, life-limiting illnesses;

c. Community-based, comprehensive, family-centered pediatric respite care facilities established in other states have been shown to enhance the quality of life for children with limited life expectancies or complex, life-limiting illnesses and for their families by providing curative care when possible, pediatric palliative care, respite care, hospice care, and bereavement services, and by addressing their psychological, and spiritual needs; and

d. Similar pediatric respite care facilities should be authorized to operate in this State, and in order to ensure that children and their families receive the best possible support, it is appropriate that these facilities be licensed by the Department of Health.

L.2013, c.267, s.1.