Tennessee legislation · 114th General Assembly
Tennessee SB1777: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 9; Title 33; Title 52; Title 67 and Title 68, relative to relief for caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease or related dementia.
Status: Chaptered, May 18, 2026
Fiscal Summary STATE GOVERNMENTREVENUEFamily Caregiver Grant FundEach FY26-27 through FY29-30$600,000 EXPENDITURESGeneral FundFamily Caregiver Grant FundEach FY26-27 through FY29-30$600,000$600,000 Bill Summary This bill enacts the "Caring for Caregivers Act," which requires the department of disability and aging ("department") to establish and administer a family caregiver grant pilot program to provide grants to family caregivers of eligible family members in each of the three grand divisions to offset eligible expenditures incurred by the family caregivers. The pilot program must be operated from July 1, 2026, to December 31, 2029. "ELIGIBLE FAMILY MEMBER" DEFINED As used in this bill, an "eligible family member" means an individual who (i) requires assistance with at least two activities of daily living (ADLs), (ii) is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or related dementia, (iii) qualifies as an adult child, spouse, parent, or other relative by blood or marriage to a family caregiver, and (ii) lives in a private residential home and not in an assisted living center, nursing facility, or residential care home. "Activities of daily living" mean ambulating, feeding, dressing, personal hygiene, continence, and toileting. FAMILY CAREGIVER GRANT FUND This bill creates a separate fund within the general fund to be known as the family caregiver grant fund. The fund is composed of (i) funds appropriated by the general assembly for the fund and (ii) gifts, grants, and other donations received by the department for the fund. GRANTS Subject to the availability of funds, this bill requires the department to allocate and disperse grants each fiscal year of the pilot program period to family caregivers of eligible family members giving (i) primary priority to individuals or family units whose income does not exceed 80% of
What the bill says
From the amended text:
Senate Health and Welfare 1 Amendment No. 1 to SB1777 Crowe Signature of Sponsor AMEND S e n ate Bill No. 1777 House Bill No. 1443* by deleting all language after the caption and and WHEREAS, the caregivers of family members with Alzheimer's disease incur replacement costs and forgone wages estimated to be $36,667 per person; and WHEREAS, financial relief is positively related to the level of service and support provided by informal caregivers; and WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper that the State create a financial relief program to benefit Alzheimer's caregivers; now, therefore, SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 52, is amended by adding the following as a new chapter: 52-9-101. Short title. This chapter is known and may be cited as the "Caring for Caregivers Act." 52-9-102. Chapter definitions. As used in this chapter: (1) "Activities of daily living" or "ADL" means: (A) Ambulating, which is the ability of an individual to move or walk from one place to another independently without assistance or the aid of adaptive equipment or devices; (B) Feeding, which is the ability of an individual to feed oneself; SA0725 (C) Dressing, which is the ability to select appropriate clothes and to put the clothes on without aid; (D) Personal hygiene, which is the ability to bathe and groom oneself and maintain dental …