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Respite Care
Information & Resources
Overview
This information sheet provides families information about what respite care is, important questions to ask potential respite care providers, and how to go about finding respite care.
Respite care is temporary relief care designed for families of children or adults with special needs. It can be provided from the family’s home or in the community. Respite services can vary from a few hours to a week. It may involve overnight care for an extended period.
Respite care can be something a family uses regularly, or just as needed. Respite care is designed to help families. Caretakers of children or adults with special needs often face their own health concerns and stress as a result of balancing the needs of their loved one with the needs of other family members. The breaks that respite care provides allow families time to focus their attention on the needs of others or themselves. Respite can also help prevent abuse and neglect, while supporting family unity. Respite care allows families to take vacations or a few hours of time off.
Questions to ask when looking for Respite Care
- How are providers screened?
- What is the training and level of experience in autism of the care providers?
- How and by whom is the care provider supervised?
- Are there organized activities?
- How are meals handled?
- Does the program maintain current information about each client’s medical and other needs?
- Is there a written care plan?
- Who will administer medications?
- What procedures are in place for emergencies, and are the support staff trained in First Aid/CPR?
- Would services be provided better in the home, an outside setting, or a combination?
- Would there be additional insurance requirements if services are provided in the home?
- How far ahead of time do caregivers need to call to arrange for services?
- Is the service limited to a certain number of hours?
- Can specific care providers be requested each time?
- Is it possible to have a family member or friend who knows the individual be paid to provide the respite service?
- Will the respite care provider care for other children, too?
- Does the program provide transportation?
- What is the cost of the service? How is payment arranged?
- Are there funding sources available to pay for the service other than private pay?
How to Get Respite Care:
Families or caregivers will need their child’s PCP to fax a referral/letter of necessity to the insurance company explaining why respite care is needed. The insurance company will review it and determine how many hours will be approved. The family then has to find the respite care providers on their own.
How to find Respite Care?
- Local support groups: https://paautism.org/support-groups/
- Special Kids Network Help in PA Resources: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/health/programs/healthy-living/special-kids-network
- ARCH National Respite Locator Service: https://archrespite.org/caregiver-resources/respitelocator/
- Allegheny County Respite Care Coalition: https://www.classcommunity.org/services/acrc
- Physical HealthChoices Managed Care Organizations (MCOs): https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dhs/resources/medicaid/hc/hc-mco
- Respite Care through DBHIDS (Philadelphia): https://dbhids.org/services/children-and-youth-services/respite/
This information was developed by the Autism Services, Education, Resources, and Training Collaborative (ASERT). For more information, please contact ASERT at 877-231-4244 or info@PAautism.org. ASERT is funded by the Bureau of Supports for Autism and Special Populations, PA Department of Human Services.