Pennsylvania Lifespan Respite Care Act Program Grant

The Pennsylvania Department of Aging (PDA) was awarded the Lifespan Respite Care Grant from the US Administration on Aging in 2010 to establish a statewide lifespan respite system to improve coordination and access to respite services across the state.

The grant also allowed the state to establish a statewide Lifespan Respite Care Advisory Council to lead, support and monitor the development of a lifespan respite care system for Pennsylvania. For more information about the Lifespan Respite Care Advisory Council, click here.

The Department of Aging is working with the Departments of Public Welfare and Health, the Link to Aging and Disability Resources and the Pennsylvania Lifespan Respite Coalition on the Lifespan Respite Program grant. The goal of the grant is to:

1) improve statewide coordination of respite services;

2) improve access to respite services for caregivers; and

3) increase awareness of respite needs and the availability of respite services.

Click here if you are looking for a respite provider. The link will take you to the ARCH National Respite Locator Website. PA is working to identify and register respite providers on the ARCH websites.

Existing Respite Services and Methods for Coordinating Care:

The PA Department of Aging operates the State and Federal Family Caregiver Support Programs (FCSP), designed to reduce caregiver stress to those who provide care for an older, functionally dependent relative and to reinforce the older person's home care.

The Federal FCSP expands these benefits to caregivers who do not reside in the same residence, but still care for an individual in the community. Priority is given to those caregivers providing care for an individual with severe disabilities. Both programs provide caregivers reimbursement for respite care.

The Foster Grandparents Program has older adults serve as mentors, tutors and caregivers for at-risk children and youth with special needs through a variety of community organizations.

The Grandparenting Program can assist families in kinship care situations. Under the program, kinship care is defined as an older adult providing care to a related child under the age of 18. The older adult could be a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or other relative, but not the child's parent. A monthly stipend is provided to the caregivers to purchase services and supplies to assist with the caregiving. The caregiver can then purchase respite to assist with their needs.

There are four Medicaid waivers that have a respite service as an available option. Within the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP), respite is available through Pennsylvania's two Medicaid waivers serving people with intellectual disabilities when it is identified as a need on individual service plans. The respite services in ODP are direct services that provide short-term supervision and support to individuals on a short-term basis due to the normal caregivers seeking relief. Services are limited to individuals residing in private homes (their home or the home of a relative or friend). Non-Waiver respite services are also available through state-funded county services, but it is very limited depending on the funding authorized and the need in a particular county.

The Bureau of Autism Services makes respite funds and other family support funds available on a yearly application basis. In the Office of Mental health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS), respite is available to a limited number of families with children through the Bureau of Children's Behavior Health Services. The Office of Child Development and Early Learning administers the Infant, Toddler and Families Medicaid Waiver for young children with disabilities. Respite is an available service to families eligible for the waiver.

The Office of Children, Youth and Families administer the state's Childline abuse phone number (1-800-932-0313) and crisis hotlines and also work with local agencies offering respite support to families with foster children. Many children within the child welfare system have emotional and behavioral difficulties and disabilities that often provide challenges to families taking responsibility for their welfare.

Special Kids Network System of Care (SKN SOC) works to help families attempting to access resources and services for their children with special health care needs. The Special Kids Network has a toll free helpline and a public website (www.helpinpa.state.pa.us) that provide information and referrals to local respite providers and resources to parents of children and youth with special needs.

Temple University's Time Out Respite Program is an important resource for families caring for frail elderly relatives in the Philadelphia area. Time Out trains and matches college students with the frail elderly to provide companionship and supervision and assistance with activities of daily living.

The CareBreak Respite Program serves Western Pennsylvania by carefully matching screened and trained volunteers with families caring for a child up to the age of 16 who is diagnosed with autism, cerebral palsy, or related neurological and developmental disabilities.