Federal Funding and Support Opportunities for Respite
Building Blocks for Lifespan Respite Systems

Primary Author: Vivian Gabor, M.P.H.

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This guide provides basic information about each of the federal programs that provide or could potentially provide respite funding or support. It is meant to be used by state Lifespan Respite Care Programs and their partners as a sustainability tool to help identify the funding sources that could: 

• serve as the building blocks for the state’s Lifespan Respite system,
  
• help serve the underserved,
  
• help build respite capacity and quality, 
• help recruit, train and retain respite workers and volunteers, and
  
• lead to cross agency collaboration and partnerships.
  

This guide can also be useful to community- and faith-based programs and other local public and private entities that are looking for potential sources of funding to develop new respite services or programs, expand or sustain current training efforts for respite providers or volunteers, or to enhance respite quality and access. Family caregivers or those who assist them might find it helpful in identifying sources of funding to pay for respite. Having numerous potential funding sources for respite does not suggest that funding is even close to sufficient to meet the need, but it does suggest the need to coordinate funding sources to maximize their benefits.

The guide is divided into seven major sections. The first section focuses on Medicaid and Medicare programs. The second section, Medicaid Waiver Programs, describes the largest sources of federal funding for respite that serve all age groups and individuals with various disabling and chronic conditions. The next section, Additional Medicaid Opportunities, describes provisions, some of which were enacted into law as part of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, that have the potential to support respite. Three of the remaining sections describe respite funding sources specific to the age and/or special need of the care recipient: Programs for Children, Programs Serving All Age Groups, and Programs for Adults. The last section describes respite funding sources for Military Families and Veterans.

Each program is summarized in a table in the Appendix: Summary Table

This is a fluid document. If you find incorrect or outdated information or links that no longer work, please notify ARCH.

Thank you.