Needs Assessments, Caregiver and Provider Surveys, and Additional Resources
Alabama
Alabama Lifespan Respite Network (ALRN) provided sample letters, family caregiver and provider surveys, and the results. The survey was designed and conducted by the University of Alabama at Birmingham in collaboration with ALRN:
- AL Respite Survey Recruitment Letter to Agencies
- Respite Survey Cover Letter for Family Caregivers
- Respite Survey Cover Letter for Service Providers
- Respite Family Caregivers Survey, AUG 17, 2010
- Respite Services Provider Survey, August 17, 2010
- Survey Results Respite Service Providers, OCT 2010
- Survey Results: Family Caregiver Needs, March 2012
For PPT presentation by Dr. Brian Geiger and Dr. Marcia O'Neal on needs assessment, see "Resources" below.
Determining Provider Needs for Respite Training, Results of an Alabama Survey, Brian F. Geiger, Marcia R. O’Neal, December 21, 2014
Arkansas
Delaware
Becker, Lisa; Tracy Mann, MA, and Tim Brooks, EdD. (2007) Respite Care in Delaware: The Delaware Lifespan Respite Information Network, Report to the Governor's Commission on Community-Based Alternatives for Individuals with Disabilities. The University of Delaware Center for Disabilities Studies in partnership with the Delaware Caregivers Support Coalition. Several organizations in Delaware, including the Delaware Caregivers Support Coalition, the Delaware chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), and the Center for Disabilities Studies at the University of Delaware, examined the issue of respite care services over a three-year period. Each of these organizations conducted policy analysis and surveys of families. All organizations found that, while there are some good sources of respite support in the state, there was a need for expanded respite services, a centralized database, and a way to link respite providers to caregivers in need of services. The report summarizes these findings. Click here.
Colorado
District of Columbia
Idaho
Idaho Caregiver Needs and Respite Capacity Report, 2014 and Executive Summary
Kansas
Maryland
Understanding Caregiver Needs in Maryland: Summary of Key Findings: Caregiver Survey Maryland 2015
Massachusetts
Minnesota
Final Report: Caregiver Support Service Assessment (metro area)
Caregiver Support Assessment Survey (metro area)
2013 Statewide Survey of Providers that offer Caregiver Support Services (pdf)
Montana
Nebraska
In August, 2017, the Respite Across the Lifespan program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center at the Munroe Meyer Institute (UNMC-MMI) was awarded funding from the NE Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities to develop a “Respite Evaluation Task Force.” The Task Force's main purpose was to investigate reasons for the underutilization of the NE Lifespan Respite subsidy and make recommendations and possible strategies to address identified concerns. The Task Force also addressed the challenges of finding respite care providers for individuals who have behavioral challenges. Final Report.
Nevada
Nevada Lifespan Respite Care Program Data on Caregivers 2012, Final Report
New Hampshire
New York
Oklahoma
Lifespan Respite Grant Caregiver Needs and Provider Survey Report
South Carolina
TexasSouth Carolina Respite Coalition Caregiver Survey, August 2020 - Key Findings
Caregiver Characteristics Associated with Use of Respite Care: Results from a Texas 2012 Statewide Survey, Alison Little and Kristin Christensen, PPT Slides from National Lifespan Respite Conference
Survey Instrument: Caregiver Survey
Wisconsin
The Respite Care Association of Wisconsin is a member of the Wisconsin Family and Caregiver Support Alliance. The Alliance recently released the results of a family caregiver survey on how caregivers find and utilize resources, including respite, and barriers to service use. Results are presented for caregivers of children and young adults under age 30 and caregivers of adults age 30 and older.
Additional Resources
Designing and Implementing a Needs Assessment . Brian F. Geiger, EdD, FAAHE & Marcia R. O'Neal, PhD, University of Alabama at Birmingham, School of Education, College of Arts and Sciences and Center for Educational Accountability.
Both of the following resources apply more directly to an individual respite program, but many of the same principles can be applied to a statewide needs assessment:
ARCH Fact Sheet #27. Sticky Figures: Using a Needs Assessment (Sept. 1993)
A thorough examination of the process of developing, implementing, and documenting a needs assessment. Various data collecting methods are examined in detail. Written by David B. Langmeyer, evaluation consultant.
Bringing Respite to Your Community: A Start-up Manual.
These manuals give step-by-step instructions on how to begin a respite care program. The 332-page book includes chapters on needs assessment, the planning process, program models, budget, collaboration, marketing, funding, administrative policies and procedures, staffing, daily operations, and evaluation. Included are sample forms, policies, job descriptions, and other resources that can help existing programs reevaluate the design of their current services.