Grantee Activities and Key Accomplishments
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Key Accomplishments of Lifespan Respite Program Grantees
The Lifespan Respite Care Program was authorized by Congress in 2006 under Title XXIX of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C 201). Lifespan Respite Care programs are coordinated systems of accessible, community-based respite care services for family caregivers of children and adults of all ages with disabilities and/or chronic conditions. Such programs reduce duplication of effort and assist in the development of respite care infrastructures at the state and local levels.
In the descriptions of State Lifespan Respite Grantee accomplishments captured in the pages of this report, knowledge, commitment, ingenuity, and skillful stewardship and administration of resources are evident. Because a research base to guide grantees in making strong, durable, and responsive state systems is relatively scant, the accomplishments of these state grantees are essential to improve the quality of respite services and to increase confidence among caregivers using respite services. Through their work, state Lifespan Respite grantees provide evidence of the merit of the Lifespan Respite Care Program, and they inform our path forward. Lifespan Respite grantee activities are grouped into eight key areas of accomplishment:
- Make leadership collaborative.
- Make respite accessible through No Wrong Door.
- Make services affordable.
- Collect and use data
- Grow a strong provider workforce
- Innovate programs and practices.
- Diversify resources.
- Educate and advocate
Lifespan Respite Grantee Best Practices
From time to time, Lifespan Respite grantees and their partners present on their state's best practices at National Lifespan Respite Conferences, in Learning Collaboratives, or in network-wide webinars and will be featured here. Best practices in respite voucher programs, volunteer and faith-based respite, respite provider training, caregiver mental health and wellbeing, coalition and systems building, and ADRC/No Wrong Door partnerships are just some of the best practices explored.
Lifespan Respite
Summaries of State Lifespan Respite Grant Activities
Summaries of Final Reports and Current Grant Proposals
The individual state summaries of grantee final reports from completed projects found below are also included in the compendiums to the right if you are searching for specific grant activities across states. Summaries of Lifespan Respite Care Program grant proposals for current projects are also included below if available.
Notable Achievements (2020-2023)
During the 2022 Legislative Session, Alabama Respite advocated for and received a $140,000 increase to the annual Education Trust Fund (ETF) state appropriation via the Alabama Department of Rehabilitative Services as a match for potential increased, new, or rollover federal funding opportunities. Increased funds, as well as increased legislative awareness and bi-partisan support, helped the grantee reach all project goals and objectives to support caregivers statewide. In addition, during the final year of the project, funding was made available to partner with Alabama Lifespan Respite (ALR) as the first non-state agency to be included in the ADSS/ADRC/AAA PeerPlace referral portal as a pilot project. Technical assistance was offered through ALR, Coalition, and the Caregiver Wellness Initiative (CWI), and 10 mini-grants were awarded for startup or expansion of community respite programs.
View Final Report Summary for FY 2020 -2023
Notable Achievements (2017-2021):
In addition to continuing and increasing respite, trainings, and educational workshops, Alabama’s Lifespan Respite team offers enhanced services to help address caregivers’ emotional, physical, and financial needs from the onset of the pandemic through virtual support groups, web-based training and tools, and individual phone or video conferencing “Care Chats.” The Alabama Lifespan Respite Coalition, in an updated white paper, proposed legislative recommendations to increase public policy awareness, and a legislative framework for strengthening Alabama’s lifespan respite care initiatives.
View Final Report Summary for FY 2017 - 2021
Grant Proposal Summaries:
Notable Achievement:
The Arkansas Lifespan Respite Coalition worked with legislators in seeking a legislative study regarding respite needs in Arkansas that would help promote the development of a statewide respite and crisis care system.
View FY 2014-2017 Interim Summary
Grant Proposal Summaries:
Notable Achievements:
The collaboration between DAAS and the ACC continues to help identify gaps in respite care services and in recognizing underserved populations in Arizona. One notable achievement is the grantees partnered with the state Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD)to identify and serve families not eligible to receive respite services through other state and federally funded respite programs. The second notable achievement is the grantee offered respite vouchers throughout the State where respite care services or providers were not available through AAAs or other community-based organizations. The voucher program was especially utilized during the COVID-19pandemic as an alternative to Adult Day Health Centers (ADHCs). The third notable achievement is the grantee and the ACC convened an Advisory Committee that included members or participants from the AAAs, DDD, several ADHCs, home care agencies, the Veterans Administration, and Adult Protective Services, to develop a collaborative foundation for the Arizona Respite Network.
View Final Report Summary for FY 2017 - 2021
Grant Proposal Summaries:
Notable Achievements:
The Colorado Respite Coalition (CRCP) made significant enhancements to its website, including the addition of mobile responsiveness and development of user accounts to save favorites and submit content, such as upcoming trainings and resources. As part of the Respite Care Task Force project, the CRCP recreated its Respite Locator, now called the Online ResourceFinder, to include trainings and events, educational materials, and broader resources, as well as respite providers. The Online ResourceFinder features more narrow search options to increase user-friendliness, and a resource hotline, available to the public and listed at coloradorespitecoalition.org.
View Final Report Summary for FY 2017 - 2021
Grant Proposal Summaries:
Notable Achievements (FY 2020-2024):
The grantee’s key accomplishments included: 1) the development of Idaho’s management information system infrastructure to accommodate AAAs CDR and State Program Report (SPR) accountability; 2) Idaho’s HB 687, the appropriation bill for the Commission on Aging that included $720,00 in ongoing funding to improve access to care for vulnerable seniors and direct support for their caregivers; 3) three annual ICA Caregiver Conferences and a Lifespan Summit; 4) the development of ICAs website, resource library, monthly newsletters, Idaho legislative updates; 5) increased outreach and awareness; 6) the foundation and expansion for AAAs to implement the CDR model in providing homemaker and transportation services in rural communities; 7) cross-sharing of state’s Medicaid Money Follows the Person Program, Family Caregiver Navigator to help inform changes in the caregiver support system statewide; and 8) consumer evaluations.
View Final Report Summary for FY 2020-2024
Notable Achievements (FY 2017-2021):
Idaho was one of six states selected to participate in the Center for Health Care Strategies Helping States Support Families for an Aging America Initiative. Following their selection, the Idaho Commission on Aging and the Idaho Caregiver Alliance (ICA) participated in a collaborative to address identified needs at state and national levels to advance innovations that support family caregivers. As part of the initiative, Idaho has committed to work with Medicaid to develop an online resource center of respite and other caregiver and family supports, accessible by families, health insurers of people dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare, and community-based organizations.
View Final Report Summary for FY 2017 - 2021
Grant Proposal Summaries:
Notable Achievement:
To make and keep their Coalition strong, Iowa used an outside source, Capture Marketing Group, which specializes in association management, advocacy, coalition building and development of best practices for non-profit governance. Significant effort is put into education and marketing opportunities to raise awareness of the Lifespan Respite Coalition, including a Facebook page to raise awareness of respite and caregiving issues, generate interest for annual fall conferences and provide a social media platform for caregivers to ask questions.
Notable Achievement:
Information about Emergency Respite Care, established under this grant, was made available through flyers in Spanish, Mandarin, Korean, Vietnamese, and Russian. The development of Emergency Respite Care tracking reports aided Maryland in evaluating the program.
Notable Achievements:
ForHealth Consulting (formerly Commonwealth Medicine), a division of the University of Massachusetts Chan School, served as training and evaluation coordinator during the grant period, supporting the lead agency’s efforts to support both access to respite provider training, and to respite services. In a study on state funded respite policies and programs, ForHealth Consulting identified the need to collaborate across state programs and agencies to improve respite access, improve tracking systems to measure respite service utilization, and to address workforce issues. These studies guided subsequent respite systems management and sustainability planning.
View Final Report Summary for FY 2018-2022
Grant Proposal Summaries:
Notable Achievements:
After surveying the landscape of respite services in Montana, the grantee identified significant unmet need for respite among Montana caregivers. Barriers to respite utilization included restrictive income, resource, or categorical eligibility criteria. Locating a quality, accessible respite provider they trusted was also a barrier for caregivers. To address these barriers and serve family caregivers, Montana launched the Lifespan Respite Voucher program, a self-directed program that allows caregivers to hire someone they already know and trust to spend time with their loved one and provide the primary caregiver with time away from caregiving. Vouchers used totaled 1,214 during the reporting period.
View Final Report Summary for FY 2018- 22
Grant Proposal Summaries:
Notable Achievements:
Nebraska DHHS enhanced the cross-system statewide respite infrastructure supported by a system framework with extensive capacity for online data entry and analysis. The framework assists in the evaluation of Nebraska’s Lifespan Respite Network overall, as well as outcomes for family caregivers and respite providers who access the state’s diverse lifespan respite resources. A 3-year evaluation gathered comprehensive information about respite services in Nebraska and how those services were both provided and received. DHHS provided train-the-trainer events and several provider trainings (using the Respite Education and Support Tools [REST] model), added agricultural/equine assisted respite activities programming, and piloted a college-based respite-focused student service learning certificate program to increase the number of trained respite providers. The lead agency also enhanced the NRRS website to simplify provider enrollment and facilitate information on respite training and continuing education. The lead agency created a structured process and materials to engage businesses and help them educate their caregiver employees about what respite is and the lifespan respite resources available to them.
Notable Achievements:
The grantee completed a pilot project on self-directed caregiver respite, the Respite Rx Project, that incorporated best practices designed to translate to positive outcomes among caregivers receiving respite. The grantee’s goal was to remove internal and external barriers to respite services. The process of identifying these barriers led to continuous changes made to original policies to make them more relevant and supportive of caregivers using respite services
View Final Report Summary for FY 2017 - 2021
Grant Proposal Summaries:
View NV FY 2020 Grant Proposal Summary
Notable Achievements (2020-2023):
New York’s Core Team continued to build a sustainable respite care system for caregivers across the age and disability spectrum throughout New York State. Program and policy improvements made possible through this grant included: increased capacity of the New York State Caregiving and Respite Coalition (NYSCRC); addressed gaps in respite care availability through targeted mini-grant funding opportunities and the Respite Voucher program; piloted and implemented an online respite care provider training program; educated the public and businesses through the Working Caregiver Initiative; and improved the availability of caregiving and respite resources within the NY Connects Resource Directory.
View Final Report Summary for FY 2020 - 2023
Notable Achievements (2017-2021):
In 2019, the National Lifespan Respite Conference was hosted by ARCH and the New York State Caregiving and Respite Coalition(NYSCRC), and co-sponsored by NYSOFA. The Conference brought together more than 300 participants from public, non-profit, and private service providers across the country, as well as New York State local caregiver coordinators, respite providers, NY Connects staff, Expanded In-home Services for the Elderly Program case managers, and others involved in caregiving and respite across disciplines.
In 2018, New York State passed legislation requiring NYSOFA and the NYS Department of Labor (DOL) to develop a Caregiver Guide for Businesses to help support working caregivers across the state. A state-level workgroup was formed including NYSOFA, DOL, the Worker’s Compensation Board (WCB), and the Department of Health (DOH) to develop The Caregiver Guide for Businesses. The guide, which was reviewed by key stakeholders, supports New York State’s business community and employed caregivers by providing relevant information on ways to best support working caregivers, including links to programs, supportive services, workplace data, and information about New York State Paid Family Leave.
View Final Report Summary for FY 2017 - 2021
Grant Proposal Summaries:
Notable Achievements:
The Lifespan Respite Care State Advisory Team includes small work groups that meet to flesh out initiatives to propose to the large group. The Respite Barriers Strategic Plan Workgroup identified barriers that keep people from getting or using respite as intended. The workgroup developed a template to communicate basic information on each publicly funded respite option in North Carolina. The template briefly describes each option as well as information on eligibility, cost, how to apply, and who to contact for additional information. The template also identifies barriers in policy or process that keep caregivers from accessing or using respite service options.
Grant Proposal Summaries:
Notable Achievements:
The grantee produced an educational video that defines respite and discusses the importance of caregivers taking a short break. The video is available for individuals to watch on their own, or for professionals to use when they would like an additional tool to share with caregivers about the importance of getting a short break. In addition to the 2.5-minute video, 30-second television and radio public service announcements were developed in cooperation with the North Dakota Broadcasters Association (NDBA), the public service announcements aired on television and radio over three months. Public service announcements aired 7,357 times.
View Final Report Summary for FY 2017 - 2021
Grant Proposal Summaries:
Notable Achievements:
The grantee regularly uses the Oklahoma Lifespan Respite GrantCaregiver Needs and Provider Survey to document characteristics of typical Oklahoma caregivers, care recipients, and service providers; services caregivers currently receive; services caregivers indicated they wished they had; and services that providers indicated that caregivers need. This resource, an excellent tool to help the Oklahoma Caregiver Coalition (OCC) partners identify and prioritize the needs of Oklahoma family caregivers, has shown that Oklahoma's caregivers and providers identified respite as the number one need. Guided by documented service needs and priorities, Oklahoma’s Lifespan Respite Grant Voucher Program provides typical, educational, and emergency vouchers to family caregivers across the lifespan through a creative and diverse service delivery approach
View Final Report Summary for FY 2017 - 2021
Grant Proposal Summaries:
Notable Achievements (FY 2020-2023):
The formally incorporated Family Caregiver Alliance of Rhode Island (FCARI) continued to strengthen its role as a resource and advocate for caregivers in the state by: disseminating the first Rhode Island State Plan to Support Caregivers and working with partners and interested organizations to advocate for the implementation of the plan; expanding membership of the FCARI’s Advisory Committee; continued maintenance and improvement of the FCARI website; planning and hosting the annual Family Caregivers Conferences; and working with OHA, United Way of RI (UWRI) 2-1-1, and the Point, the Rhode Island Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC), to ensure families have access to comprehensive information and resources for respite services, caregiver training and supports, and assistance with respite application preparation.
View Final Report Summary for FY 2020-2023
Notable Achievements (FY 2017-2021):
A promotional video incorporating testimonials from nursing school grant partners, student participants, and caregivers conveying the importance and benefits of the volunteer nursing student respite initiative was produced and disseminated by the grantee, working in partnership with Healthcentric Advisors. A powerful tool demonstrating the meaning of respite and its worth to providers, families, and communities, the video has reached local, state and national audiences through two targeted marketing plans.
View Final Report Summary for FY 2017 - 2021
Grant Proposal Summaries:
Notable Achievements:
At the end of Year 1 funding, SCDOA received a supplemental award that allowed them, in partnership with the South Carolina Respite Coalition (SCRC), to expand their work with faith communities and to develop the Respite Breakroom model. This model encourages faith communities to provide respite to family caregivers during religious services and/or organized events through supervision, socialization, and care for loved ones while caregivers participate in congregational activities.
View Final Report Summary for FY 2017 - 2021
Grant Proposal Summaries:
Notable Achievements:
The Lifespan Respite grant positively impacted the legion of caregivers around the State of South Dakota. The South Dakota Respite Coalition increased public awareness of respite needs and strengthened caregiver advocacy; increased statewide awareness of respite services; provided better responsiveness to the needs of caregivers; and expanded access to respite services by more efficiently directing caregivers to support and services that best suited their specialized needs through a variety of funding options. As a frontier state, special emphasis was placed on better reaching rural and tribal populations.
View Final Report Summary for FY 2017-2021
Grant Proposal Summaries:
Notable Achievements (FY 2020 - 2023):
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the TRC made significant strides to ensure that family caregivers were provided respite in unique and groundbreaking ways. Assistance provided included care packages to 94 caregivers in order to increase access to technology and much needed personal protective equipment. Other pandemic work included mini grants to provide caregivers a “non-traditional” break; the development of a Caregiver Mentoring Program; online support and discussion group; and electronic care packages that included self-care activities.
View Final Report Summary for FY 2020-2023
Notable Achievements (FY 2017-2021):
To meet the challenge of providing respite services during the pandemic, the Tennessee Respite Coalition (TRC) conducted a client survey to determine what caregivers needed to feel supported. Based on survey results, the TRC developed an innovative caregiver support program that expanded upon traditional respite services, including the purchase of Caregiver Tablets to enable caregivers to access online support and discussion groups; PPE to help caregivers to safely provide care; and electronic care packages that contained self-care activities, resources, and caregiver playlists, delivered to 97 family caregivers in Tennessee.
View Final Report Summary for FY 2017 - 2021
Grant Proposal Summaries:
Notable Achievements:
The grantee expanded access to community-based systems of respite care in all service areas of the state; implemented respite outreach and education to Hispanic/Latino caregivers in areas with large populations of low-income and Hispanic/Latino caregivers; and integrated caregiver information into the online screening questionnaire for the Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRC) network.
View FY 2014 Final Report Summary
Grant Proposal Summaries:
Notable Achievements:
Virginia Lifespan Respite Voucher Program (VLRVP), a statewide program, covered regions representing significant cultural and economic diversity, from extremely rural to large urban areas. Working with local partners, DARS provided 711 families, on average, 41 hours of respite care and reached caregivers in urban as well as isolated underserved areas, and in diverse cultural communities.
Grant Proposal Summaries:
Notable Achievements (FY 2017-2022):
During the funding period, six tribal members belonging to the Port Gamble S’Klallum Tribe completed a Washington Training Partnership-approved online training to become home care agency direct care workers qualified to work as respite workers for tribal members. This important milestone established a foundation for trust and connections between family caregivers and tribal community members who understand customs and know their community members, helping to promote feelings of safety and comfort among caregivers and families. A tribal home care agency provides oversight for quality assurance. The grantee is working to develop a training specifically for tribal communities, and plans to use it as a template for other tribal respite direct care worker training.
View Final Report Summary for FY 2017-2022
Grant Proposal Summaries:
Notable Achievements for FY 2020 - 2023:
In order to develop and provide respite information, resources, respite funding, and new programs to underserved populations through partner agencies, the Respite Care Association of Wisconsin (RCAW) increased partnerships with agencies serving Latinx communities, Native American Tribes, relative caregivers, and rural communities. After determining unique needs for each population, RCAW created marketing materials specifically for each population and identified programs and agencies serving underserved populations that could be served by a new grant initiative. RCAW received 110 grant applications and funded 28 programs across Wisconsin serving rural communities, African American, Hmong, and Latino/ Hispanic families, tribal nations, LGBTQ+ individuals, individuals at risk for abuse and neglect, grandfamilies, siblings, and low-income families. More than 430 individuals received more than 3,200 hours of care under this grant initiative.
View Final Report Summary for FY 2020-2023
Grant Proposal Summaries:
Individual summaries of grantee final reports for each state are available to download from the drop-down menus to the left. You can also search keywords across states in these compendiums below.
You can also view a full compendium of all state Lifespan Respite Grant Activities for FY 2013, FY 2014, FY 2016 grantees, and interim accomplishments for FY 2017 and FY 2018 grantees in the 2019 Interim Report.
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