Lifespan Respite 101
Lifespan Respite is defined in the Lifespan Respite Care Act as "coordinated systems of community-based respite for family caregivers of children or adults regardless of special need."
Learn more about the Lifespan Respite Care Program in the "101" Toolkit, view past ACL Notices of Funding Opportunities for the program, access resources to build or strengthen your State Respite Coalition, and if you are new or need a refresher, check out the Orientation Guide. This information is also useful to States considering applying for a Lifespan Respite Grant from the Administration for Community Living in response to a Notice of Funding Opportunity.
Lifespan Respite 101 Webinar: An historical look back
This 2010 webinar provides an historic look back at the start of the federal Lifespan Respite Care Program, including a review of Lifespan Respite legislation and best practices in the original State Lifespan Respite Programs in Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Oregon that laid the foundation for the federal effort and legislation.
Lifespan Respite: Who, What, When, Where and How?
These PPT slides provide answers to the questions: What is respite? Why is it important? What are the barriers to accessing respite? What is Lifespan Respite and why do we need it? Most importantly, the presentation lays out who needs to be involved in planning for and implementing a Lifespan Respite Care Program, the state requirements for preparing and applying for a state Lifespan Respite Program grant in collaboration with all the necessary stakeholders and partners, and where to find examples of innovation and best practices. Feel free to download these slides and adapt them for your own use --...
ACL Lifespan Respite Fact Sheet
The US Administration for Community Living updated this fact sheet in 2018 to provide background on the implemented Lifespan Respite Program and to provide ACL's vision for the program.
Original State Lifespan Respite Programs
This fact sheet provides a quick look at the original Statewide Lifespan Respite Programs that inspired the enactment of the Federal Lifespan Respite Care Act and laid the foundation for the concept of coordinated statewide systems of respite care for family caregivers caring for anyone of any age and condition.
Application as a Collaborative Tool
For States to receive a federal grant to implement a Lifespan Respite Program, they must compete for funds by completing an application to be submitted to the Administration for Community Living (ACL). The Lifespan Respite law requires very specific information be included in the application. Compiling this information for the application will require research, documentation, and planning, which presents opportunities for state respite coalition, Aging and Disability Resource Center, and state agency collaboration early in the planning process. This fact sheet provides details on what information is required by the applicant as well as suggestions for how each partner could...
Tools for Collaboration: Building and Sustaining Partnerships for Lifespan Respite Care Programs
This fact sheet provides definitions of different levels of collaboration and answers the questions: Why is collaboration a priority area for the Lifespan Respite Care Program? and What does collaboration in Lifespan Respite Care Programs mean? Also provided are state examples of effective collaborations and partnerships to advance Lifespan Respite systems, and links to valuable tools and resources to support Lifespan Respite Care Program Lead Agencies, State Respite Coalitions, ADRCs and their stakeholders in developing or maintaining collaborations.
Tools for Collaboration: Building and Sustaining Partnerships for Lifespan Respite
At the heart of Lifespan Respite is the concept of collaboration. Throughout the Lifespan Respite Care Act, and in the federal program guidance, references are made to collaboration and coordination among various stakeholders at the federal, state and local levels. This webinar will explore the history, successes, and challenges of collaboration among state agencies, state respite coalitions, and Aging and Disability Resource Centers. While the lessons to be learned will be most useful for those directly involved in planning and implementation of State Lifespan Respite programs and state respite coalitions, others working in social services, long-term services and supports, and...
Infographic: What’s the Key Ingredient for a Successful, Sustainable Coalition?
Author: Casandra Firman, ARCH As Lifespan Respite grantees and their State Respite Coalition partners work to build diverse and meaningful partnerships for sustainability, ARCH developed this infographic to reflect lessons learned.
Eligible state entities include State agencies that administer the Older Americans Act, state agencies that administer Medicaid, or a state agency designated by the Governor. State agencies must work in partnership with Aging and Disability Resource Centers/No Wrong Door Systems and in mandated collaboration with a State Respite Coalition or other statewide respite organization. With these funds, states must implement state and local Lifespan Respite programs, which are defined in the law as "Coordinated systems of accessible, community-based respite care services for family caregivers of children or adults with special needs." Grants may be available to states which have never received Lifespan Respite awards in the past and/or for current or former Lifespan Respite grantees.
Lifespan Respite Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs)
Infographic: What’s the Key Ingredient for a Successful, Sustainable Coalition?
Author: Casandra Firman, ARCH As Lifespan Respite grantees and their State Respite Coalition partners work to build diverse and meaningful partnerships for sustainability, ARCH developed this infographic to reflect lessons learned.
Compendium of State Respite Coalition Fact Sheets
This compendium of fact sheets, updated in 2017, provides a state-by-state look at state respite coalitions that are affiliated with the ARCH Network (See State Respite Coalitions). Each fact sheet contains the following information on each state respite coalition: Start-Up Process and Coalition History; Structure; Staff; Funding; Membership; Meetings and Communication; Major Activities; Available Documents (Bylaws, Strategic Plans, Surveys, Brochures, etc.); and State Contact Information. The compendium should be useful for state respite coalitions to educate their members and prospective members, family caregivers, funders, legislators and other policy makers about the resources they have available to provide assistance within their...
Building a Statewide Respite Coalition: Where Do We Begin?
This guide is intended to assist those states or groups that are considering forming or restructuring coalitions by providing the tools necessary to begin building or to strengthen a state respite coalition. Although the focus is on respite coalitions in particular, the material can be used for building any coalition. Topics include: Getting started and developing the mission, vision, goals and action steps for the coalition; documenting the need; engaging interested individuals and organizations; structuring the coalition (charter members; nonprofit and 501(c)3 considerations); funding the coalition; sustaining the coalition; and evaluating coalition effectiveness.
State Lifespan Respite Grantee and Partner Orientation Guide
CONGRATULATIONS on being a new Lifespan Respite Grantee or Partner! WELCOME to the Lifespan Respite Network. If you are a seasoned grantee or coalition partner, this resource will still be useful to you as a refresher or handy desk guide. As you may have already discovered, ARCH has a wealth of information that is available to view or download from the ARCH website, or that you can access through online networking or in-person events. This orientation packet provides helpful information at your fingertips so you can quickly access the resources you need to make your state Lifespan Respite initiative a...
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