Getting Respite From Your Regional Center

What Is Respite?

   Respite services are non-medical care and supervision provided in the clients’ own home for a regional center client who resides with a family member.

The point of respite is to give you a break from caring for your child with disabilities.

This is in recognition of the fact that caring for a person with a disability is draining both physically and emotionally.

What Does The Respite Worker Do?

 The job of the respite worker is to:     Assist family members in maintaining the client at home, Provide appropriate care and supervision to protect the clients’ safety, Relieve family members from the continuous demanding responsibility of caring for the client, and Attend to the clients’ basic self-help needs and other activities of daily living.

How Do Families Get Respite?

   Determine that they need Respite services.

Request an Individualized Program Plan (IPP) meeting with Regional Center.

 The meeting must be held within 30 days of your request. WIC § 4646.5(b) Attend the IPP meeting and explain why you need respite services and provide any documentation that you have to support your request.

What Is Good Documentation?

   Keep a daily log for a week (or two).

Describe specific incidents/reasons why you need respite.

If you think there is any doubt as to your need, get other documentation

Is respite free?

  Effective 01/01/05, some families will have to pay a share of cost for respite services under the Family Cost Participation Program (FCPP). See http://www.dds.cahwnet.gov/fcpp/index.cfm

Families subject to the FCPP are those with children between 3 and 17 years old, who live at home, are not eligible for Medi-Cal, and who met certain income guidelines (Income 4 times the FPL).

Can I choose my own respite worker?

 You can either use an agency that the RC refers you to or you can get a “voucher” from the RC and hire your own worker.

 If you hire your own worker. You are responsible for hiring, training, monitoring, and paying the worker.