What is Respite?
Respite is a DDA waiver service, available on the Basic Plus, Children’s Intensive In-Home Behavioral Supports, Individual and Family Services, and Core waivers for individuals not receiving residential habilitation services.
Respite provides a short-term, intermittent break for you and your primary caregiver in your home or in the community.
Respite can be provided by several different providers:
- A respite provider with CDWA,
- A contracted community settings provider (community centers, parks and recreation, senior centers, summer programs)
- Home care agencies and Agency Respite
- Other licensed facilities.
Types of Respite
Overnight Planned Respite Services (OPRS) is a community-based service for adult clients of DDA who live in their family home. These services offer a break to family members. OPRS offers individualized activities and support for the individual. Services are provided in a community setting, such as a home or apartment staffed by contracted, certified providers.
Each respite setting serves one person at a time, using a person-centered plan developed with the individual and family to create a schedule and activities that meet the person’s needs. The maximum length of stay is fourteen days within a calendar year.
Enhanced Respite Services are stabilization services. ERS are designed to give DDA-enrolled children and youth access to short-term respite in a DDA contracted, and Division of Licensed Resources (DLR) licensed, staffed residential setting.
ERS is designed to help with the stabilization of the child and to create an individualized service plan that reflects the behavioral needs of the individual. The service does provide a break for the family in caregiving, however, the family’s involvement in the development of the plan and follow through once the support has concluded is paramount to the success of the individual.
A child or youth may access Enhanced Respite Services for one 30-day period each calendar year.
How do I find providers for Respite?
Connect with your DDA case resource manager. They can answer questions about waiver services and connect you with a qualified provider.
If you are unsure who your case manager is, call or visit your local DDA field office. To find your local office visit https://www.dshs.wa.gov/office-locations.
