Texas Lifespan Respite Care Program
Support for Family Caregivers
Updated February 2011
Last session, legislators created the Texas Lifespan Respite Care Program to support family caregivers whose loved ones do not receive services through any other state program.
This program connects families to existing respite services, implements public awareness activities, coordinates resources among existing programs, and offers respite vouchers to families in 3 regions of the state. The program’s design builds on existing infrastructure through contracts with community based agencies that already provide similar services to caregivers of elderly Texans.
Legislators appropriated $1 million to begin to fund the program, a relatively small investment but one that will go a long way to help Texas caregivers to remain in the workforce and, hopefully, to delay or prevent institutionalization for their loved ones.
As a result of the creation of this program, Texas was awarded a federal grant of $200,000 to support these efforts.
Respite is one of the services most frequently requested by informal caregivers to help them continue to provide at-home care. It offers caregivers a much-needed, short-term break from their responsibilities.
Research shows respite reduces the strain of caregiving, allows caregivers to remain in the workforce, and delays or prevents long-term institutionalization. Texas informal caregivers provide an estimated 2.9 billion hours of care per year, a market value of $24 billion.
In tight budgetary times, programs such as the Texas Lifespan Respite Care Program save the state money by supporting family caregivers so that they are able to maintain their employment while caring for loved ones, delaying or preventing institutionalization that is so devastating to families and costly for the state.
Project Site Summaries
All sites will offer respite support for informal caregivers who provide care to individuals of any age who have a chronic health condition or disability. The program is targeted at individuals who are not eligible for caregiver respite through any other state services
Caregiver services are flexible and designed to best meet the caregiver’s needs, including in-home respite, emergency respite, facility based respite, minor home modifications, and more.
For more information on the project sites, please see the contact information in the blue box in the right sidebar.
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