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."

• Lifespan Respite System Tools
• Lifespan Respite "101" Toolkit
• TA Center Advisory Committee
• GAO Lifespan Respite Report
• Lifespan Respite State Grant Updates
  
• Lifespan Respite Grantees, PPT Presentations, 2011
• Lifespan Respite Grantees, PPT Presentations, 2010
• FY11 Lifespan Respite Program Announcement
  
• Lifespan Respite Program State Contacts
• Webinars, Teleconferences, and Resources
• Upcoming Events
• Lifespan Respite Grantee/Primary Stakeholder Networking Page
• Respite FACTS and Talking Points 
• Contact Us

 New! 2012 Needs Assessment Results
 

ARCH training and technical assistance activities include:

• State site visits to assist with State Lifespan Summits to help states build or strengthen coalitions and prepare state agencies to apply for federal Lifespan Respite grants in the future;
• Updating ARCH respite fact sheets that have proven most useful over the years and developing new fact sheets as needed on topics across age and disability categories;
• New documents and guidebooks, and webinars on topics such as "Lifespan Respite 101," Respite in the Faith Community," and "Tools for Collaboration." Future topics may include Federal Respite Funding Opportunities,  Evaluation, Marketing and Public Awareness, Volunteer and Rural Respite, respite for special populations, and more;
• New consumer content on the ARCH web pages, especially the National Respite Locator Service;
• A repository for respite training curricula and links to specific state resources; 
• An  ongoing needs assessment of ARCH and State Lifespan Networks to assess new training and TA needs;
• Phone and email consultation as needed or to help family caregivers find respite.
  

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AoA Announces Availability of FY 11 Funding for
Lifespan Respite Grants

The U.S. Administration on Aging announced the availability of approximately
$2.25 million for implementation of the requirements of the Lifespan Respite
Care Act of 2006. These projects will enable states to establish, enhance or expand Lifespan Respite Care systems, including new and planned emergency respite services, training and recruitment of respite workers and volunteers and assist caregivers with gaining access to needed respite services.

Under the 2011 "Lifespan Respite Care Program" announcement, AoA will award
up to 12 grants to states with federal funding up to $200,000 each for three-year project periods. AoA will fund projects that propose to serve all eligible respite recipients, including family members, foster parents, or other adults providing
unpaid care to adults needing care to meet basic daily needs or prevent injury
and to children who require care beyond that required to meet their basic needs.
Over the course of these projects, states will work to expand and enhance respite care services to family members; improve the statewide dissemination and coordination of respite care; and provide, supplement, or improve access and
quality of respite care services to family caregivers, thereby reducing family
caregiver strain.

This is a limited grant competition. Awards will only be made to eligible state
agencies who: administer the states program under the Older Americans Act of
1965; or administer title XIX of the social Security Act; or are designated by the Governor of the state to administer the State’s programs under this title who are
an aging and disability resource center working in collaboration with a state respite coalition or organization, AND who are not currently funded under the Lifespan
Respite Care Program.

The closing date for applications for this announcement is Friday, May 20, 2011.
The deadline for submission of a letter of intent to apply for funding is Monday,
April 25, 2011. Letters should be submitted by facsimile or e-mail to Greg Link
at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (202) 357-3558 (Fax). To learn more about this opportunity, please visit: http://www.aoa.gov/AoARoot/Grants/Funding/index.aspx

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On October 22, 2010 the Government Accounting Office released a report to Congress on the Lifespan Respite Care Program mandated by the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006. Since the program is relatively new, GAO could not carry out the cost benefit analysis required by the legislation, but they did prepare a descriptive summary of current state Lifespan Respite grantee activities. To conduct its required audit, GAO interviewed officials from AOA and reviewed related documentation including grant applications, notice of awards, grantee work plans, and semi-annual progress reports. The ARCH program director was also interviewed to obtain background information on respite care and information about the National Resource Center on Lifespan Respite Care. The report includes a supportive statement from the Administration on Aging. For the full report, Respite Care: Grants and Cooperative Agreements Awarded to Implement the Lifespan Respite Care Act. GAO-11-28R, October 22, 2010, click here.

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Lifespan Respite State Grant Updates: 

In 2009, AoA funded the first twelve states to establish Lifespan Respite systems.  ARCH will periodically provide updates on the successes and challenges faced by the pioneering grantees.  These updates will be published regularly in the FCA-ARCH Newsletter. They are reprinted here for your convenience.

• Part 1- Getting to Know the Lifespan Respite Grantees
• Part 2- Getting to Know the Lifespan Respite Grantees
• Part 3- Getting to Know the Lifespan Respite Grantees
• Part 4- Getting to Know the Lifespan Respite Grantees