Respite - Content Section 1 (ID:172)

Respite services are designed to establish short-term intervention or temporary relief to parents and children.  This will be provided by either an informal support person identified by the family and approved by DHHS-CFS, by a licensed foster parent who has been identified as a mentor for the family team, or by CRCC for child(ren) who may require the specialized assistance from a nurse or unique caregiver due to his/her behavioral health, medically fragile or developmental disability.  Families F.I.R.S.T. will encourage the use of informal supports for the use of respite whenever possible.  If the family does not have an identified informal support system, the Family Mentor (foster parent) will provide this service. 

 

Respite services may be provided in two capacities.  The first option would be planned respite.  Families will be able to access planned respite up to twelve times per year (16 hour maximum per occurrence).  The Family Facilitator will work collaboratively with the family to determine the necessity, the frequency, and the location of the planned respite. 

 

In compliance with Wraparound, the family will have the opportunity to approve the planned respite opportunities given the family-driven principle.  The Family Mentor, already having an existing connection with the family as a member of the team, will be able to fulfill this role.  The respite provider will be able to assume responsibility for the child and provide a structure similar to that of the family as well as adhering to the established parental rules and guidelines in regard to the child. 

 

The second option in which respite services may be utilized is crisis respite.  Crisis respite will provide services to a child and family for up to 72 hours when a situation has arisen in which a child and family would benefit from a brief period of time to calm down, establish and initiate a plan to reduce the likelihood of the crisis reoccurring and take any necessary steps to implement the plan. 

 

At inception of the case, a plan for implementation and utilization for crisis respite will be established so that if this service is needed it is immediately available to the family.  Ideally, the identified informal support network will be accessible when a crisis occurs.  Crisis respite services may also be provided by the identified Family Mentor.

 

The Family Mentor or informal respite provider will also meet with the family upon the return of the child to allow for re-engagement following the respite stay.  During the period of re-engagement the Family Mentor will communicate with the parents, the skill and/or behavioral focus implemented and the outcomes achieved during the respite period.  The family team will review the existing safety plan to ensure that the plan is effective and will continue to meet the safety needs and protective capacity of the family.  Adjustments to the Safety Plan will be addressed and implemented per direction of the DHHS-CFS staff.