About Us
The Illinois Respite Coalition started out as a grass roots organization that was formed in 1998 by a group of parents, concerned respite providers, state agencies and national leaders. The group came together to address the desperate needs for respite services.
IMPORTANT RECENT NEWS!!!
Lifespan Respite is FUNDED this year!
Senate approves $2.5 million
Last night, the Senate passed the FY09 Omnibus Appropriations bill which packages nine appropriation bills postponed from the last Congress to fund most federal agencies for this current fiscal year. The House passed the bill last week. It now goes to the President for his signature.
The bill includes:
Lifespan Respite to receive $2.5 million this fiscal year (Funds must be obligated before Sept. 30, 2009). The funds are included in the Office of the Secretary's General Funds, so a decision will have to be made quickly by incoming Secretary-designate of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, former governor of Kansas, regarding which federal agency will administer the funds. We will be monitoring this process closely. Funds could be made available to states through a competitive grant process as early as late spring.
Other important potential sources of federal funding for respite and crisis nurseries, including Title II of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, known as the Community Based Child Abuse Prevention Grants, the Social Services Block Grant, the Promoting Safe and Stable Families program, and Family Support under the Administration on Developmental Disabilities were all left with funds at the 2008 level. Funds for the National Family Caregiver Support Program were increased by less than $1 million ($854,000 increase, including $73,000 for the Native American Family Caregiver Program).
Our History
• More than a decade ago, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) received federal funding through the Temporary Child Care for Children with Disabilities and Crisis Nurseries Act (TCCA) to develop 6 demonstration grants across the state to fund crisis nurseries and respite programs.
• The Illinois Respite Coalition (IRC) started out as a grassroots organization that was formed in 1998 by a group of parents, concerned respite providers, state agencies and national leaders. The group came together to address the desperate needs for respite services.
• Technical assistance was provided by the ARCH National Respite Resource Center.
• Two of the crisis nurseries originally funded under TCCA had representatives who originally served as Chairs of the Coalition. In 2003/04, Patricia Burke, from NIA (a respite agency in Chicago) stepped up as Chair. Mrs. Burke served as President of the coalition until February 2009 when she passed on February 17, 2009. Mrs. Burke was an active member in Illinois communities and touched the lives of many people across the lifespan. I am sure many had the honor and privilege of meeting and interacting with her at various Illinois Respite Coalition meetings, annual summits and at the National Respite Conferences hosted by ARCH. She attended every National Respite Conference for the last 10 years. We are very sadden by her passing and will truly miss her very much.
• In September of 2006, the IRC Chair submitted a proposal to the DCFS for the purposes of hiring a full-time Statewide Respite coordinator. The grant was awarded and a full-time respite coordinator has been on board with the coalition since February 2007.
• Originally the IRC was created primarily for advocacy work –educating legislators about the need for respite.
• To date, the organization has been revived to ensure respite care is provided with safety, quality and access in mind. New board members have joined the coalition, a new agency stepped forward to serve as fiscal agent and provide in-kind staff support, past members are returning and new members are joining the IRC to make a difference in the lives of families.
Structure
• The IRC has a Board of Directors that serves as leadership and advisors to the Illinois Respite Care Coordinator. The IRC has bylaws, a budget, and a program plan which was created to carry out a generous grant from the Department of Children and Family services (DCFS).
• The IRC will provide services to any family or provider in the state of Illinois needing information, resource and training relative to Lifespan Respite, and is dedicated to increasing public awareness of the importance of “Lifespan Respite”, promoting education and training for users and providers of respite services. It also advocates support for universal access to quality respite services for residents of the State of Illinois.
• There are over 100 respite programs throughout Illinois but some of these programs only address a very specific targeted population. The Illinois Respite Coalition in partnership with the statewide Respite Coordinator will provide a coordinated system of accessible, community-based respite care services for caregivers and individuals regardless of age, ethnicity, special need, or situation.
What is Respite Care?
According to the National Respite Coalition, respite care provides temporary relief for caregivers from the ongoing responsibility of caring for an individual of any age with special needs, or who may be at risk of abuse or neglect.
Who are Family Caregivers?
Special needs may include any disability, any chronic or terminal physical, emotional, cognitive or mental health condition requiring ongoing care and supervision, including Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders, developmental disabilities, and children with special medical needs.
Family Caregivers provide unpaid, physical and/or emotional support to a loved one.
