Family Caregiving:
Public Policy Solutions

Lifespan Respite Care systems provide much-needed support for families, and help prevent expensive consequences resulting from the high levels of stress experienced by family caregivers. Lifespan systems identify and coordinate federal, state, and community-based respite resources and funding streams across ages, disabilities and family circumstances. Families are able to access an array of affordable, quality respite care services. Lifespan systems help families locate, train, and pay for respite.

Lifespan Respite Care systems are an effective and cost-effective way to support families caring for a loved one with special needs. RCAW works to ensure that all Wisconsin families have access to quality systems of respite care across the lifespan. There is much to be done. Funding is needed to implement Lifespan Respite Care systems serving all Wisconsin communities. Outcome evaluation data strongly suggests that respite makes sense by virtue of helping to prevent the expensive consequences associated with caregiver stress. Respite also makes sense in terms of the intrinsic value to be found in supporting Wisconsin's most important resources - its families.

Learn more about state policy trends and model respite programs.
Learn more about cost savings from respite care.