The paper describes the Temporary Care Services program in Massachusetts which provides in-home respite care to families with developmentally delayed children. Events which led to the program's development are reviewed. Respite care is offered in six areas: emergencies, scheduled routine events, social activities, family life, child care for…

Five models for respite care services for families of developmentally disabled persons were developed, including use of a sitter or in-home companion, week-end day care, and boarding and/or group homes. A needs survey of 11 counties in Alabama identified 300 eligible persons and included information on behavior patterns, diagnosis, range and…

Respite care for children with severe handicaps and their families has been developed to serve the rural, sparsely populated areas of upstate Wisconsin. Since its' inception, the program has provided a necessary outlet to the families of 51 children at a cost of $34.70 per day. The basic elements of the program lend themselves to being replicated…

This paper reports on a portion of a study on community support and respite for families of children with disabilities in New South Wales (Australia). This part of the study focused on identification of factors influencing families when making decisions about caring for their young child at home or seeking an out-of-home placement. The study used…

Respite and in-home services have been identified by caregivers as vital for maintaining a frail older person in the community. A program called The Alzheimer Support/Tender Loving Caregivers Project was undertaken in northwest Indiana to strengthen the informal support network of disabled elderly in the community. An interfaith coalition of…

Studies consistently have found that caregivers who use respite care are satisfied with and appreciate such care. However, preliminary evaluations of the effect of respite care on caregiver burden have had mixed, limited, and in some cases null empirical findings of program effectiveness. This study explored the relationship between caregiver…

This report describes the Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waiver to section 1915 (c) of the Federal Social Security Act that was obtained by the New York State Office of Mental Health. The HCBS Waiver affects the services provided to children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances. Three statutory requirements are included in…

The New Jersey State Department of Health, Gerontology Program, awarded grants to 32 adult day care centers statewide for the provision of specialized service for victims of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders and their caregivers. The primary goals of the programs were to reduce caregiver burden through providing social supports and to…

In this paper, by an educator who is also the parent of a son with mental retardation, the urgent needs of families whose children have chronic medical needs in addition to disabilities are discussed. One family's efforts to maintain their severely retarded and disabled son at home are described as an illustration not only of the unsurpassed…

This collection of papers presented at a 1996 conference on children's mental health research focuses on studies of family participation. Individual papers have the following titles and authors: (1) "Measuring Satisfaction with Community-Based Services for Children with Severe Emotional Disturbances: A Comparison of Questionnaires for Children and…

The purpose of the Children's Project in Oregon was to provide services to five children (ages 5 to 12) with developmental disabilities whose families were experiencing stress. Each of the children had at least three disabilities and was placed outside the family home in a foster care home for various reasons. The project staff included each…

Describes the founding, organization, and support services of the Oregon Family Support Network. Using volunteers, the network provides support and information to families whose children are severely emotionally or behaviorally disturbed. Services include emotional support, technical assistance, networking, information, community forums, parent…

South Carolina, a basically rural state, faces interrelated problems (housing, transportation, education, etc.) for 23,000 developmentally disabled individuals. These individuals are extremely vulnerable because of the lack of programs designed to meet their needs. Housing for the developmentally disabled remains very sparse and is often…

The Delaware FIRST Program is designed to meet the needs of handicapped infants and toddlers through trained family day care providers. The program is based on a developmental family systems approach. It strives to provide families with ongoing support by offering mainstreamed family day care or respite care, by developing and/or facilitating an…

Family support services are systematic efforts to support natural, adoptive, or foster families who have a family member with a disability. Programs vary in the types of services offered, goals, and number of families served. The most promising approaches to family support provide services that are flexible and individualized, build on informal…