Year-Two Respite Program Grantees

As part of the second year of the AdoptUSKids Respite Program (2008-09), we awarded 20 mini-grants to foster, adoptive, and kinship parent groups and associations to partner with public agencies for creating and strengthening respite services to families. Strong respite care programs require community involvement and partnerships. Such programs are the most effective way to assure that respite care will be available to families for years to come.

Alabama

• Grantee: Alabama Foster and Adoptive Parent Association
  Partner Agency: Alabama Department of Human Resources
  Location: Cullman, AL
  Respite Services: Adoptive and kinship care givers who do not receive any type of respite, a night out or a weekend outing
   

Alaska

• Grantee: Change Point Church Resource Family Respite
  Partner Agency: Alaska Center for Resource Families
  Location: Anchorage, AK
  Respite Services: Providing information about respite, recruitment of resource families, training, coordination, and tracking and evaluation
   

California

• Grantee: Post Adoption Services Project of the Humboldt County Council on Adoptable Children
  Partner Agency: California Department of Social Services, Adoption Bureau
  Location: Arcata, CA
  Respite Services: Respite subsidy program to determine the level of respite services needed
   

Colorado

• Grantee: Colorado Coalition of Adoptive Families
  Partner Agency: The Adoption Exchange, Colorado Post Adoption
  Resource Center
  Location: Aurora, CO
  Respite Services: Pilot program to identify respite providers, provide training, help families seek funding, conduct outcome studies to refine and develop additional resources
   

Connecticut

• Grantee: Grandparent Program
  Partner Agency: Agency on Aging of South Central Connecticut
  Location: New Haven, CT
  Respite Services: Creating the Kinship Respite and Support Center to offer individual and group respite events
   

Delaware

• Grantee: Adoptive Families with Information and Support
  Partner Agency: State of Delaware Division of Family Services
  Location: Wilmington, DE
  Respite Services: Expanding the already existing respite program throughout the state
   

Florida

• Grantee: Hillsborough County Foster Parent Association
  Partner Agency: Hillsborough Kids, Inc.
  Location: Tampa, FL
  Respite Services: Movie night, skate night, respite provider pool, and in-service training
   

Georgia

• Grantee: Adoptive and Foster Parent Association of Georgia
  Partner Agency: Mitchell County Department of Family and Children’s Services
  Location: Camilla, GA
  Respite Services: One to two week-long camps a year
   

Hawaii

• Grantee: Foster Family Programs of Hawaii
  Partner Agency: Hawaii Department of Human Services
  Location: Honolulu, HI
  Respite Services: Enhance and grow the Adoption Respite Program for families in Hawaii
   

Kansas

• Grantee: Parents Helping Parents Statewide Support Group Network, Wichita Adoption Support Group
  Partner Agency: Kansas Children’s Service League
  Location: Wichita, KS
  Respite Services: Design and develop a program that fits the need of the support group
   

Kentucky

• Grantee: Kentucky Adoption Options
  Partner Agency: Adoption Support for Kentucky
  Location: Lexington, KY
  Respite Services: Contact empty homes and recruit them to become respite providers, create a respite family registry, provide a central call-in number
   

Louisiana

• Grantee: F.A.I.R. Visions
  Partner Agency: Office of Community Services
  Location:Monroe, LA
  Respite Services: Recruit former foster parents to provide respite services, receive referrals, and contact caregivers
   

Michigan

• Grantee: Families on the Move
  Partner Agency: Michigan Department of Human Services Wayne County
  Location: Detroit, MI
  Respite Services: Six respite events during the year for foster, adoptive, and kinship parents, journaling by participants to track success and failures of the respite
   

Missouri

• Grantee: Midwest Foster Care and Adoption Association
  Partner Agency: Children’s Division of the State of Missouri
  Location: Kansas City, MO
  Respite Services: Recruit and train respite provider families
   

Nebraska

• Grantee: Nebraska Foster and Adoptive Parent Association
  Partner Agency: Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Foster Care Review Board
  Location: Lincoln, NE
  Respite Services: Educate and provide training, develop a support plan with families, promote respite as supportive rather than a crisis service
   

New Hampshire

• Grantee: New Hampshire Foster and Adoptive Association
  Partner Agency: New Hampshire Division for Children, Youth, and Families
  Location: Concord, NH
  Respite Services: Daylong respite once a month including adventure-based activities, mentorship, leadership development, and social skills building with youth
   

New York

• Grantee:We Have a Heart
  Partner Agency: Leake and Watts Services, Inc.
  Location:  New York City, NY
  Respite Services: Create a pool of stand-by respite homes, help caregivers find regular available home for respite
   

Ohio

• Grantee: Cuyahoga County Support System
  Partner Agency: Cuyahoga County Department of Children and Family Services
  Location: Cleveland, OH
  Respite Services: Respite camp pilot program
   

Vermont

• Grantee: Vermont Kin As Parents (VKAP)
  Partner Agency: Vermont Department of Children and Families
  Location: Waterbury, VT
  Respite Services: Provide social opportunities for caregivers and children
   

Virginia

• Grantee: F.A.C.E.S. of Virginia Families
  Partner Agency: Richmond City Department of Social Services
  Location: Richmond, VA
  Respite Services: Look at development of family respite homes for children in residential treatment facilities or group homes
   

Find out more about how to start a respite care program where you live by reading our manual Taking a Break: Creating Foster, Adoptive, and Kinship Respite in Your Community (PDF – 1.4 MB) / En Español (PDF – 1.4 MB).