To apply to participate in the State Respite Summit, fill out this online application.
The National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) will be convening state teams and federal agency officials for a two-day State Respite Summit. This meeting will take place February 6–7, 2024, in Washington, D.C., and will feature peer-to-peer learning and dialogue with federal officials and expert discussants.
The Summit will convene teams from up to 10 states interested in improving beneficiaries’ access to high–quality respite services. These teams will discuss key issues with experts, exchange strategies and insights with their peers, and have a dialogue with federal officials who are working to improve access to respite care.
On the first day of the Summit, team members will learn from experts and each other, as well as identify and initiate implementation planning for two to three strategies. Topics will include:
- Awareness and outreach to ensure Medicaid beneficiaries and their family caregivers know what respite services are available to them
- Caregiver access to respite services that are culturally and medically appropriate
- Capacity building for the direct care workforce, paid and unpaid, to deliver respite care
- Medicaid payment policies to increase the availability of respite services
On the second day of the Summit, state officials from each team will be joined by federal officials who are working to increase the access of quality respite care throughout the lifespan. Together, they will learn about both federal and state activity, as well as identify existing and potential synergies among the efforts.
Key Dates
- December 13, 2023: Application due
- December 15, 2023: Accepted state teams notified
- February 6–7, 2024: State Respite Summit in Washington, DC
What’s in It for States?
NASHP will cover travel and lodging expenses for selected state teams. Each state team will have the opportunity to participate in discussion with state peers and experts and will leave the Summit with actionable ways to advance respite care in their state. State officials from each team will be invited to the second day’s dialogue with federal officials. The teams will also receive one post-Summit call from NASHP to discuss progress, brainstorm how to meet any challenges, and identify potential future technical assistance resources to be developed.
To Apply
The requirements for the team members are as follows, with some flexibility to ensure the team member composition works for your state’s system:
- Medicaid official with decision-making authority
- Either a representative of the aging/disability agency or a lifespan respite grantee
- Another individual of the state’s choosing, such as a respite coalition representative
Interested state teams should complete and submit an application by Wednesday, December 13, 2023. Accepted state teams will be notified by Friday, December 15, 2023. Email questions to Kimberly Hodges at khodges@nashp.org.
Acknowledgement
This project is supported by Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $942,520 with 75 percent funded by ACL/HHS and $312,845 and 25 percent funded by non-government source(s). The contents are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor are an endorsement, by ACL/HHS or the U.S. Government.
NASHP would also like to thank The John A. Hartford Foundation for providing the non-government matching funds for this project and the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation for its support. In addition, NASHP thanks ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center for their collaboration.
