A Brief Overview
- Respite care (short breaks) is important for all parents and other family caregivers. Being overwhelmed by caregiving tasks with no breaks is not good for the family caregiver and the person getting care.
- WA State has been approved for additional Medicaid funding to provide respite for family caregivers of youth with high (complex) behavioral/mental health needs
- This short article is advance notice about this new funding and who may be eligible.
- There will be an important public hearing at 10 AM July 21, 2026 about this new respite program, to help the state decide how it will work. Family caregivers’ feedback at this hearing will help decide how the new respite program will work.
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In 2026, respite care for family caregivers of children and youth with behavioral health needs was approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services through a 1115 (Medicaid Demonstration) Waiver. Caregiver respite will be a service through WA State’s Department of Heath’s (DOH) Health-Related Social Needs. DOH is still planning how this will work, but overworked family caregivers are advised to be aware of the situation and start the process for receiving respite.
Part of the planning is the rulemaking process. Rulemaking means creating rules or guidelines for a new program. A public hearing on this matter is scheduled for July 21 at 10am, and is open to all. It’s important for family caregivers to share their opinions during the hearing so that rules and guidelines include their point of view and needs. The rulemaking process for caregiver respite is currently being led by the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS).
The current goal date for caregiver respite to go into effect is January 2027.
The first groups to be served are children and youth up to age 20 with complex behavioral health needs requiring supervision by an unpaid (usually family) caregiver. Examples of programs serving this population include but are not limited to: Wraparound with Intensive Services (WISe), Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS), and outpatient community behavioral health programs. If your child or youth are served by these or very similar programs, you, as the family caregiver, may qualify for the new respite services.
To receive these respite services, families with children or youth with behavioral health issues need to be screened and approved by the Health Related Social Needs (HRSN) services. This can be done by a direct referral by a healthcare provider or social worker, a Community Care hub, or by a care coordinator from an MCO (Managed Care Organization). To find a local Community Care Hub, use this sheet from the Washington Health Care Authority (HCA). Community Care Hubs provide many services in addition to respite referrals, so any family on, or that is eligible for, Medicaid or Apple Heath who is struggling with housing, food, and other necessities, are advised to look into those options.