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Overview

A program of Easterseals Colorado, the Colorado Respite Coalition (CRC) is a vital statewide resource for caregivers of individuals of all ages with extensive care needs. Working with a coordinated coalition of community partners, we promote awareness of and access to respite care services and resources that help improve the quality of life for caregivers and the individuals they care for.

What is Caregiving?
In Colorado alone, there are an estimated 584,000 caregivers (AARP). A caregiver is someone who provides care and support for a friend or relative of any age with any extensive care needs.

What is Respite?
Respite is a short break for caregivers. Respite is the opportunity for a caregiver to step away, knowing that their loved one is well cared for, by bringing in professional care.

Find respite providers near you

Mission

To strengthen Colorado’s statewide lifespan respite care resource network for family caregivers and professionals.

Vision

All Colorado family caregivers have access to quality respite care resources through a sustainable network that promotes collaboration and innovation across the lifespan, disability and health spectrums.

What We Do

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There are many ways for caregivers and providers to engage with the Colorado Respite Coalition. Click the links below to sign up to learn about resources or to join the coalition.

News

August 2020 Part 2

Fall 2020 Program Updates

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August 2020 Part 1

Fall 2020 Program Updates

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July 2020

Updates and information from July 2020 Newsletter

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History

Statewide Webinar of the Colorado Respite Coalition 8 June 2022

  • Website Updates: To build upon the 2019 website redesign, users are now able to create accounts on ColoradoRespiteCoalition.org to save favorite resources, submit requests for resource and event listings and share resources more easily.
  • Respite Grants and Caregiver Trainings: In State Fiscal Year 2020, the Colorado Respite Coalition provided:
    • 15 grants to respite provider agencies
    • To date, we have served 22,709 hours of respite to 532 Colorado families!
    • 72 virtual and in person trainings, reaching more than 22,000 family and professional caregivers
  • Caregiving Awareness Campaign: The CRC continued promoting the caregiving awareness campaign statewide in 2020 through television, radio and digital ads. Thank you to our partners for continuing to support this campaign!
  • Respite Care Task Force: The Respite Care Task Force concluded in June 2020. The three year project helped the CRC and its partners learn more about and evaluate systemic issues related to respite care and caregiving. Thank you to all of our partners who supported the Respite Care Task Force work!
  • COVID-19 Efforts: The CRC launched its COVID-19 caregiving resource list in March 2020 and continued to update it with current supports for families. Additionally, the CRC distributed more than 300 self-care toolkits to caregivers and offered scholarships for the NextStep online COVID-19 caregiver training."
  • New Website launch - newly designed & updated site! The new version is more user friendly and includes translation capabilities
  • 15 grants to respite provider agencies
  • 22,911 hours of respite to 627 Colorado families
  • 70 trainings, reaching more than 3,000 family and professional caregivers
  • New Program Coordinator hired for the Family Respite Voucher Program
  • Caregiving Awareness Campaign - increase awareness of caregiving resources through various marketing and advertising, ads shown nearly 32,000 times on TV/radio
  • Colorado Respite Provider Training Toolkit -published to provide recommended competencies for three levels of respite providers and strategies for agencies to develop training programs
  • Caregiving-Friendly Workplace Toolkit - published to provide information about the impact of caregiving on workers and companies 
  • 2019 Faith Community conference - how to support different populations and how to partner with faith communities 
  • Regional Coalition Events 
    • Southern Colorado: State of Caregiving event in Pikes Peak Region
    • Western Slope: Grand Junction event
    • Summit County: Second annual Caregiving Resource Night
  • Awarded third consecutive Federal Lifespan Respite Care Grant
  • CRC awarded implementation of four Respite Care Task Force Recommendations by the State of Colorado
  • Hired a third full time staff member to coordinate implemented Task Force recommendations
  • Awarded grant from the Rose Community Foundation to develop a toolkit to help family caregivers and care managers navigate respite services and systems
  • Began offering free Stress-Busting Programs for Family Caregivers, a 9-week evidence based course with 12 individuals have been trained across Colorado and one day course for Professionals
  • Completed website updates, including full mobile responsiveness, added pages in Spanish, and a new “keyword” search function on the Online Resource Finder
  • Developed and strengthened regional coalitions in the Western Slope, Summit County and Southwest Colorado
  • Expanded the Family Respite Voucher program by awarding 150 Respite Vouchers to family caregivers and contracting with 31 Approved Providers
  • Statewide strategic planning retreat conducted with representatives from each regional coalition at Easterseals Rocky Mountain Village
  • Hosted the 2016 National Lifespan Respite Conference with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society – Colorado-Wyoming Chapter, in collaboration with the ARCH National Respite Network, Easterseals Colorado, and the Colorado Department of Human Services, in Denver, Colorado September 20-22, 2016
  • Over 200 family caregivers, advocates and professionals attended National Lifespan Respite Conference, aligning with the theme "Elevate Respite"
  • Hired a second full time program staff member to manage and expanded the Family Respite Voucher Program
  • Distributed Community Grants to Colorado respite providers to increase the quality of and access to respite services
  • Colorado selected to host 2016 ARCH National Lifespan Respite Conference
  • Formed the Colorado Respite Care Task Force which presented recommendations to the State with support for HB16-1398
  • Established Denver Metro Regional Coalition and Summit Regional Coalition
  • Developed Family Voucher Program to support families seeking respite services throughout the state
  • Awarded the 2015 Colorado Collaboration Award for outstanding non-profit collaboration
  • Colorado awarded second three-year federal lifespan respite grant through Administration for Community Living/Administration on Aging (through August 2017)
  • Created brochures and other flyers translated in Spanish and English to increase awareness and education
  • Distributed Community Grants to fifteen agencies to provide quality respite services
  • Relaunched CRC website, which includes the Online Resource Finder that lists over 400 respite providers in Colorado
  • Meghan Baskett Kluth named Program Manager of Colorado Respite Care Program
  • Conducted a mini-grant program that supported five agencies and over thirty families seeking respite
  • Trained nearly 900 individuals in multiple formats on how to provide care for people with special needs
  • Hosted three regional respite summits in Denver, Grand Junction and Colorado Springs, which lead to formation of three regional coalitions
  • CRC and CCC partnered with ESC to advocate for HB-1226 that allows a surcharge to fund programs that provide respite services for caregivers
  • HB-1226 became law, implementing a surcharge on crimes committed against vulnerable populations with funds supporting caregivers
  • Janis De Baca & Ayesha Sharma attended the International Respite Care Conference in Toronto, Canada
  • Launched a mini-grant program and awarded grants to four respite care organizations across the state to help increase services to family caregivers
  • Partnered with Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS), State Unit on Aging (AoA), Colorado Department of Healthcare Policy and Financing (HCPF), the Chronic Care Collaborative (CCC) and Easterseals Colorado (ESC) to apply for the National Lifespan Respite Grant
  • Awarded Lifespan Respite Care Grant, which is housed at Easterseals Colorado
  • Ayesha Sharma named Program Manager of the Colorado Respite Care Program
  • Launched CRC website that includes a respite directory
  • Conducted respite care provider survey
  • Co-facilitators and Project Manager attended National Respite Conference in Phoenix, Arizona
  • Held quarterly meetings
  • Assisted in developing HB 1103 - Relief Fund for Children with a Catastrophic Medical Condition, with Family Voices Colorado. The bill did not pass
  • Launched a legislative letter campaign to garner support for HB 1103
  • Received grant from CDPHE through Family Voices Colorado. Funds were used to develop website & send co-facilitators to the National Respite Care Conference
  • Created a logic model for CRC with help from CDPHE
  • Changed coalition focus from ‘children-only’ to lifespan (birth to death)
  • Co-facilitators attended National Respite Conference in Baltimore, Maryland
  • Developed mission and vision statement
  • Launched a blog to inform community members about CRC’s efforts and share updates
  • Participated in statewide efforts to improve respite options for CSHCN
  • Collaborated with CDPHE to produce educational material ‘Fast Facts’ for the state’s website
  • Co-facilitators attended National Respite Conference in Los Angeles, California
  • The Emergency Respite Project was renamed the Colorado Respite Coalition (CRC)
  • Launched respite care needs assessment survey. Over 280 families participated in the survey process of which 86% indicated that their respite care needs were unmet
  • Scott Bates from Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CSHCN) compiled the survey results and presented key findings
  • Joined the ARCH National Lifespan Respite Network
  • Co-facilitators attended National Respite Conference in Iowa
  • Janis DeBaca and Valerie Saiz, both parents of children with special health care needs, co-founded the Emergency Respite Project
  • The primary goal was to establish a center based respite care program for children with special needs
  • Grassroots organization that advocated for the need for respite and caregiver support for those caring for children
  • Genean Craig from Colorado Access started a group called the ‘Colorado Lifespan Respite Coalition’
  • Facilitated meetings, organized the Coalition, and encouraged community members to participate
  • The group dissolved due to lack of participation

Contact Us

Location:

Colorado Respite Coalition

393 S. Harlan St. #250

Lakewood, CO 80226

P: (303) 233-1666 x8

Call our Caregiver Resource Line:
303.233.1666 option 8

Please note this resource line will go automatically to voicemail. Please leave your name, phone number, location in Colorado and a brief description of your caregiving situation and needs. Someone will call you back within two business days.

393 S Harlan St, Ste 250
Lakewood, CO 80226

303-233-1666 x8 Phone

393 S Harlan St, Ste 250
Lakewood, CO 80226

303-233-1666 x8 Phone

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