Respite Care in Rhode Island: Programs, Costs & How to Get a Break

You have been handling your parent's care for months — maybe years. You are exhausted, your own health is suffering, and you have not taken a real day off from caregiving since this started. Respite care is not a luxury; it is what prevents caregiver burnout from becoming a medical emergency of its own.

Rhode Island has several respite programs, but finding them requires knowing where to look.

The CareBreaks Program

CareBreaks is Rhode Island's primary state-subsidized respite program, operated through Catholic Social Services in partnership with the Office of Healthy Aging (OHA). It provides temporary relief for family caregivers of adults aged 60 and older.

The program uses a sliding scale fee structure based on income — families who qualify pay significantly below market rates for substitute care. CareBreaks can fund:

• In-home respite (a trained substitute caregiver comes to the house)
• Adult day program attendance
• Short-term stays in certified residential facilities

To access CareBreaks, contact The POINT at 401-462-4444 and request a referral to the Family Caregiver Alliance of Rhode Island (FCARI). A care coordinator will assess your situation and match you with available respite resources.

Federal Respite Through NFCSP

The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) distributes federal respite grants through local Area Agencies on Aging. In Rhode Island, these funds are administered through OHA and regional partners.

The critical detail: NFCSP does not apply an asset test. Even if your family has savings above the Medicaid threshold, you may still qualify for federally funded respite hours. Eligibility is based on your role as a caregiver, not your parent's financial situation.

Contact your parent's regional aging services coordinator — EBCAP (401-437-1000 ext. 1156) for the East Bay, or The POINT for all other areas — to check NFCSP availability. These funds are limited and allocated on a first-come basis within each service area.

Medicaid Respite Benefits

If your parent is already enrolled in Medicaid LTSS under the Section 1115 Global Waiver, respite care may be included in their authorized service plan. Medicaid-funded respite can cover both in-home and facility-based temporary care.

The respite hours are built into the overall care plan during the EOHHS clinical assessment. If your parent's current plan does not include respite, request a plan revision through their assigned case management agency. You do not need a separate application — the authorization comes through the existing waiver.

Private Respite Options

When subsidized programs have waitlists or limited hours, private-pay respite is the backup:

• Licensed home care agencies provide substitute aides at standard hourly rates ($25 to $27/hour in Rhode Island). Most agencies can arrange coverage with 48 to 72 hours notice.
• Adult day health centers offer daytime respite at $90 to $100 per day, with programs running from morning through late afternoon. These facilities provide supervised activities, meals, and nursing oversight.
• Skilled nursing facilities — some accept short-term respite stays (typically one to two weeks) for families who need extended relief, such as during a vacation or the caregiver's own medical procedure.

Building Respite Into Your Long-Term Plan

Respite works best as a scheduled, recurring part of your caregiving routine — not something you reach for only in crisis. Even four hours every two weeks can prevent the cumulative burnout that leads to caregiver health crises.

If you are coordinating a parent's care in Rhode Island and need help building a sustainable plan, the Rhode Island Home Care Navigation Guide maps out how to layer respite, Medicaid home care, the Personal Choice self-directed program, and other support services into a single framework.

See more Rhode Island guides →