Written by Mel Liong
The Illinois Respite Coalition is a non-profit organization that provides respite care services and support for families that have a child or adult with disabilities. The IRC focuses on three services: (1) Our statewide information and referral service across the lifespan. No matter your age or disability, we are dedicated to connecting individuals across Illinois to respite resources that meet their needs. (2) Our in-home respite care program, which serves over 25 counties, and refers families to other agencies statewide. Eligibility criteria includes an I/DD diagnosis and requires that the caregiver receives no other state respite or waiver program services. (3) Our Lifespan Emergency Respite Care (ERC) program, which is a voucher program that provides a stipend to eligible caregivers. This voucher is short term, and connecting caregivers to more sustainable resources is the next step. Eligibility criteria for this program requires caregivers, who are caring for a loved one with a disability, to not receive any state respite or other waiver program support. The ERC program is designed to provide support for an individual with a disability during a planned or unplanned emergency, allowing the caregiver to take care of that emergency. The ERC program is led by our Statewide Coordinator who can be contacted at kmccroskey.irc@gmail.com or 866-ILL-RESP.
The Illinois Respite Coalition is dedicated to providing respite services and information for families in need. Eligibility for our programs varies, so please call us with any questions. We are dedicated to linking caregivers to support. If you are interested in learning more, please contact us at our statewide lifespan respite number: 866-ILL-RESP or 866-455-7377.
More information can be found on our website at Home (illinoisrespitecoalition.org) or by email at: ircprogramassistant@gmail.com