Idaho Lifespan Respite Care Program - The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) proposes to implement a three-year State Program Enhancement project to strengthen Idaho's coordinated statewide Lifespan Respite Care System. The project will improve access to quality respite services, strengthen community partnerships, and expand support for family caregivers caring for children, adults, and older adults with disabilities, chronic conditions, and other special needs across the lifespan. Idaho's rapidly growing older adult population, large rural and frontier geography, limited respite workforce, and fragmented service delivery create significant challenges for family caregivers. Many caregivers provide complex, unpaid care while balancing employment, raising families, and managing their own health and well-being. Although Idaho has made substantial progress through previous Administration for Community Living (ACL) Lifespan Respite Care Program investments and other statewide caregiver initiatives, additional work is needed to expand respite capacity, improve caregiver navigation, strengthen referral pathways, and ensure caregivers can access services regardless of where they live. Building upon Idaho's statewide Lifespan Respite Care Network, DHW will collaborate with Area Agencies on Aging, the Idaho Caregiver Alliance, Tribal partners, healthcare providers, community-based organizations, public libraries, educational institutions, faith-based organizations, local public health districts, and family caregivers to strengthen a coordinated, sustainable system of support. The project will implement five integrated strategies to expand rural and frontier respite capacity through community partnerships; strengthen volunteer- and faith-based respite models; support locally driven respite solutions through Community Capacity and Innovation Awards; increase statewide awareness of respite resources through coordinated communications, caregiver resource hubs, and partnerships with public libraries; and strengthen caregiver navigation, referral systems, technical assistance, and statewide coordination. Project activities will expand respite opportunities, strengthen referral pathways, increase caregiver awareness of available services, recruit and train volunteers, enhance collaboration among partner organizations, improve statewide data collection and evaluation, and build local capacity to better meet the growing needs of family caregivers. These efforts will improve access to respite services, reduce barriers to support, and strengthen Idaho's coordinated statewide Lifespan Respite Care System. By the end of the three-year project, Idaho will have a stronger, more coordinated, and more sustainable Lifespan Respite Care System that expands access to respite services, strengthens community partnerships, improves statewide coordination, and enhances the health, well-being, and resilience of family caregivers and the individuals they support. The project will establish sustainable infrastructure, partnerships, and community capacity that continue to benefit Idaho caregivers beyond the federal funding period
