Respite is at the Heart of Our Mission—and Our Homes
A child’s life should be filled with joy, care, and community. But for families raising medically fragile children, the 24/7 demands of complex care leave little room to breathe.
That’s why Children’s Respite Homes of America is leading a nationwide movement to change this reality.
The Urgent Need for Respite Care
Every child deserves the care and support they need to thrive. Yet across the United States:
- 93% of families have no access to a children’s respite home.
- The U.S. falls far behind other nations—if we matched the U.K., Canada, and Australia by population, we’d have 266 respite homes today. Instead, we have just seven.
Families caring for children with life-limiting conditions need more than medical treatment—they need a place to rest, recharge, and find support.
We refuse to accept this gap. Our goal? 50 houses in 50 communities in five years.
Why We’re Taking on This Challenge
Because the right care, in the right place, at the right time, changes everything.
For medically fragile children, every moment is precious. Every day is uncertain. Yet with the right support, exhaustion turns to relief, stress gives way to love, and moments of heartbreak transform into cherished memories.
Respite homes make this possible. These homes offer expert care in a warm, home-like environment while prioritizing family well-being. They provide short-term overnight stays that ease caregiver burnout and help children experience a full and joyful life, no matter how long that life may be.
How We’re Making It Happen
The U.S. healthcare system was built to support aging adults—not children with medical complexities. Because of this, outdated policies, licensing barriers, and funding gaps leave families without options.
Children’s Respite Homes of America (CRHA) is changing that through a national effort led by the National Center for Pediatric Palliative Care Homes (NCPPCH).
CRHA is a unifying program of NCPPCH—it fosters community-building and nationwide awareness to strengthen respite care efforts. Through CRHA, we are:
- Raising awareness about the unmet needs of medically fragile children and their families.
- Provideing resources and expertise to help new respite homes launch and thrive.
- Advocating for change at local, state, and federal levels—so that no respite home has to “go it alone” again.
As the organization behind this movement, NCPPCH works to remove systemic barriers that limit access to respite care. Our work includes:
- Identifying and sharing best practices across states.
- Addressing policy gaps and advocating for federal solutions.
- Providing technical assistance to new and emerging respite homes.
How Far We’ve Come, And Where We’re Headed
Momentum is building. Over the past three years, we’ve:
- Traveled the country, reaching thousands of people and speaking at major conferences.
- Built a national network through the Like House Coalition, connecting and mentoring new programs.
- Created crucial advisory groups, tackling real-world challenges in policy, licensing, and day-to-day operations.
- Launched ongoing knowledge-sharing events, with 1-3 virtual sessions per month.
And our map is growing:
- Blue dots mark new markets where champions are stepping up.
- Yellow dots show communities moving from interest to action.
- Green dots mean a new respite home is officially open, bringing this essential care to more families.
Today, we have 40 pioneers and programs across 27 states all pulling in the same direction for change! But we’re just getting started.