United Cerebral Palsy Greater Houston- Respite Services and Disability Assistance

As a leader in providing services to persons with disabilities in the Houston community, United Cerebral Palsy. has provided Respite Care Services since 1979. This program has twenty five years of experience and dedication serving families who desperately need a break from the daily, ongoing care they must provide to their child or adult family member with a disability.

The unique feature of Respite Care is that it provides an interval of time that allows families relief from daily routines. Respite is a vital support service; an aid in keeping families together and a well-deserved necessity. The vast majority of families in Houston and in Texas who have children and adults with disabilities choose to care for those children at home, where they can receive the loving care and nurturing they need to develop to their fullest potential. Donate now.

Families who make this choice live with high levels of emotional and financial stress that are part of their daily routine. In order for parents and families to survive over the long term, family members need a wide array of support services including Respite Care.

Many parents of children and adults with cerebral palsy and other disabilities have low incomes and cannot afford to hire caregivers to provide time away from their children. Many people with disabilities require 24-hour, around-the-clock supervision, attention and care. This continuous demand becomes a tremendous drain on caregivers emotionally, physically and mentally. And people with severe disabilities will always need this constant care as they grow older. Consequently, families of children with disabilities are at high risk for divorce, substance abuse and child abuse because of the continuing stress of caring for the child with disabilities.

Respite care is an assistance program to parents, but just as importantly, is a prevention program aimed at stopping some of the social problems that can result from the tremendous demands made on families due to the disabilities of their child or the institutionalization of the family member with a disability.

Respite Services includes:
In-Home – Currently, Respite Care is offered to parents or guardians who care for child with a disability. The Providers, who are selected by the parents, care for the child in the home, freeing the parent to leave the home for errands, leisure time, appointments and other activities. This is the favorite model of Respite Care for parents in Houston. Adopted in 1996, the Parent Voucher program allows parents to use independent providers of their own choosing to provide Respite Care in their homes. This program has empowered parents to bring into the Respite Care system their own provider, someone whom they know and trust to be with their child.
Family Day Out – A center-based Respite Service, Family Day Out was started in 1980, providing Respite Care on Saturdays to families of children with cerebral palsy and other disabilities (ages 3-14). Each session is staffed by a nurse and a center director. The children benefit from arts and crafts, games, and playground activities and receive one-to-one assistance from trained youth and adult volunteers. Siblings (ages 3-10) can also attend, allowing parents a total day of rest. For more information, please contact Erin Siaotong at 713-838-9050 ext. 357 or ESiaotong@ucphouston.org. FDO Schedule

Respitality Mini-Vacations – The Respitality program provides free overnight accomodations at luxury hotels in the Houston area. Many parents cannot afford to pay for such accommodations after medical, living and caregiver bills are paid, so United Cerebral Palsy has developed this as a Respite Service..
Click here for Respite Services information and applications in Montgomery County.
Click here for more Respite Services Information.
Click here for Respite Services Application.
Click here for Respite Services Caregiver Registration.

Benefits of Respite Care. Following is a list of benefits for children with disabilities and their families as a result of the availability of Respite Care.

decrease in isolation;

prevention of abuse and/or neglect;

increase in ability to cope;

strengthened family stability;

preservation of the family unit;

decrease in divorce;

increase in participation in community;

decrease in out-of-home placements;

reduction of crisis situation;

empowerment of the family to make decisions regarding the care of their children.


	As a service to our parents currently enrolled in our Respite Services Program you may download Respite Voucher forms here to submit your Respite Hours. Click on the icon: MHMRA Voucher MHMRA Voucher - Spanish United Way Voucher

Grants received for 2008:
Montgomery County Community Fund ($1,000), Administaff ($2,000), Montgomery County United Way ($41,000), Best Buy ($1,000)

All programs are based on certain eligibility requirements
and may be based on available funding. Call for fees and other information.
Reduced fees may be available dependent on funding.




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