Respite hours work best when scheduled on a consistent weekly basis.

If a family is eligible, the San Diego Regional Center will approve between four and 10 hours of respite services per week. UCP’s Respite visits are set up for consistent days and times (i.e. Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.) At minimum, a visit is for two hours and our maximum visit is four hours. Respite shifts can be scheduled Monday – Friday between 8 a.m. – 8 p.m., Saturdays by request. The program is closed on Sundays.

“We will do our best to find a respite routine that works for your family. Our hope is that the rest of the household will take time for themselves. Go shopping, attend to self-care, spend time with your other children, take a walk, or take a nap! Our goal is to bring enrichment and high quality care to our clients, and bring support to family caregivers, all in the safety and comfort of a familiar environment,” said Lipsey.

Select Your Own Caregiver or Use Our Staff Registry

It’s Your Choice! We have two types of Respite Caregivers.

1. UCP Caregiver Registry: Respite care is provided by a caregiver who is employed by UCP.

2. Family-Selected: Respite care is provided by a person selected by the family. They can be a friend or family member, but they cannot reside in the same household as the person receiving respite care. Family-Selected Caregivers agree to pre-employment background checks, and are trained, employed and paid by UCP.

Enrolling in Services

The first step is to contact your service coordinator at the San Diego Regional Center (SDRC) so that they can complete a Respite Assessment for your family.
Once SDRC approves your family for Respite, please contact Lisa at UCP to start the enrollment process. Enrollment includes an initial home visit. “Please feel free to reach out to me with questions about this new program, or if you need support in connecting with your SDRC service coordinator. We are here to help,” said Lipsey.

Contact Lisa at (760) 743-1050 x 113 or email llipsey@ucpsd.org

Start Here offers caregivers a trusted source for guidance on everything from the basics of cerebral palsy, autism, Down syndrome, spina bifida, and other intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as managed care advice about how to be an effective advocate for their child. As of 2016, 7.37 million people in the United States had intellectual or developmental disabilities, according to the Institute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota.

Adapt Community Network, our affiliate in New York City, has developed the website in association with United Cerebral Palsy.

“The goal of Start Here is to equip parents and caregivers with a roadmap and guide to getting the best information so they can negotiate what can be an overwhelming and complicated system of services,” says Edward R. Matthews, CEO of ADAPT Community Network. “As we expand the site, we will bring additional resources, including informational sessions from experts on a variety of topics affecting the lives of children with differing needs.”

Armando Contreras, president & CEO of United Cerebral Palsy said, “Our world’s diverse and growing population includes an equally diverse and growing community of special needs children and adults. Start Here is meant to offer parents plain-spoken, practical guidance on how best to support their children and care for themselves in the process.”

High-speed Internet (broadband) access is essential for homework, employment applications, job training, health services, and civic activities.

High-Quality Internet, Desktops and Laptops are available at a reduced cost for low-income and disability households.

For more information, visit Everyone On and Internet For All Now.