Respite Services

Health Services for Children with Special Needs, Inc. (HSCSN) would like to inform you of an important change to your Respite Benefits. Respite Benefits are temporary care services scheduled to relieve the primary Caregiver with activities of daily living (ADL) care. Coverage to accessing the services will change effective February 1, 2023.

This information is important to you. The Respite Benefit is described below:

HSCSN enrollees under the age of twenty-one (21) may receive Respite Services.
Enrollees have up to 480 hours of Respite Services each calendar year (January 1 to December 31). You are unable to transfer any unused hours from year to year.
Respite Services requests are required at least ten (10) days in advance for 12 hours or less of care, and at least three (3) weeks in advance for more than 12 hours.
You may contact your HSCSN Care Manager to ask for Respite Services. The Care Manager will inform you if Respite Services is available within 5 business days. If it is not available for the date(s) you asked for, the Care Manager will provide another date(s) for respite services.
HSCSN and the Home Care Agency require the reason(s) why you are requesting Respite Services.
Only a Personal Care Aide from a Home Care Agency in the HSCSN network can offer Respite Services.
If you have a Home Care Agency, then you can ask for respite care from them.
In the absence of the Caregiver, you must identify an adult who will be responsible for the enrollee during respite services. The adult must be available and may need to assist with care during the respite period.

As a reminder, Respite services only covers activities of daily living and does not include:

Skilled services including services provided by a licensed nurse;
Childcare while you are working or in school;
Respite Services in a hospital or other facility; and
Respite Services more than 7 days in a row.

To request Respite services, you can obtain the form from your HSCSN Care Manager or you can download the form here. You can fax the form to 202-407-8955 or email it to RespiteRequests@hschealth.org to receive a decision for Respite Services within five (5) business days;

the request form must be completed by the Caregiver in writing; or
the request can be communicated verbally to the HSCSN Care Manager; or
the form can be completed by the caregiver with the home care agency and then submitted to the HSCSN Care Manager.

If you have questions about this letter, please contact your HSCSN Care Manager or Customer Care at (202) 467-2737. TTY/ TDD users call (202) 467-2709.