State law (SB 138 in 2023) requires California to create a statewide tool to help make decisions about respite hours fairer and more consistent. Individuals, families, and community partners tested and shared helpful feedback on a first draft of the respite tool. Based on everyone’s input, significant changes created a second draft of the tool that was then tested.
During the second testing process:
- Regional centers continued using their current respite assessment processes.
- Service coordinators tested the second draft of the tool too. It was NOT used to change anyone’s hours of respite service.
Further development and use of the standardized respite tool has been paused. Regional centers will continue using their existing methods for authorizing respite hours.
An informational webinar on August 26:
- explained the reason for the pause in implementation
- described the changes made to the tool in response to the community input
- presented data collected during the latest round of testing of the tool’s second draft
The recording and event materials are here:
Help plan the next steps! Public input is appreciated through the Standardized In-home Respite Tool survey through Friday, September 25, 2026.
Why development of the tool is being paused
The updated, second draft version of the tool received positive feedback. However, testing showed the need to:
- Develop a consistent definition and description of the purpose of respite services
- Develop a standardized policy and training materials to support the regional centers; and
- Review the effects of adjusting respite services based upon needs for respite, on all other services
Because of this, further development of the standardized respite tool is being paused.