South dakota's lifespan respite enhancement grant - south dakota's vast rural geography and limited healthcare providers pose significant challenges for caregivers seeking respite services

The Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living awarded the South Dakota Department of Human Services a $595,596 cooperative agreement on September 30, 2025, under the Lifespan Respite Care Program (CFDA 93.072) to establish a model framework for training and expanding respite care provider capacity across South Dakota.

The project addresses South Dakota's rural geography and limited healthcare provider network by implementing a multi-phased approach to increase respite provider availability statewide, streamline access through improved referral processes in Dakota At Home's lifespan respite system, expand direct services to caregivers, and leverage the Lifespan Respite Coalition to coordinate and support services across the state. The anticipated outcome is a tested framework that the South Dakota Department of Human Services can deploy to grow the number of respite providers and increase availability and quality of respite services.

Performance extends throughout South Dakota from September 30, 2025, through September 29, 2028. The Lifespan Respite Care Program supports expansion and enhancement of respite care services to family caregivers, development or enhancement of lifespan respite care at state and local levels, training and recruitment of respite care workers and volunteers, and provision of information and access assistance to caregivers.

The south dakota lifespan respite enhancement grant's goal is to establish a model framework for training and increasing the number of respite providers in south dakota, to enhance and streamline access to services. To achieve this goal, we will embark on a multi-phased approach that includes the following objectives: 1. Increase the availability of services across the state by proactively seeking out and training targeted populations to become local respite providers; and 2. Enhancing access to these services by streamlining the access to the services by improving the process dakota at home uses for lifespan respite referrals. 3. Increasing direct services to caregivers using the anticipated increase in local respite providers; 4. Leverage the lifespan respite coalition to ensure that respite services are coordinated and supported throughout the state. The anticipated outcomes for this project will be that the south dakota department of human services will have a tested framework for training and growing the number of respite providers, and ultimately increasing the availability and quality of respite in south dakota