Special Needs Respite, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charity operating in the state of Georgia that pays qualified caregivers or agencies to provide respite childcare for children with special needs so their parents (the usual 24/7 caregivers of the child) can get a break. Special Needs Respite does not provide caregivers or render actual care; we have no caregivers on staff or on contract. We do have relationships with approved respite care providers in case parents do not already have a caregiver for their child.

Good question! In a nutshell, SNR will pay for childcare while you get a break. The application process - a picture is worth a thousand words: When a family is "Awarded," they are allocated a set amount of funding that can be used to pay caregivers. The funds are set aside for 3 months, during which time the caregiver submits invoices to SNR as care is rendered. Once the funds are exhaused or expired, the award is complete. Families can get up to 4 awards per calendar year.

Special needs is indeed a broad category, ranging from mildly autistic to fully paralyzed and on a feeding tube. Special Needs Respite will consider any child along this continuum for consideration. As such, there is no "approved list" of diagnoses. For the purposes of a scholarship, if you consider your child special needs, by all means fill out an application. Part of that process involves listing your child's diagnosis, and a narrative portion where you can describe your situation.

Currently, Special Needs Respite serves the metro Atlanta area. Areas outside of that, while the needs are just as great, unfortunately are out of our scope. We are not a large organization, and with limited funds available we need to limit the areas we serve. Our vision would be to expand our service areas as we grow.

Special Needs Respite relies on donations to fund it's scholarship fund, and often the best way to spread the word is for scholarship recipients to reach out to their friends, families, and co-workers. This isn't just paying it forward, but will help prevent any scholarship freezes due to low funding.

Yes - Special Needs Respite, Inc. is registered with the IRS as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. We are also listed on Publication 78, which means any fundraising platform or program, such as through your company, or via Facebook, to include us in the list of where you can donate funds. Funds donated to SNR are therefore tax-deductible (depending on your tax situation). You can see us on Guidestar/Candid for access to demographics, statistics, 990 filings, and more.

Good question! In a nutshell, SNR will pay for childcare while you get a break. The application process - a picture is worth a thousand words: When a family is "Awarded," they are allocated a set amount of funding that can be used to pay caregivers. The funds are set aside for 3 months, during which time the caregiver submits invoices to SNR as care is rendered. Once the funds are exhaused or expired, the award is complete. Families can get up to 4 awards per calendar year.

First step is to fill out an online application. Once we receive your application, we will review it to determine how much respite care you can receive. This is determined by several factors, including, but not limited to, your needs and specific situation, your ability to pay for respite on your own, any funding you might already have - or have applied for - and current funding available from Special Needs Respite. The narrative portion of the application is especially important in helping us determine your scholarship. If you don't need a scholarship, we recommend YourRespite, which does special needs childcare if you are self-pay or have the NOW/COMP waiver, or other funding.

Typically not - often families have more than enough income, but their circumstances as parents of special needs children can sap that income, putting stress on them financially. However, if you are able to afford more out-of-pocket, that can help other families with more financial need.

Currently, the scholarship is currently $400. This money will then be used to pay caregivers when they take care of your child. When and how this care takes place is up to you - all at once, or several shorter breaks. The funds are available for three months, after which any unused funds are no longer available. You can re-apply for another scholarship up to four times a year (awards are awarded on the 15th of each month).

Once awarded a scholarship, the award amount (currently $400) is earmarked for your use for three months. Special Needs Respite does not send money as part of the scholarship directly. Caregivers who wish to provide care as part of the scholarship award then need to apply using this form. After a caregiver provides care for an award recipient, that caregiver would visit the Caregiver Portal here on this website and submit an invoice which, once approved by the parent or Special Needs Respite, will then be paid to the caregiver. Once the award funds are depleted, applicants are asked to reapply, and can do so up to four times a year. Any unused award funds remaining at the end of three months will be allocated for other scholarship recipients (it's a "use it or lose it" award).

Currently, Special Needs Respite only provides scholarships for care for children under 26 years of age. If your child is 26 or over, other state programs become available, such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) through the Social Security Administration.

Currently, scholarships are awarded per family rather than per child, as we are not a large organization and funding is limited. However, if you have more than one child with special needs, you can certainly use scholarship funds to pay for childcare for any number of children.

Special Needs Respite will pay any qualified caregiver for services (it will require a clean background check and current CPR and First Aid certification), and recommends you continue to use your current provider, since they are most familiar with your child. However, if you need help finding a caregiver, Special Needs respite will work with you during the intake process to help you find one. If you have been using a caregiver, or want to find your own, Special Needs Respite will reimburse them directly for their services to you via online invoice. Have your caregiver visit the Caregiver Portal to apply and then to invoice for payment.

Special Needs Respite currently does not provide caregivers for families, nor does it have a "preferred" caregiver agency. You would be using your own caregiver as long as they have a clean background check and are certified in first aid and CPR. In fact, because your child might be familiar and comfortable with a caregiver, we encourage you to continue to use whoever works best with your child. Special Needs Respite has relationships with several local agencies that can help with finding a caregiver. Once you send in your application, these options can be discussed during the home visit.

If you need help finding a caregiver, Special Needs respite will work with you during the intake process to help you find one. There are agencies who can help with this as well, and Special Needs Respite also has relationships with vetted providers to assist.

If you do have funds from other programs, rather than apply for a scholarship, there are other providers, such as YourRespite or Together We Care, which can provide care under the banner of such programs. Typically, if you already receive funding for respite care through other programs, Special Needs Respite's funds would likely be more valuable to those who do not have such a funding source. However, each case is different, so in your application, please note your circumstances and why you would still need additional sources of funding for care. Special Needs Respite strongly urges parents to apply for funds from these other sources, even if they get put on a waiting list. In fact, applying for such programs will be helpful in getting approved for a scholarship.

The caregiver, or the caregiver's agent, needs to invoice Special Needs Respite with the date and hours of care, along with the amount that Special Needs Respite is responsible for. For convenience, your caregiver can register and invoice Special Needs Respite via the Caregiver Portal. This graphic shows the process steps for caregivers:

That's a tough question to answer​ accurately as it depends on several factors, including how long it takes for the invoice to be approved by the parent, whether or not the caregiver has enrolled in direct deposit, and also on which day of the week the invoice is approved. Enrolling in ePay ensures the fastest way to get paid, as funds are direct-deposited into the bank account set up by the caregiver. In the graphic below, steps 2 (enrolling in ePay), 4, and 5 are involved in determining when your caregiver is paid. So if the caregiver has direct deposit set up, then it would be about 3-5 business days after the invoice is approved (step 5) for funds to get to the caregiver.

We will email you when your funding is approaching zero, or when you scholarship award expires (you have 3 months to use the funds). You can also check on this yourself.

The funds from a scholarship are available for three months, after which any unused funds are no longer available. You can re-apply for another scholarship up to four times a year (awards are awarded on the 15th of each month).

No, Special Needs Respite does not specify how much a caregiver that the parent choses can charge the parent. The award funds is the only limiting factor, so the more per-hour a caregiver charges, the fewer hours of respite care the parent gets.

Yes, provided it's within 14 days after the expiration date. We only hold your funds for two weeks after expiration to help with accounting, and also to free up funds for other families. Please make sure your caregiver promply submits an invoice after caregiver services have completed.