Program Coordination: Southeast Kansas Respite Care Services (SEKRS) FY 2021

The Life Span Institute at Parsons and its Center on Developmental Disabilities has provided respite services to families in southeast Kansas since 1982. In collaboration with a number of community agencies it was recognized that support intervention/care as a central and significant component to a comprehensive community-based system for serving persons with mental health and/or developmental/intellectual disabilities and their families. These agencies shared the conviction that community based intervention is effective and cost-efficient means of maintaining a family member with special needs at home and preventing hospitalization, placement in a nursing home, or institutionalization. 

The identified mission is "for individuals across the life span and their families to have access to quality respite services and a variety of other services and supports through collaborative partnerships within communities of southeast Kansas" Services provided are respite care, and support home care services. In the geographic region of 13 counties in the far southeast corner of the state of Kansas. These counties will include: Anderson, Linn, Woodson, Allen, Bourbon, Wilson, Neosho, Crawford, Montgomery, Labette, Cherokee, Elk, and Chautauqua.

The following services that are designed to support and keep individuals with disabilities in their home and in their community. 

Respite Services: Are those services provided by a trained professional going into the home of a person with a disability to provide the caregiver in that home a break or interval of rest from the challenging task of providing care for the person with a disability. 

Supportive Home Care Services: Are those services that support families by providing individualized assistance to help a child or adult learn and develop functional and adaptive skills. This includes independent living skills, age appropriate social skills, and skills supporting community inclusion.