Nevada Respite Care for Developmental Disabilities

Respite care gives primary caregivers a break — a few hours, an overnight, or a weekend — while a trained provider supervises their adult child with a developmental disability. In Nevada, accessing respite depends on which regional center serves your county and whether your child has an active HCBS waiver slot or is receiving state-funded family support services.

Respite Through the HCBS IDD Waiver

If your child has been allocated a slot on the HCBS Waiver for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities and Related Conditions, respite care is a covered service. The waiver funds both in-home and out-of-home respite, delivered by a Medicaid-certified provider.

Your service coordinator at the regional center builds respite hours into the individual service plan. The number of approved hours depends on the assessed needs of the beneficiary and the caregiver's situation — families dealing with challenging behaviors or single-parent households typically receive more. There is no fixed statewide maximum, but each plan operates within the per-person annual cost cap set by the waiver.

The challenge is finding a provider. Nevada's provider shortage is most acute in rural counties served by Rural Regional Center, where certified respite providers may not exist locally. Even in Las Vegas and Reno, staffing shortages can mean wait times of weeks before a provider has availability.

Respite Through State-Funded Family Support

Families on the HCBS waiver waiting list still have access to state-funded family support services through the regional centers. This is not a waiver benefit — it's a separate state appropriation that doesn't require a waiver slot. Family support funding can be used for respite care, adaptive equipment, emergency assistance, and other supports.

Contact your regional center to request family support services:

• Desert Regional Center (Las Vegas/Clark/Lincoln/Nye): (702) 486-6200
• Sierra Regional Center (Washoe County): (775) 688-1930
• Rural Regional Center (all other counties): (775) 687-5162

Family support respite typically covers fewer hours than waiver respite, and funding levels depend on the legislative budget cycle. The regional center will assess your family's need and allocate hours based on available funds.

Washoe County Respite Funding

Washoe County operates a unique structure. Pediatric respite for families in Washoe County is funded by the county of residence rather than through the statewide ADSD pool. When your child turns 18, the county-funded pediatric respite authorization expires, and respite must transition to the adult ADSD waiver pool or state-funded family support program. Sierra Regional Center handles this transition, but it's not automatic — you must request it.

If your child received respite through Washoe County Children's Services and just turned 18, contact Sierra Regional Center immediately to avoid a gap in respite authorization.

Finding and Vetting Providers

Ask your service coordinator for a list of certified respite providers in your area. For waiver-funded respite, providers must hold a Type 38 certification from ADSD. For family support-funded respite, requirements may differ.

Questions to ask a potential respite provider:

• Are you certified to serve adults (not just children) with developmental disabilities?
• What training do your staff have in behavioral support, seizure protocols, or medication administration?
• Can you provide in-home or out-of-home respite, and what are your minimum/maximum hour commitments?
• What is your current availability and typical lead time for scheduling?

In rural areas where no local providers exist, ask your service coordinator what remote or travel-based alternatives the regional center can arrange.

Our Nevada SSI at 18 & Adult Disability Benefits Guide covers the full range of ADSD services available during the waiver waiting period, including respite, and includes a provider evaluation checklist.

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