Respite Care Programs in Ohio: Free and Low-Cost Breaks for Family Caregivers

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Managing Editor · Communications degree, Universidad Católica Andrés Bello · 11 years helping families access government benefits

Ohio caregiver benefits

Last checked: May 18, 2026

If you care for someone in Ohio and need a break, start with your Area Agency on Aging if the person is older or has age-related needs. Ask for caregiver support, respite, adult day services, and a screening for Medicaid home and community-based services.

Respite may be paid by a local caregiver support program, an Ohio Medicaid waiver, a MyCare Ohio plan, the VA, hospice, or private pay. Rules can change. Counties, managed care plans, waiver contractors, and local agencies may use different names, so confirm the current rule with the official Ohio source before you act.

Start here
Medicaid
VA
Phone script
Urgent help

Quick answer

In Ohio, many caregivers should make the first call to the Area Agency on Aging at 1-866-243-5678. Ask for caregiver support, respite, adult day services, and a long-term services screening.

If the person has Medicaid or may need nursing-home-level care, also ask about PASSPORT, MyCare Ohio waiver services, or the Ohio Home Care Waiver. If the person is a Veteran, call the VA Caregiver Support Program or the person’s VA care team and ask about respite care.

Start here: first 3 actions

Call Ohio’s aging network at 1-866-243-5678. Say you are a family caregiver and need respite now.
Ask for a caregiver assessment or long-term services screening. Use the word “respite.” Also ask about adult day services and Medicaid waiver screening.
Gather basic papers before the call-back. Have the person’s Medicaid card if they have one, Medicare card, VA information if any, medicine list, diagnosis list, doctor names, income proof, and notes about daily care needs.

Free and low-cost respite routes in Ohio

Respite care means short-term help so the regular caregiver can rest, work, go to an appointment, sleep, or handle family needs. It may happen in the home, at an adult day center, in an approved facility, or through another service in a care plan.

Respite is not one single Ohio program. It is a type of help that can be paid through different routes. Some routes have wait lists. Some depend on Medicaid eligibility. Some depend on local funding. Some only apply to Veterans or people in hospice.

Program or route	Who it may help	Where to start
Area Agency on Aging and National Family Caregiver Support Program	Family caregivers of older adults, and some relative caregivers, depending on local rules and funding	Call 1-866-243-5678 and ask for caregiver support and respite
PASSPORT Medicaid waiver	Medicaid-eligible older Ohioans who need a nursing facility level of care and can be served safely at home	Call the Area Agency on Aging or Ohio Benefits Long-Term Services and Supports at 1-844-644-6582
MyCare Ohio waiver	People in MyCare Ohio who qualify for waiver services and have respite or adult day health in the person-centered service plan	Call the MyCare Ohio plan care manager and ask for a reassessment
Ohio Home Care Waiver	Medicaid-eligible people from birth through age 59 with a nursing facility level of care and other waiver rules met	Call Ohio Benefits Long-Term Services and Supports at 1-844-644-6582 or submit ODM Form 02399
VA respite	Eligible Veterans and their family caregivers	Call the local VA Caregiver Support Team or the Veteran’s VA social worker
Adult day care or adult day health	People who need supervised daytime care, activities, health checks, or help with daily tasks	Ask the Area Agency on Aging, Medicaid waiver case manager, MyCare plan, VA, or local center about coverage
Medicare hospice respite	People who have elected Medicare hospice and whose hospice team arranges inpatient respite	Call the hospice nurse or social worker and ask for inpatient respite care

Important: Ohio respite rules are not the same for every person. A service usually must be approved before it is paid. Do not assume a center, aide, or overnight stay will be covered until the program, plan, or agency approves it in writing.

Area Agency on Aging route

For many Ohio families, the best first call is the Area Agency on Aging. Ohio has 12 Area Agencies on Aging. They connect older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers to local services.

The Ohio Department of Aging says the National Family Caregiver Support Program may help with respite care, adult day and medical alert services, training, support groups, personal care, chore services, home-delivered meals, durable medical equipment, home changes, and other local help. Services depend on the local agency, funding, and the caregiver’s situation.

Ask for the caregiver support program. Do not only ask, “Do you have free respite?” That may get a narrow answer. Ask for a caregiver assessment and ask what respite or caregiver funds are open in your county.

Phone script

“I am a family caregiver in Ohio. I need respite because I cannot safely keep doing this without a break. Can I speak with someone about the caregiver support program, respite care, adult day services, and a Medicaid waiver screening?”

The agency may ask about the person’s age, county, diagnosis, safety risks, daily tasks, income, current insurance, Medicaid status, and whether the caregiver lives with the person. Be honest about falls, wandering, toileting help, night care, missed work, and times you cannot leave the person alone.

If the first person says no funding is open, ask what else can be tried. Ask about adult day services, volunteer respite, dementia programs, local grants, senior levy services if your county has them, and whether you should request a PASSPORT or long-term services screening.

Medicaid respite

Medicaid can pay for respite only when the person meets the program rules and the service is in the approved care plan. In Ohio, the main routes are PASSPORT, MyCare Ohio waiver services, and the Ohio Home Care Waiver. Other waivers may apply for people with developmental disabilities or children, but this article focuses on common caregiver respite routes.

PASSPORT

PASSPORT is Ohio’s Medicaid home and community-based services program for many older adults who need long-term care at home instead of in a nursing home. The Ohio Department of Aging says PASSPORT helps Medicaid-eligible older Ohioans get long-term services and supports in their homes or community settings.

Ohio’s PASSPORT covered service rule lists adult day, personal care, homemaker, home-delivered meals, out-of-home respite, social work or counseling, waiver nursing, emergency response, home changes, and Structured Family Caregiving among covered services. A service still has to fit the person’s assessed needs and care plan.

Start by calling your Area Agency on Aging or Ohio Benefits Long-Term Services and Supports at 1-844-644-6582. Ask for a PASSPORT screening and say you need respite because the caregiver cannot keep the person safe without planned breaks.

MyCare Ohio waiver

MyCare Ohio is for some Ohioans who have both Medicare and Medicaid. It uses managed care plans. The plan may have a care manager. If the person is in the MyCare Ohio waiver, covered waiver services may include adult day health and out-of-home respite when approved in the service plan.

Call the MyCare plan member services number and ask for the care manager. Ask for a reassessment. Say, “The current care plan does not give the caregiver enough relief to keep the person safe at home.”

Ohio Home Care Waiver

The Ohio Home Care Waiver is run by the Ohio Department of Medicaid. It is for people from birth through age 59 who meet Medicaid rules, need a nursing facility level of care, and can have needs met through the waiver. Ohio’s rules list out-of-home respite, adult day health center services, personal care aide, waiver nursing, structured family caregiving, meals, home changes, and other services as possible covered waiver services.

You can request an HCBS waiver by submitting ODM Form 02399 to the county Department of Job and Family Services or by calling Ohio Benefits Long-Term Services and Supports at 1-844-644-6582. The form says the person must be enrolled in Medicaid before they can be approved for a Medicaid HCBS waiver.

Documents to gather for Medicaid respite

Medicaid card or Medicaid case number, if the person has one
Medicare card, managed care plan card, and MyCare Ohio plan card, if any
Photo ID and Social Security number
Doctor names, diagnosis list, medicine list, and recent hospital or rehab records
Proof of income, bank statements, insurance policies, and other financial records if applying for Medicaid long-term care
Power of attorney, guardianship papers, authorized representative forms, or other permission papers
A one-page care log showing help needed with bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, transfers, walking, memory, safety, and night care

If Medicaid says no, ask for the reason in writing. If a plan denies or cuts a service, ask about the appeal and state hearing rights on the notice. Deadlines are usually listed on the notice. Do not miss them.

For a plain-English overview of Medicaid home care routes, see Medicaid HCBS waivers explained. If income or assets are the issue, read Medicaid spend-down and Medicaid look-back period.

VA respite

If the person you care for is a Veteran, ask the VA about respite. The VA Caregiver Support Program describes respite as a period of rest or a break from caregiving. VA materials say respite may include care in the home or a Veteran going to an adult day health care program while the caregiver takes a break or runs errands.

Start with the Veteran’s VA primary care team, VA social worker, or local VA Caregiver Support Team. Ask whether the Veteran may qualify for respite, adult day health care, homemaker/home health aide services, or other VA supports.

Also ask whether the Veteran may qualify for other benefits that help pay for care, such as Aid and Attendance. You can read more at VA Aid and Attendance.

VA phone script

“I care for a Veteran and need a safe break. Can the Caregiver Support Program or the VA social worker review respite care, adult day health care, and home aide options?”

Adult day care

Adult day care can be respite because the person spends part of the day in a supervised setting while the caregiver works, rests, or handles errands. Some centers provide social activities and meals. Adult day health programs may also provide health checks, personal care, therapy support, nursing, or help with medicines, depending on the center and the program paying.

Ohio’s PASSPORT rules include adult day as a covered service. The Ohio Home Care Waiver has adult day health center services. MyCare Ohio waiver rules list adult day health services. But that does not mean every person can pick any adult day center and have it paid. The center must fit the program rules, and the service must be approved in the care plan.

Ask these questions before you sign up:

Are you approved for PASSPORT, MyCare Ohio waiver, Ohio Home Care Waiver, VA, or private pay?
Can you handle dementia, wandering, toileting help, diabetes care, transfers, or wheelchair needs?
Is transportation included?
What happens if the person refuses to attend or has a bad day?
What paperwork does the care manager need before coverage starts?

To compare care costs and plan backup help, use the care cost calculator.

How to ask for respite

Use clear words. Do not downplay the problem. Respite programs often look at safety and caregiver strain. Say what is happening at home.

Step 1: Say the care need

“My mother cannot be left alone because she wanders and forgets the stove.”

“My husband needs help with transfers, toileting, bathing, and medicine reminders.”

Step 2: Say why respite is needed

“I have not slept through the night for weeks.”

“I cannot go to my own medical appointments unless someone stays with him.”

“I am afraid I will lose my job without daytime coverage.”

Step 3: Ask for the right review

“Can you assess us for respite, adult day services, and waiver services?”

“If this office cannot help, who is the correct office for my county and insurance plan?”

If the first answer is no

Ask, “Is this a funding issue, an eligibility issue, or a service plan issue?”
Ask for the denial or decision in writing if Medicaid, a waiver, or a managed care plan is involved.
Ask whether a new assessment can be done because the caregiver situation has changed.
Ask about adult day services, in-home aide hours, emergency response, meals, transportation, and caregiver grants as backup options.
Call again if the person has a new fall, hospital stay, dementia change, discharge plan, or safety risk.

For more wording, see caregiver phone scripts. For papers to organize before calls, see caregiver checklists.

If you need help this week

If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. If the danger is abuse, neglect, self-neglect, or exploitation of an adult age 60 or older, Ohio Adult Protective Services says you can call 1-855-644-6277 or use the Ohio APS online referral tool. If it is a life-threatening emergency, call 911 first.

If the crisis is mental health, suicide risk, substance use, or you are afraid someone may be harmed, call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Ohio says 988 is 24/7, free, and confidential for people in a behavioral health crisis and for family members.

If the person is in a hospital, rehab, or nursing home and discharge is coming, tell the discharge planner: “There is no safe home plan unless respite or home help is arranged.” Ask for a social worker, care conference, and written discharge plan.

If the person is already on hospice, call the hospice nurse or social worker and ask about Medicare inpatient respite. Medicare says hospice respite can be arranged by the hospice provider in a Medicare-approved facility for up to 5 days at a time, on an occasional basis.

Can respite help you get paid as a caregiver?

Respite itself usually pays a provider or center, not the family caregiver. But the same screening may uncover other care routes. Some Medicaid options may allow family caregivers to be hired in certain situations. Rules depend on the program and relationship.

Start with Can I get paid to be a caregiver? or try the paid caregiver quiz.

Tax and work notes

Respite help can affect a household budget, but it is not the same as a tax credit or wage. If you pay for care out of pocket, keep receipts. Some costs may matter for tax or benefit planning.

Read caregiver tax deductions and ask a tax professional before claiming anything.

Resumen en español

Si cuida a un familiar en Ohio y necesita descanso, llame primero al Area Agency on Aging al 1-866-243-5678. Diga que es cuidador familiar y que necesita “respite care,” apoyo para cuidadores, servicios de día para adultos y una evaluación para ayuda en el hogar.

Si la persona tiene Medicaid, pregunte por PASSPORT, MyCare Ohio o Ohio Home Care Waiver. Si la persona es veterano, llame al equipo de apoyo para cuidadores del VA.

FAQ

Who should I call first for respite in Ohio?

For most older adults, call the Area Agency on Aging at 1-866-243-5678. If the person needs Medicaid long-term care or a waiver, also call Ohio Benefits Long-Term Services and Supports at 1-844-644-6582.

Does Ohio Medicaid pay for respite?

It can, but only through the right program and care plan. PASSPORT, MyCare Ohio waiver services, and the Ohio Home Care Waiver may include out-of-home respite or adult day services when the person qualifies and the service is approved.

Can I get a respite voucher in Ohio?

Maybe. Some local caregiver support programs may have respite funds or vouchers, but funding and names vary by area. Ask your Area Agency on Aging for caregiver support, respite funds, and a caregiver assessment.

Does Medicare pay for respite?

Original Medicare generally pays for respite only under the hospice benefit. The hospice provider must arrange it in a Medicare-approved facility. Medicare says the stay can be up to 5 days at a time and only on an occasional basis.

Can adult day care count as respite?

Yes. Adult day care or adult day health can give the caregiver a regular break during the day. Coverage may come through Medicaid waiver services, MyCare Ohio, VA, local caregiver funds, or private pay.

What should I do if a plan denies respite?

Ask for the denial in writing. Ask what appeal, grievance, or state hearing rights apply. Deadlines should be on the notice. Also ask for a new assessment if the person’s needs or the caregiver’s situation changed.

About this guide

This guide was written for family caregivers in Ohio who need a real break and need to know which office to call first. It focuses on benefit routes, coverage, agencies, and practical next steps. Program rules can change, and local funding can run out.

This is general information, not legal, tax, medical, or financial advice. For legal or tax questions, talk with a qualified professional in your state.

Official sources used

About the author

Analic Mata-Murray

Managing Editor, CaregiverBenefits.org

🎓 BA Communications & Journalism 📋 11+ years in benefits navigation 🌎 Bilingual English / Spanish 🤝 Salvation Army volunteer translator

Analic Mata-Murray holds a Communications degree with a focus on Journalism and Advertising from Universidad Católica Andrés Bello. She has spent over 11 years as a volunteer translator for The Salvation Army, helping Spanish-speaking families access government programs, emergency aid, and poverty alleviation resources — often during the most difficult moments of their lives.

That experience taught her that the biggest barrier to getting help is not eligibility — it is understanding. Most families who miss out on benefits do not miss out because they do not qualify. They miss out because the system is written in a language nobody actually speaks. That is the problem she set out to fix at CaregiverBenefits.org.

As Managing Editor, Analic oversees all content on this site to make sure every guide is accurate, up to date, and written in plain English that a sixth grader could follow. Her specialties are community resources, Medicaid programs, housing assistance, and emergency aid — the exact programs that most caregivers need and most websites bury in jargon.