Activities & Opportunities |
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Will we see you in Orlando in June? |
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Our Annual Conference and Policy Symposium offers a tremendous opportunity to learn, grow professionally, reconnect with colleagues, and make new connections with our community. Our theme this year is Rising Together: Community, Courage and Care.
In addition to the main conference on June 10-11, check out the following offerings curated for the Medical Respite Care community.
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Monday, June 8 - 8:30 am to 4:30 pm |
Pre-Conference Institute: Addressing Behavioral Health Needs in Medical Respite Care
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Medical respite care programs often provide support for people with co-occurring behavioral health needs in addition to the medical conditions that prompted their referral. These clients can especially benefit from the client-centered care and stability that medical respite care programs provide. This PCI will provide an opportunity for providers to to develop a more in-depth understanding of how behavioral health conditions can present, and will engage with presenters and interactive activities to develop skills and practical strategies for programs to better and more effectively support their clients and program.
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Tuesday, June 9 - 8:30 am to 12:30 pm |
Learning Lab: Starting a Medical Respite Care Program
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As a Learning Lab, this session will provide an overview steps to start a program, strategies for developing and implementing critical partnerships, experiences of other programs and providers, and an opportunity to apply information to their own communities.
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Tuesday, June 9 - 12:30 to 2:15 pm |
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Special Event: Building What Lasts: Partnership, Policy, and the Future of Medical Respite
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Medical respite care programs are now essential components of local systems of care in many communities. Many are hitting their stride after streamlining workflows, adopting standards of care, and obtaining certification. Others are newly emerging as urgently needed discharge options for hospitals and payors. Financing for medical respite services has also advanced to include Medicaid reimbursements that stabilize operations and allow programs to integrate further with other health care partners. At the same time, the policy and political environment is shifting rapidly, posing new challenges for the future of medical respite care. Join us to hear from a panel of funders, programs, and partners about the policy and financing issues that will shape the future of respite for years to come, as well as the actions needed to ensure ongoing operations.
No additional cost but capacity is limited and advance registration is required.
Lunch is included.
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- Use your registered email and password to log in.
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If you forget your password, reset it via "Forgot Password?" or request a One-Time Login Code.
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Medical Respite Care Programs Add Value to States, Hospitals & Payors
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H.R.1 made significant changes to how states finance their Medicaid programs and added eligibility restrictions such as work requirements and more frequent redeterminations. Due to both fiscal and political pressure, states might respond by pulling back on added services in their Medicaid programs—such as support for medical respite care for people experiencing homelessness. This fact sheet describes why states, hospitals, and payors should continue supporting medical respite care programs.
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Before You Launch: The First Steps in Building a Medical Respite Program
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Before You Launch, supported by the RCPN Steering Committee, outlines the initial steps to take when an individual or organization is interested in developing a medical respite care program. While the need in a community may be clear, determining how and where to begin can be challenging. This framework serves as a practical starting point for program development.
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New: Facilitating Connections Housing and Supporting Housing Related Needs Online Course
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Provides an overview of housing systems and strategies for medical respite programs to identify and address housing needs of clients.
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New: Strengthening Responses to Housing-Related Needs: A Resource Compendium for Health Centers and Medical Respite Care Programs
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This resource compendium is designed to support health centers and medical respite care programs in better identifying and addressing the housing needs of their consumers.
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Hello RCPN members,
It’s been a delight to connect with many of you during my last two and a half years with the Council. Before joining NIMRC, I worked as a peer navigator at Interfaith Works’ emergency overnight shelter as well as in operations for a respite program.
As the coordinator for the medical respite team, I’ve gotten to sit it on many technical assistance calls and all-member meetings. I’m so grateful for all of your hard work in respite. It continues to be clear to me, now more than ever, that we need each other, and your communities are stronger because of your dedication to expanding care.
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I hope you all are enjoying the beginning of spring, I know I am! Looking forward to seeing those of you who can join us at our national Conference in Orlando in June.
Beau Antonelis
Coordinator for the Medical Respite Team
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Respite Kudos + Accomplishments |
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Johnson City’s News Channel 11 in Tennessee has honored Opal Frye-Clark as one of their Remarkable Women, for her work on beginning to create a medical respite campus in her community.
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Utah Business has awarded Jillian Olmsted, CEO of The INN Between, with 2026 CEO of the Year. Under her leadership, the organization has expanded from 50 to 80 beds as well as secured major public and private funding, deepened cross-sector collaborations with hospitals and state agencies, and elevated its role as a thought leader in medical respite and end-of-life care for people experiencing homelessness.
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San Bernardino, California’s Operation Grace celebrated the grand opening of their first recuperative care program, Marian’s House of Healing, with a dedication ceremony and ribbon cutting on March 6th. “It was a wonderful time of celebration,” said Dr. Alissia Moore, Chief Programs Officer of Operation Grace. The organization spent the last year remodeling the house for ADA accessibility to open this six-bed recuperative care program for seniors, which will include housing navigation services, deposit assistance, and ongoing tenancy sustaining services once they are housed.
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Activities and Opportunities |
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Three New Medical Respite Care Learning Networks |
Building on the success of the Learning Network models in California, the Council launched new Medical Respite Care Learning Networks in Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington. With the generous partnership of Kaiser Permanente, these states were selected to bring providers together to facilitate provider/payor relationships, build program capacity, and strengthen the continuum of care. The Learning Networks meet quarterly and are open to anyone providing services related to medical respite care in those areas. For more information on the Hawaii Learning Network, please contact Samantha Marco, and for the Washington or Oregon Learning Networks, please contact Tarryn Bieloh.
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Join our RCPN Role-Specific Meet-Ups
These virtual gatherings provide an opportunity to meet others in similar roles across the country, facilitate connection, and discuss issues and strategies for serving within specific roles in medical respite programs. These meetups are interactive conversations, and attendees should come prepared to introduce themselves and engage with others. We hope to see you there!
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May RCPN All Member Meeting
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Wednesday, May 27
3 pm Eastern/ Noon Pacific
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All Member Meetings provide an opportunity to join together with other medical respite program providers and administrators to discuss key issues affecting medical respite care. We will provide updates on NIMRC, resource, and policy issues. This will be followed by a short presentation and large group discussion on current issues affecting the field, where attendees have the opportunity to connect with each other, share experiences, and learn insights from other programs. This All Member meeting will include a panel of programs who will share about their referral and admissions processes. Attendees will have an opportunity to engage in discussion with panelists and share their own experiences and practices.
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The next application window for the NIMRC Certification process for medical respite care programs will open on Tuesday, June 16th 2026 and close on Thursday, June 25th 2026.
Please visit our NIMRC Certification webpage to learn more about the process and consider if your medical respite care program is ready to begin the journey toward certification this summer!
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L.A. Recuperative Care Forum 2026: Strengthening Partnerships, Shaping the Future |
The L.A. Recuperative Care Forum returned on April 2, marking another standout year for this annual, full-day gathering dedicated to celebrating progress and envisioning the future of recuperative care across Los Angeles and surrounding counties. Held at the California Endowment Center for Healthy Communities in Downtown Los Angeles, this year’s Forum was the largest to date, welcoming 137 attendees.
Participants represented an impressive cross-section of the recuperative care ecosystem, including ten hospitals, two managed care plans, and 31 recuperative care programs—16 of which were new or prospective providers. The strong turnout reflected the growing momentum and shared commitment to advancing high-quality recuperative care services for people experiencing homelessness.
The agenda featured timely and practical content, including panels on the federal policy landscape and strategies for building sustainable hospital partnerships. Attendees also engaged with a recuperative care provider showcase and interactive breakout sessions such as “Supporting ADL Needs in Recuperative Care” and “How to Start a Recuperative Care Program in California.”
A major highlight of the day was a special presentation by Glenn Tsang, Policy Advisor for the California Department of Health Care Services. Tsang offered a candid and forward-looking discussion on upcoming Medi-Cal policy changes and their anticipated impact on recuperative care operations, capacity, and workforce.
The Forum is proudly hosted by LARCLN and the National Institute for Medical Respite Care, with deep gratitude to Kaiser Permanente Community Health, the premier sponsor and a steadfast partner in advancing recuperative care.
Since 2022, the L.A. Recuperative Care Learning Network (LARCLN) has convened providers, hospitals, managed care plans, and community partners to share best practices and strengthen systems of care countywide. If you’re work intersects with recuperative care services in Los Angeles or surrounding counties, email LARClearningnetwork@nhchc.org to request to join the LARCLN!
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Glenn Tsang and Barbara DiPietro discuss upcoming changes to DHCS’ policy guide.
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A panel presentation discussing the relationships between hospitals and recuperative care providers.
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| Tiffany Hoang (far left) and Celia Brugman (fourth from left) of Kaiser Permanente with Council staff.
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Mercy Care has awarded Circle the City a Mercy C.A.R.E.S. Community Reinvestment Grant in the amount of $210,000. The grant will allow Circle the City — which provides health care to people experiencing homelessness in Maricopa County — a second nonclinical outreach team that will engage with people in the community and connect them to medical respite care, services, and other community resources.
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San Bernardino County has finalized the purchase of a property from the city of Fontana to establish a regional navigation center that will provide 100 shelter beds and 100 recuperative care beds, along with supportive services to help the unhoused community transition to permanent housing.
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A $3 million grant from Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation is helping to transform the Pacific Village housing campus by using innovative designs that are consistent with the region’s Indigenous heritage to foster healing, wellness and socializing. The campus will include 32 recuperative care beds.
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The Gospel Center Rescue Mission in Stockton held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in February for a new facility, The New Life Program Multi-Purpose Center. The 110-bed facility has a dedicated space for the GCRM Recuperative Care Program, which provides recuperative care for people recovering from medical challenges or hospital stays.
- Fresno Housing announced in March that RH Community Builders will take over use of the former Journey Home property in southwest Fresno. The property will be transformed into a recuperative care facility. Fresno Housing will retain ownership of the property, which at one time was a Welcome Inn motel.
- Irvine’s Illumination Health + Home raised over $1.75 million at a recent gala fundraiser. Funds raised from the event will directly support Illumination’s programs, including recuperative care, healthcare and access to housing services.
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This article focuses on the need of end of life care in Los Angeles and highlights several programs in the nation who are providing hospice care for people experiencing homelessness.
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Loveland’s Hotel Respite Voucher Program, operated by the local Salvation Army, has been accepting hospital referrals since 2019. In 2025, The Salvation Army of Loveland provided 1,749 nights of hotel shelter to 238 individuals experiencing homelessness.
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Macon’s Sheridan Respite Center at Daybreak has been providing respite from their 11 bed program, and stories of the positive impact on clients’ lives can be read here.
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The County of Kaua‘i’s Housing Agency awarded Project Vision Hawai‘i’s Pulama Ola Kaua‘i in its recent round of 2026 Homeless Program Grants. The funding request is primarily for salaries associated with a new medical respite facility opening in April 2026 and for their already established outreach positions.
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- In Indianapolis, Morning Light Home provides hospice and end of life care to those facing homelessness. “We provide free housing so that they can receive the end-of-life care that we believe everybody deserves,” says to Madison Wood-Gonzalez, executive director at Morning Light Inc.
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In Bowling Green, HOTEL INC recently expanded their medical respite program from three beds to ten, allowing the organization to serve more people recovering from illness or surgery.
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Greensboro’s The Servant Center is planning an expansion of their facility to include 21 units of housing for veterans as well as 22 medical respite beds.
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In Cleveland, Joseph and Mary’s Home and Sisters of Charity Health System renovated a former dialysis center to serve as the new location for Joseph’s Home, the 11-bed men’s portion of its respite care program. The renovations created individual rooms and added ADA-accessible bathrooms.
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Philadelphia’s Public Health Management Corporation, a healthcare organization that run several federally qualified health centers and health programs for Philadelphians experiencing homelessness, has 20 beds and openeind in 2023. An additional 20 respite beds are available at Serenity Court’s medical respite, which opened in North Philadelphia in 2014.
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The Village at Glencliff provides medical respite in twelve tiny houses which are located on Glencliff United Methodist Church’s property in Nashville. Their story about medical respite as part of a ministry can be found here.
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A former hotel in Sandy has been renovated into the Medically Vulnerable People shelter for people experiencing homelessness who are over 62 or for younger adults with chronic health challenges. Over 80% of medical respite clients from the last year have moved into stable or permanent housing.
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Yakima Neighborhood Health Services has received national certification for medical respite care from the National Institute for Medical Respite Care (NIMRC). Congratulations, YNHS!
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Jewels Helping Hands is an organization in Spokane that operates local shelters and has a medical respite program as well. Providence Medical Group will now have dedicated medical staff at all shelter locations, providing wound care and medication management.
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- In Huntington, The Pallottine Foundation has awarded $575,000 to support a community medical respite program and low barrier shelter.
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Palliative Education and Care for the Homeless (PEACH) program in Toronto has conducted a qualitative, descriptive study on palliative care outreach interventions for adults experiencing homelessness. The data, published in January, can be viewed here.
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If you have a news story recognizing a medical respite care program, please share it with us by emailing Beau at bantonelis@nhchc.org.
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If you are not already a member, please join the Respite Care Providers Network (RCPN). The mission of RCPN is to improve the health status of individuals who are homeless by supporting programs that provide medical respite and related services. Follow this clink for more information and how to join the RCPN: https://nhchc.org/medical-respite/rcpn/
Is your medical respite program profile in the our directory up to date? Complete this program profile form to update your information and view the directory here https://nhchc.org/medical-respite/directory/.
Does your program need technical assistance? Please contact us to request a TA meeting to help address your program’s needs!
The National Health Care for the Homeless Council offers Organizational Members an opportunity to list job openings on our careers page. Those seeking employment in the HCH field can find jobs listed from all across the United States.
Additional resources for medical respite can be found at https://nhchc.org/medical-respite/nimrc/
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Grab Our Merch and Support Our Work |
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Grab our merch and support our work! We have shirts, hats, mugs, and more in our online shop. Every purchase made helps fund our programs and advocacy efforts, so grab some gear today!
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Copyright © 2026 National Health Care for the Homeless Council, Inc.
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