Respite care in Texas gives family caregivers a temporary break, and several programs can help pay for it: Medicaid, VA benefits, and state respite vouchers. The main funded routes are the STAR+PLUS waiver, VA caregiver benefits, and the National Family Caregiver Support Program through your Area Agency on Aging. If cost is the barrier, start with one call to your Area Agency on Aging at 1-800-252-9240.

If you're caring for an aging parent or spouse, you already know what burnout feels like. A break, whether that's a few hours while someone steps in at home or a short facility stay while you recharge, isn't giving up. It's what makes the long haul possible.

This guide covers every respite care option available to Texas families, from Medicaid-funded services to VA benefits, state programs, and community resources.

In This Guide

Important: Respite care availability varies by location and program. Contact your local Area Agency on Aging at 1-800-252-9240 or the ADRC at 1-855-937-2372 to find out what's available in your area.

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Types of Respite Care in Texas

Respite care comes in several forms, and the right one depends on your situation.

In-Home Respite

A trained caregiver comes to your loved one's home for a few hours or a full day while you step away. This is the least disruptive option since your family member stays in familiar surroundings. In-home respite works well for regular breaks (say, every Wednesday afternoon) or when you need to handle errands, go to your own doctor, or just sleep.

Adult Day Care

Your loved one attends a structured program during the day, typically from morning to late afternoon. Adult day centers provide meals, activities, social interaction, and sometimes medical monitoring. This is a good fit for caregivers who work or need consistent daytime coverage. Some Texas Medicaid plans cover adult day care through STAR+PLUS.

Facility-Based Respite

Your loved one stays temporarily in an assisted living facility or nursing home, usually for a few days to a few weeks. This option works for planned vacations, family emergencies, or when you need extended time away. Many facilities in Texas accept short-term respite stays, though availability can be limited, so book ahead when possible.

Emergency Respite

When something unexpected comes up (your own hospitalization, a family crisis), some programs offer short-notice respite. Your Area Agency on Aging is usually the fastest path to emergency respite services, though options depend on where you live.

Need help finding respite care near you? Chat with Brevy for a personalized list of options in your area.

Does Medicaid Cover Respite Care in Texas?

Yes. If your loved one is on Texas Medicaid through STAR+PLUS with Home and Community Based Services (HCBS), respite care is a covered benefit, generally available for up to 30 days (720 hours) per year unless the managed-care organization (MCO) approves more.

How It Works

STAR+PLUS HCBS respite is arranged through your loved one's MCO service coordinator as part of the care plan, and it is available on an emergency or short-term basis. The specifics (how many hours, what type) depend on the individual assessment and your MCO's policies. Respite can be provided in the home or in a facility setting; in-home respite through Medicaid is typically delivered by a home care agency in your MCO's network.

Consumer Directed Services

If your family is already using the Consumer Directed Services (CDS) option, you can hire a substitute attendant to provide respite while the primary caregiver (you) takes time off. The CDS option gives you control over who provides the care, including other family members. A spouse cannot be hired as the paid CDS attendant.

What to Ask Your MCO

Call your MCO's member services line and ask:

  • "Is respite care included in my family member's service plan?"
  • "How many hours of respite are available per month or per year?"
  • "Can I use respite for overnight or multi-day facility stays?"
  • "What agencies in the network provide respite services?"

If respite isn't currently in the care plan, request a reassessment. Your service coordinator can add it if the need is documented. Many caregivers don't ask, and their care plans don't include it by default.

Does the VA Cover Respite Care for Veterans?

Yes, and the VA benefit is one of the most generous available. All enrolled veterans are eligible for VA respite care if they meet the clinical criteria for the service and it is available at their local VA. Primary Family Caregivers enrolled in the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) receive at least 30 days of respite care per year as part of the benefit package, at no cost to the veteran.,

What's Covered

How to Access It

Contact the VA Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274 or talk to the veteran's VA care team. You can also reach out to the Texas Veterans Commission at 1-800-252-8387 for help connecting with VA services; its benefits advisors represent Texas veterans in VA claims and appeals free of charge.

State and Community Respite Programs

Beyond Medicaid and VA benefits, several Texas programs help caregivers access respite.

Texas Lifespan Respite Care Program

Delivered to the public as Take Time Texas, this program helps family caregivers of a person of any age with a chronic condition or disability get a break. It funds substitute (respite) care so the caregiver can rest; it does not pay the family caregiver a wage. Voucher and reimbursement amounts are set locally by your Area Agency on Aging or ADRC and vary by area, so contact your local agency for current amounts and eligibility.

National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP)

Texas's 28 Area Agencies on Aging deliver NFCSP services, which include respite care, caregiver education, support groups, counseling, and help finding local services. The program serves caregivers of adults 60 and older and caregivers of any age caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia.

To access NFCSP services, call your Area Agency on Aging at 1-800-252-9240.

Alzheimer's Association

The Alzheimer's Association operates five chapters across Texas that offer caregiver support groups, education, and care planning. Its 24/7 Helpline (1-800-272-3900) connects caregivers with local resources around the clock, in more than 200 languages.

Faith-Based and Nonprofit Programs

Many churches, synagogues, and community organizations in Texas offer volunteer-based respite programs. These are harder to find through a single directory. Your best bets:

What Does Respite Care Cost in Texas?

If you're paying out of pocket in 2026, here is what respite tends to run in Texas. These are median figures from the CareScout (formerly Genworth) 2025 Cost of Care Survey; actual rates vary by provider and region.,

Type Approximate Cost Notes
In-home respite About $30/hour in Texas ($35 national) Texas median for a non-medical caregiver
Adult day care About $95/day National median; varies by center and services
Facility-based (assisted living) About $5,600/month full-time Short-term respite stays billed per day; varies by facility
Facility-based (nursing home) About $185/day (semi-private) Texas median for a semi-private room

The costs add up, but they're a fraction of what full-time care costs. In-home respite at about $30 an hour is far less than the roughly $5,600 a month a Texas assisted living facility runs, or the $185-a-day rate for a semi-private nursing home room. Compare a few hours of weekly respite to the cost of caregiver burnout, which often leads to more expensive care options down the road.

For families who can't afford private-pay respite, the programs above (Medicaid, VA, NFCSP, Lifespan vouchers) are worth pursuing. And don't overlook family and friends. Sometimes the best respite comes from asking a sibling, neighbor, or church member to sit with your loved one for an afternoon.

How to Find Respite Care in Texas

Take Time Texas

Take Time Texas is a respite-provider directory operated by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) that lists providers by service type and location (in-home options such as personal care, and out-of-home options such as day centers or nursing facilities), with filters for veteran services and volunteer opportunities. HHSC offers the list for informational purposes only, so verify a provider's qualifications and licensure yourself.

Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC)

The Aging and Disability Resource Center connects caregivers with respite providers, education, and support, serving all 254 Texas counties. Call 1-855-937-2372 (855-YES-ADRC).

ARCH National Respite Network

The ARCH National Respite Locator maintains a database of respite services nationwide, searchable by state and ZIP code.

Area Agencies on Aging (Texas) Reaches your local AAA for NFCSP respite services, caregiver support, and local program referrals. 1-800-252-9240
ADRC Statewide Line Long-term care navigation and respite referrals across all 254 Texas counties. 1-855-937-2372
VA Caregiver Support Line VA respite and the PCAFC benefit for veterans; staffed Monday through Friday. 1-855-260-3274 www.caregiver.va.gov
Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline Around-the-clock support and dementia respite referrals, in more than 200 languages. 1-800-272-3900 www.alz.org
2-1-1 Texas Free 24/7 referrals to community services, including caregiver support. 2-1-1

How to Start Respite Care in Texas

1
Step 1

Call your Area Agency on Aging at 1-800-252-9240

This one call reaches NFCSP respite services, caregiver counseling, and local program referrals, and is the fastest single step for most families.

2
Step 2

Ask your MCO about STAR+PLUS respite if your loved one has Texas Medicaid

Call the MCO service coordinator and ask to add respite to the care plan, generally available up to 30 days (720 hours) per year. Request a reassessment if it isn't already included.

3
Step 3

Call the VA Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274 if your loved one is a veteran

VA respite is arranged through the veteran's VA care team, and PCAFC caregivers receive at least 30 days per year.

4
Step 4

Ask about a Take Time Texas / Lifespan Respite voucher

If your family doesn't qualify for Medicaid or VA respite, your AAA or ADRC (1-855-937-2372) can tell you what local voucher funding is available.

5
Step 5

Dial 2-1-1 for local referrals

The 2-1-1 line connects you to community respite programs and faith-based options in your county.

Preparing for Respite Care

Taking a break works better when you prepare. Here's what helps:

Create a care sheet. Write down your loved one's daily routine, medications (names, doses, times), dietary needs, emergency contacts, and any behavioral patterns the substitute caregiver should know. Keep it to one or two pages.

Do a trial run. Before a multi-day break, try a shorter respite session first. This lets your loved one get used to a new caregiver and gives you a chance to see how it goes.

Address the guilt. Most family caregivers feel guilty about taking time for themselves. Here's what we see in practice: caregivers who take regular respite breaks provide better care in the long run. Burning out doesn't help your loved one. Taking a break does.

Plan something for yourself. Don't spend your respite time catching up on chores. Schedule something that recharges you, even if it's just an afternoon alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there free respite care in Texas?

Yes, through several programs. Texas Medicaid covers respite for STAR+PLUS HCBS members. The VA provides at least 30 days of free respite per year for Primary Family Caregivers in PCAFC. The NFCSP through Area Agencies on Aging offers respite services to caregivers of adults 60 and older, and the Texas Lifespan Respite Care Program (Take Time Texas) funds vouchers for caregivers who don't qualify for other programs.

How many hours of Medicaid respite care can I get in Texas?

STAR+PLUS HCBS respite is generally limited to 30 days (720 hours) per year unless your managed-care organization approves more, and it is arranged through your MCO service coordinator as part of the care plan. Ask your coordinator specifically about respite, and request a reassessment if you need more. Many care plans don't include respite unless you ask for it.

Can I use respite care regularly, or is it just for emergencies?

Both. Respite care can be scheduled regularly (every week or month) or used on an as-needed basis. Regular respite is actually more effective at preventing caregiver burnout than waiting until you're in crisis. Even a few hours a week makes a difference.

What if my loved one refuses respite care?

This is common, especially with dementia. Start small: a few hours with someone they already know. Frame it as an activity for them ("someone's coming to visit") rather than as you leaving. Adult day care can be easier to introduce since it's social and structured. Give it time. The first session is usually the hardest.

Your next step Ready to start? Call your Area Agency on Aging at 1-800-252-9240 and ask what respite options exist in your area, or reach the ADRC at 1-855-937-2372. It's one phone call, and taking a break isn't giving up.

Learn More

CaregiverRespite Care for Family Caregivers: The 50-State GuideWhat respite care is and how to pay for it in 2026: the main types, free NFCSP grants, Medicaid and VA respite, and a link to every state guide. CaregiverTexas Caregiver ProgramsFind caregiver programs in Texas including Medicaid paid caregiver options, respite care, support groups, and free resources for family caregivers in 2026. CaregiverHow to Get Paid as a Family Caregiver in TexasLearn how to get paid as a family caregiver in Texas through Medicaid CDS, CAS, VA programs, and CMPAS. Covers pay rates, eligibility, and step-by-step process. MedicaidTexas Medicaid ProgramsTexas Medicaid programs for seniors 65+ include STAR+PLUS, CAS, HCBS waivers, and PACE. Find out what each one covers, who qualifies, and how to enroll. MedicaidTexas STAR+PLUS Waiver ProgramTexas STAR+PLUS covers Medicaid managed care for seniors 65+. The HCBS waiver income limit is $2,982/month, and Community First Choice has no waitlist. VA BenefitsVA Aid and Attendance in TexasLearn about VA Aid and Attendance benefits in Texas for 2026. Covers eligibility, monthly rates up to $2,874, how to apply, and free help from Texas VSOs.

Find personalized help finding Texas respite care at brevy.com.

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.

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Expert eldercare guidance from Brevy's team of healthcare professionals and researchers.