Virginia families can draw on several funded sources of respite care, and several of them don't require Medicaid. Medicaid waiver hours through the CCC Plus waiver, National Family Caregiver Support Program respite through 25 Area Agencies on Aging, and two state respite programs run out of the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services all exist.

If you're providing daily care for a parent, spouse, or adult child in Virginia, you already know how unsustainable that is without breaks. Respite is not a luxury. It is the infrastructure that makes sustained caregiving possible, and this guide maps the funded respite options Virginia families can ask about in 2026.

Why Respite Care Isn't Optional

Caring for someone around the clock takes a measurable toll on the caregiver's own body, not just your mood. Federal data show family caregivers fare worse than non-caregivers on most health measures: nearly 1 in 5 reports fair or poor health, and nearly 2 in 5 live with at least two chronic conditions of their own, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). During 2021 and 2022, 20.5% of caregivers reported frequent mental distress, compared with 13.6% of non-caregivers, and lifetime depression among caregivers reached 25.6%. Elderly caregivers who already have a chronic illness and feel caregiving strain carry a 63% higher mortality rate than their non-caregiving peers. Caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia are more likely to have health problems and to be depressed than caregivers of people whose conditions don't require constant care.

The encouraging part is that support works. In the REACH II (Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer's Caregiver Health II) randomized trial, dementia caregivers assigned to the intervention reported lower levels of depression after treatment than those who were not (12.6% vs 22.7%). VA states that its own version, REACH VA, which is open to caregivers enrolled in VA's Caregiver Support Program, has been shown to decrease caregiver depression, burden, and frustrations. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) puts it plainly: the ongoing demands of caregiving can strain even the most resilient person, which is why it is so important to take care of yourself. Respite care gives a primary caregiver that short-term relief, and NIA notes it may last anywhere from a few hours to several weeks at a time.

If you need respite urgently, call 1-800-552-3402 today and ask your Area Agency on Aging what it can arrange. If you're planning ahead, read on.

Funded Respite Care Options in Virginia

Virginia stacks several funded respite doors on top of the federal floor. The table below is the quick map; each option is worked in detail beneath it.

Respite door Best for Who pays Front door
CCC Plus waiver respite Enrolled Medicaid waiver members Medicaid The member's Medicaid health plan or DMAS
NFCSP grants via 25 AAAs Caregivers in an eligible category (for respite, the older person must need substantial help with 2+ daily activities, or substantial supervision because a cognitive or other mental impairment makes their behavior a serious health or safety hazard) Older Americans Act (federal) 1-800-552-3402
Respite Care Initiative Planned breaks for caregivers of people 60+ with dementia Virginia state general funds 1-800-552-3402 (ask for it by name)
Virginia Lifespan Respite Voucher Program Unpaid caregivers across the lifespan, dementia included Federal ACL grant (published period ended June 30, 2026) 1-800-552-3402 (ask whether vouchers are still funded)
Adult day centers Consistent weekday daytime respite NFCSP respite or private pay; ask about CCC Plus and any LTC insurance policy Regional AAA / VDSS-licensed centers
VA respite (including PCAFC) Families caring for a veteran VA 1-855-260-3274
Short-term or emergency facility respite Planned multi-day breaks or a sudden crisis Private pay; ask your AAA about NFCSP respite 1-800-552-3402

1. CCC Plus Waiver Respite

What it is: The Commonwealth Coordinated Care Plus (CCC Plus) waiver covers respite as a waiver service for enrolled Medicaid members. It can be delivered under either of two models, agency-directed or consumer-directed, and respite is one of the services a member is allowed to self-direct.

Consumer-directed respite: Under the consumer-directed services option, the member directs their own respite. Check one trade-off first: DMAS states that respite services are not available when a legally responsible individual (LRI), meaning the participant's spouse or the parent or legal guardian of a minor, is being paid to provide personal care. A paid LRI's care must be extraordinary, above and beyond what they are obligated to provide, and is capped at 40 hours per week. DMAS ties that standard to the extraordinary needs of a participant under 18 and states no separate standard for the spouse of an adult participant, so a spouse should confirm with DMAS before assuming payment is available. Virginia's official sources also conflict on spouses: the CCC Plus regulation, 12VAC30-120-935 B, and DMAS's 2021 Employer of Record Manual still say a spouse cannot be the paid provider, so get DMAS's answer in writing. See the Virginia paid family caregiver guide for the full worker-eligibility rules.

Eligibility: Anyone seeking the CCC Plus waiver (now under Cardinal Care) must first complete a long-term services and supports (LTSS) screening to determine the level of care required. Financially, DMAS uses an income limit of 300% of the SSI payment standard for one person, $2,982 a month in 2026, or the medically needy limit with a spend-down, and a countable-resource limit of $2,000 for one person.

How to access: If your loved one is already a waiver member, ask their Medicaid health plan whether respite hours can be added to the plan of care. If they are not yet enrolled in CCC Plus, contact the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) and ask how to start the LTSS screening.

Best for: Families already in the CCC Plus system who want planned in-home breaks.

2. NFCSP Grants Through Virginia's 25 Area Agencies on Aging

What it is: The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP), authorized under Title III-E of the Older Americans Act, flows through Virginia's designated State Unit on Aging, the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), which works with 25 local Area Agencies on Aging. The program funds five categories of caregiver support, and respite care is one of them; the services are provided by an Area Agency on Aging or an entity it contracts with.,

Who qualifies: Adult family members or other informal caregivers caring for someone age 60 or older; adult family members or other informal caregivers caring for someone of any age with Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder; and older relatives age 55 and up who live with and are the primary caregiver for a child under 18 (relatives other than the parents) or for an adult age 18 to 59 with a disability (parents included). Respite has an extra condition: for a caregiver of an older person, federal law makes respite available only if that person cannot perform at least two activities of daily living without substantial help, or needs substantial supervision because a cognitive or other mental impairment makes their behavior a serious health or safety hazard. Ask the Area Agency on Aging that serves your county what respite it offers.,

How to access: Call 1-800-552-3402, the DARS Division for Aging Services toll-free line, or use the federal Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116, which connects caregivers to their local Area Agency on Aging.,

Best for: Virginia family caregivers who fit one of the categories above, and, for respite, whose older care recipient meets the extra condition.

3. Virginia's Two DARS Respite Programs

What they are: Virginia's dementia-caregiver respite runs through two programs at the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, and neither one is Medicaid-funded, so you do not need to be on Medicaid to ask about them:

  • The Respite Care Initiative is funded with Virginia state general funds. It provides respite to caregivers of people 60 years of age and older who have Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia, with services provided by eight Area Agencies on Aging and one adult day center. Virginia's State Plan for Aging Services limits it to planned (not emergency), intermittent, part-time respite of no more than 40 hours per month per client, so it is not a source of emergency cover.
  • The Virginia Lifespan Respite Voucher Program (VLRVP) provides financial support to unpaid caregivers of people with disabilities or chronic conditions across the lifespan, dementia included, at $595 per household per year. In 2025, 424 caregivers received respite vouchers. Its published funding period has ended, though: Virginia's State Plan says DARS operated it with a five-year Administration for Community Living grant running July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2026, and DARS's published voucher application caps funding at $595 per household, says voucher funding continues until June 30, 2026 or until funds are exhausted, and states plainly that because funding is limited, not all eligible applicants will be approved. Treat the voucher as money to confirm rather than money to count on.

How to access: Call the DARS Division for Aging Services at 1-800-552-3402, or your local Area Agency on Aging, and ask about the Respite Care Initiative and the Virginia Lifespan Respite Voucher Program by name. Ask whether VLRVP vouchers are still available after June 30, 2026, and at what amount. A 2025 Virginia state report says the program has until now been supported entirely by competitive federal grant funding whose future is uncertain.

Best for: Family caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia. Use the Respite Care Initiative for planned breaks if the person you care for is 60 or older, and ask about the voucher program at any age.

4. Adult Day Centers

What they are: CareScout's national cost survey describes adult day health care services as providing supervision, engagement, and structured daytime support. Ask each Virginia center what its own program includes.

What it costs: CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey reports that the national median daily rate for adult day health care declined 5 percent to $95 per day, which the survey annualizes to $24,700 based on five days of usage per week. That is a provider's rate, not your family's net cost: the survey notes that private pay rates in this setting are heavily influenced by Medicaid reimbursement rates, and that actual costs may vary based on individual care needs, provider availability, and local market conditions. Confirm the daily rate directly with each center.

Who pays:

  • NFCSP respite through your Area Agency on Aging can be delivered at home, in adult day care, or in an institutional setting, if the person you care for meets the program's condition for respite described above.
  • CCC Plus: if your loved one is an enrolled waiver member, ask their Medicaid health plan whether adult day services can be added to the plan of care.
  • Long-term care insurance: check whether the policy covers adult day services.
  • Private pay: confirm pricing directly with the center.

Finding programs: The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) licenses adult day centers, and that is the licensing term you will see in Virginia. Ask your Area Agency on Aging which centers serve your area; 1-800-552-3402 reaches DARS's Division for Aging Services.

Best for: Caregivers who need consistent weekday respite and care recipients who benefit from socialization and structured programming.

5. VA Respite for Veterans

What it is: If you care for a veteran, start with VA's Caregiver Support Program. The VA Caregiver Support Line provides information on support services, counseling, and educational offerings, and can connect you directly to your local VA Caregiver Support Program team; ask that team whether any respite is available to you through the veteran's VA health care.

PCAFC: Eligible Primary Family Caregivers in the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) can receive at least 30 days of respite care per year among their benefits. VA's first screen requires all four of these for the veteran: a VA disability rating of 70% or higher, discharge from the military or a date of medical discharge, a need for at least six months of continuous, in-person personal care, and enrollment in VA health care. Meeting them is necessary but not enough on its own: you and the veteran apply together, and VA's application process determines eligibility; confirm the authorized days with your local VA Caregiver Support Program team.

How to access: Call the VA Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274, staffed Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time. It is not a crisis line and is not staffed overnight or at weekends: if you or the veteran are in crisis or having thoughts of suicide, call 988 and press 1, or text 838255, any hour of any day.

Best for: Families caring for a veteran, particularly Primary Family Caregivers approved for PCAFC.

6. Short-Term Facility Respite and Emergency Respite

Short-term facility respite: NIA notes that respite care can take place in a health care facility as well as at home or in an adult day center, and may last from a few hours to several weeks at a time. Call facilities in your area to ask whether they take short-stay respite guests and what they charge.

Emergency respite: in a sudden caregiver crisis, call 1-800-552-3402 as a first step and ask your Area Agency on Aging what respite it can arrange. Do not plan around the Respite Care Initiative here: Virginia's State Plan limits it to planned (not emergency) respite.

Who pays: Ask your Area Agency on Aging whether NFCSP respite can cover a stay, since NFCSP respite can be delivered in an institutional setting if the person you care for meets the program's respite condition, and check any long-term care insurance policy. Otherwise, expect to pay privately. If the care recipient is on the CCC Plus waiver, ask their Medicaid health plan whether authorized respite can be delivered this way.

How to Access Respite Care in Virginia

1
Step 1

Call 1-800-552-3402

This is the DARS Division for Aging Services line; ask about NFCSP respite and caregiver counseling through your Area Agency on Aging and, if your loved one has dementia, the Respite Care Initiative and the Virginia Lifespan Respite Voucher Program.

2
Step 2

Talk to the member's Medicaid health plan

if your loved one is enrolled in CCC Plus, and ask whether respite hours can be added to the plan of care.

3
Step 3

If your loved one is a veteran,

call the VA Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274 early on.

4
Step 4

Ask the Area Agency on Aging about adult day programs

in your county.

Your next step Call the DARS Division for Aging Services at 1-800-552-3402 or your Area Agency on Aging and ask about NFCSP respite, adult day programs, the Respite Care Initiative, and the Virginia Lifespan Respite Voucher Program.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Virginia Medicaid pay for respite care?

Yes. The CCC Plus waiver covers respite as a waiver service for enrolled members, delivered either agency-directed or consumer-directed. Ask the member's Medicaid health plan whether respite hours can be included in the plan of care.

Is there respite care in Virginia without Medicaid?

Yes. The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) funds caregiver respite through Virginia's 25 Area Agencies on Aging, for a caregiver of an older person who needs substantial help with at least two daily activities or substantial supervision because a cognitive or other mental impairment makes their behavior a serious health or safety hazard, and Virginia's own Respite Care Initiative is paid for with state general funds rather than Medicaid. Call 1-800-552-3402, the DARS Division for Aging Services line, or your Area Agency on Aging.,

What dementia respite programs does Virginia run?

Two, and neither is Medicaid-funded. The Respite Care Initiative, funded with state general funds, provides planned (not emergency), part-time respite of up to 40 hours per month to caregivers of people 60 and older who have Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia. The Virginia Lifespan Respite Voucher Program provides financial support to unpaid caregivers across the lifespan, dementia included, at $595 per household per year. Its five-year federal Administration for Community Living grant ran to June 30, 2026, DARS's published application runs voucher funding only until that date or until funds are exhausted, and not all eligible applicants are approved, so confirm that vouchers are still being funded before you count on one. Call 1-800-552-3402 and ask for each by name.

Can a family member be hired as the CCC Plus respite worker?

Respite is one of the services a CCC Plus member can direct under the consumer-directed option, so ask the member's Medicaid health plan whether a relative can be hired as the respite worker. DMAS's published rules on paying family members cover legally responsible individuals (LRIs), meaning a spouse or the parent or legal guardian of a minor: an LRI may be paid for personal care, limited to help with activities of daily living and capped at 40 hours per week, when that care is extraordinary. DMAS ties that standard to a participant under 18 and states no separate one for the spouse of an adult, so a spouse should confirm with DMAS before assuming payment is available. The CCC Plus regulation, 12VAC30-120-935 B, and the DD waiver rule, 12VAC30-122-120 B, still bar a spouse, so get DMAS's answer in writing., And respite services are not available when a paid LRI is providing personal care. The full rules are covered in the Virginia paid family caregiver guide.

Does Medicare cover respite care in Virginia?

Only in narrow cases. Medicare does not pay for long-term custodial care. Within the hospice benefit, it covers short-term inpatient respite to give the caregiver a rest, on an occasional basis and reimbursed for no more than five consecutive days at a time, and not for hospice patients who live in a facility such as a nursing home. Under the CMS GUIDE Model, CMS pays the participating provider, not the family, up to $2,625 per patient for respite for the performance year that began July 1, 2026. To be in GUIDE at all, a patient needs a provider enrolled in the model and must have Medicare Parts A and B with Medicare as primary payer, not be in Medicare Advantage or hospice, and not be a long-term nursing home resident; from performance year 2026 the patient must also live in a private residence or a CMS-approved partner residential care community, and someone living in a memory care unit cannot be aligned. GUIDE respite is narrower still: it is limited to patients with moderate or severe dementia who do not live in assisted living or another residential care community and whose primary caregiver is a relative or an unpaid nonrelative, such as a friend. For most Virginia families, respite funding comes from Medicaid, NFCSP, Virginia's two DARS respite programs, the VA, or private pay.

How do I find adult day programs near me in Virginia?

Ask your Area Agency on Aging, or call 1-800-552-3402, the DARS Division for Aging Services line. The federal Eldercare Locator, 1-800-677-1116, connects families to their local Area Agency on Aging. VDSS is the agency that licenses adult day centers in Virginia.,

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, NFCSP respite with no income test, Medicaid and VA respite, and every state guide. CaregiverHow to Get Paid as a Family Caregiver in VirginiaHow to get paid to care for a family member in Virginia in 2026: CCC Plus consumer direction, the LRI spouse-pay rule, DD waivers, and VA caregiver options. CaregiverCaregiver Burnout: Signs, Stages, and How to Get SupportHow to recognize caregiver burnout, why it happens, and what actually helps, from respite care to evidence-based programs like REACH II and Powerful Tools. VA BenefitsAid and Attendance Benefits in VirginiaVA Aid and Attendance in Virginia for 2026: who qualifies, up to $2,874 a month for a married veteran, how to apply, and free help from Virginia DVS. Care TypesThe Cost of Senior Care in VirginiaWhat senior care costs in Virginia in 2026: assisted living about $6,945 a month, a nursing home about $123,005 a year. See every setting and how to pay. CaregiverCaregiver Programs in VirginiaEvery caregiver program in Virginia: consumer-directed pay, limited pay for spouses, CCC Plus respite, NFCSP grants, VA benefits, and 2026 taxes explained.

Find personalized help navigating respite care options in Virginia 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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