In its commitment to families coping with behavioral healthcare issues of their children, Pacific Clinics facilitates the administration of the Los Angeles County Children's Respite Program [fact sheets][claim form], developed through the Department of Mental Health with funds provided by the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA). Pacific Clinics also provides agency-based training about the program.

Respite care is a support service to help relieve parents/caregivers from the stress and strain that result from providing constant care for a child with serious emotional disturbance (SED).

Respite care enables families to care for their child at home, preserving the family and avoiding the cost of expensive out-of-home care.

In addition to freeing parents/caregivers for up to 16 hours monthly to attend to business, social, or health activities, Respite care benefits the SED child by providing variety and a break from the primary caregiver. Respite care is unique in that families are able to choose their own respite worker, which may include family and/or friends.

Families of children ages 0-15 who are enrolled in a MHSA Full Service Partnership program (FSP) and those who are not in a FSP are eligible by meeting the following criteria:

• Parents or caregivers of SED children under significant stress as a result of the responsibility of providing constant care;
• Parents/caregivers whose continued care-taking without Respite Care may result in out-of-home placement;
• Parents/caregivers who have exhausted all other available formal and informal sources of support.

FSP and Non-FSP agencies submit a referral form to the Pacific Clinics Respite Care Coordinator who screens applicants and contacts referred parent/caregivers to ensure program eligibility.