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Connections: Dialogue on Disability - The value of respite programs

As part of Dialogue on Disability Week, we continue our series of conversations about inclusion and disability rights.

This hour, we discuss the value of respite programs for caregivers and people with disabilities. Respite programs provide a variety of short-term, temporary services that allow family members to take a break from the day-to-day schedule. Research shows respite programs can improve family stability, but many people who participate in them – or would like to – say the system is difficult to navigate.

Our guests discuss their experience with respite programs, and we talk about how to make them more easily accessible for families. In studio:

  • Stephanie Woodward, disability rights advocate with DisabilityDetails.com
  • Patsy, mother of a teenager who attends Epilepsy-Pralid’s after school respite and recreational respite programs
  • Joe Abbott, vice president of operations and COO at Epilepsy-Pralid
  • Dayna Wells, community services supervisor at Epilepsy-Pralid
  • Tia Guthrie, manager of waiver services at CP Rochester

This story is reported from WXXI’s Inclusion Desk

Evan Dawson is the host of "Connections with Evan Dawson." He joined WXXI in January 2014 after working at 13WHAM-TV, where he served as morning news anchor. He was hired as a reporter for 13WHAM-TV in 2003 before being promoted to anchor in 2007.
Megan Mack is the executive producer of "Connections with Evan Dawson" and live/televised engagement programming.
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