Respite
True Friends Respite provides a unique weekend away for participants and a short period of rest for caregivers.
2021 Respite Registration Opens November 1, 2020! More Information Coming Soon!
For more information regarding weekend, weekday, and school closure services, questions or concerns contact Respite Manager Julia Steven at julias@truefriends.org or 952.222.1065 or Eric Sage, Director of Respite Services at erics@truefriends.org or 952.852.0117.
Who can participate?
Individuals ages five and up with intellectual, developmental and physical disabilities. We offer services at 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4 and higher care ratios. All applicants are screened by our respite department for appropriate placement.
What should I expect?
True Friends staff provide support, encouragement, guidance and supervision to ensure respite participants have a safe and meaningful experience. Qualified food service professionals can prepare meals and work to match special diet needs. Please contact our respite department to determine if we can meet specific diets. Breakfast, lunch and dinner on Saturday and breakfast on Sunday are provided.
Many of our staff are human service professionals or individuals studying to receive their degree. We work to match our participants to staff to enhance each individual’s experience.
Our health care staff are trained medical professionals or individuals studying to receive their degree as well.
They are trained in medication administration, assistance with medical equipment for meals and numerous medical devices.
2021 Registration Updates and Reminders
To ensure our programs meet your expectations and needs, we ask for your feedback throughout the year. Based on your experiences and feedback, we are able to make changes to the way we provide our programs and services. Thank you for your feedback.
- True Friends is a licensed 245D Minnesota Provider. True Friends is licensed by the Department of Human Services, Department of Health and Accredited by the American Camping Association. Upon receiving Case Manager approval True Friends can bill federally approved BI, CAC, CADI, DD and EW waiver plans. True Friends also accepts CDCS and private pay for our services.
- In 2021, True Friends Respite will have limited capacity. We have chosen to move in this direction to ensure we can provide a safer experience, reduce the total number of people on campus and in cabin/activity areas at one time.
- In addition to the already thorough cleaning and sanitizing protocols we pride ourselves for, we have taken it to the next level with our year-round programs and have seen great success. We will continue these protocols as they evolve, to follow local, state, and national guidelines.
- How we collect information regarding medications has been updated. Medication information will be collected both from a medication list provided by a health care professional, as well as a separate True Friends Medication Administration Form. As always, we also require individuals to pre-set their medications in packs to bring to camp.
- An application will be considered complete and ready for True Friends staff to review only when the application, requested documents, and questionnaires have been received. Click here and review the Health Care Questionnaires on the right to fill out the writeable pdf questionnaires that may be required based on your needs, in addition to True Friends Medication Administration Record. We will continue to add participants from the waiting list based on the time of application, participant cancellations, additional staffing and individual care ratio.
Weekend Respite
Check-in Friday from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Check-out Sunday from noon – 12:30 p.m.
Saturday Respite is available from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Payment Options
Our services are licensed by the Minnesota Department of Human Services 245D License. True Friends accepts payment from 245D licensed waivers and CDCS waivers. This includes, but is not limited to, the following waivers: Community Access for Disability Inclusion (CADI), Community Alternative Care (CAC), Elderly Waiver (EW), Developmental Disabilities (DD), and Brain Injury (BI).
For additional payment options please call 952.852.0132 or email payments@truefriends.org.
Staff Hiring and Training
True Friends is committed to providing all our program participants and staff with a safe and high-quality experience.
Our Direct Care support staff complete over 30 hours of accredited online and in person training. True Friends Direct Support staff are competent as demonstrated through skills and knowledge training, and education relevant to the services provided.
In addition to the accredited online training, all Direct Support staff must complete CPR/First Aid, Medication Administration, Activities of Daily Living, Communication Techniques and Crisis Prevention Intervention.
All staff and volunteers must pass a Department of Human Service federal background check to work with participants.
To learn more about the specific hiring and training requirements of each program or service please call 952.852.0101.
Cancellations
Cancellations are rare at True Friends Respite. However, in the event True Friends Respite must cancel a session the following will occur:
If True Friends Cancels
True Friends reserves the right to cancel a respite session due to circumstances beyond our control including severe weather or due to a lack of staff and/or participants. If this occurs, staff will notify you within a timely manner. Participants will be rescheduled for another respite session or could be refunded entirely.
If Participant/Group Cancels
True Friends understands that occasionally conflicts arise.
If caregivers need to cancel a session please contact Manager of Respite Services at 952.222.1065.
In the event a participant or group needs to cancel their respite stay the following may occur:
- All fees paid will be refunded in full if notice is received at True Friends 14 days or more prior to the participant/group session.
- If notice is received at True Friends 13 days or less to the participant/group session, individuals will be charged a $50 processing fee.
Property Damage
True Friends may seek compensation from participants and/or guardians for the replacement or repair of property damaged while attending the respite program.
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