ARCH National Respite Network¶
The ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center is a national respite-routing and technical-assistance organization for family caregivers. ARCH serves as a support hub for the Lifespan Respite Care Act and related respite infrastructure1, but its public locator pages are explicit that ARCH does not provide respite care directly. Instead, it helps caregivers find respite through state and local systems2.
Respite care — planned or emergency temporary relief from caregiving — is one of the most consistently requested and hardest-to-find supports for family caregivers. ARCH addresses this gap by maintaining the National Respite Locator Service, pointing caregivers toward State Respite Coalitions and Lifespan Respite programs, and providing broader respite-planning and provider-selection guidance2.
The National Respite Locator at archrespite.org is best understood as a discovery tool, not a certified-provider list. The site tells caregivers to start with their State Respite Coalition / Lifespan Respite Program, and also points them to the Eldercare Locator and ADRC / No Wrong Door resources when they need broader local routing2.
For caregivers using GiveCare, ARCH's Respite Locator is a key resource when Mira identifies the need for a break — particularly when zone P1 (Social Support) scores indicate isolation or lack of a caregiving network. Respite care directly supports caregivers in the daily stage of their journey by providing the time needed to attend to their own health, work, or simply rest.
ARCH also provides resources for professionals and policymakers, including coalition contacts, provider-selection guidance, and lifespan-respite program information. Their work at the systems level complements the individual-level value of the Respite Locator while making clear that families still need to evaluate providers themselves2.