Essential Living Support, LLC provides structured, person centered Home and Community Based Services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Our approach is built around safety, stability, dignity, independence, Plan of Care follow through, and timely communication with guardians, case managers, and care teams.
Respite Care at Essential Living Support is delivered as Wyoming DD Waiver Respite Services in our home, the participant’s home, the caregiver’s home, or another approved community setting. ELS is also a VA approved medical foster home in the Cheyenne VA service area, so Respite and longer term care can coordinate under one provider for Veteran families.
Every Respite placement at Essential Living Support begins with a Care Match Assessment, a clinical intake review where the case manager, the family or guardian, and ELS confirm that the participant’s care needs and the home or setting align before placement. This step protects the participant, the caregiver, and the continuity of the existing Plan of Care.
Refer a participant or talk to ELS:
- Call: (307) 369-1030
- Email: rbrown@essentiallivingsupport.com
- Or use the case manager and guardian referral form below
Who This Page Is For
This page is written for the people who place participants into Wyoming DD Waiver Respite, not for general consumer search. If you are one of the audiences below, the rest of this page maps to the language and structure you use day to day:
- Wyoming case managers searching for a Cheyenne provider with capacity for short term Respite placements, including 24-hour stays
- Discharge planners and social workers preparing post hospital Respite for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities returning to family households
- VA officers and Veteran families who need Respite for a Veteran with an intellectual or developmental disability while a primary caregiver rests, manages other responsibilities, or recovers
- Guardians and family caregivers carrying a daily care load who need dependable, structured relief without disrupting the participant’s routines
- Plan of care teams managing complex situations where Respite needs to coordinate with the participant’s existing IPC and other waiver services
Essential Living Support is a husband and wife, family owned Wyoming DD Waiver provider headquartered in Cheyenne, with a Veteran owned and Black owned credential set, a VA approved medical foster home, an active Friend of The Arc of Laramie County designation, an active membership in Big Brothers Big Sisters of Wyoming, and a 5.0 star Google Business Profile rating from referring families and partners.
What This Service Provides
What does Wyoming DD Waiver Respite cover?
Wyoming DD Waiver Respite is short term relief for an unpaid caregiver. The service covers personal care, activities of daily living, medication assistance if needed, and supervision while the caregiver rests, works on other responsibilities, or recovers. Respite can be delivered in multiple settings and is governed by per participant supervision limits.
Verbatim service definition (Wyoming Comprehensive and Supports Waiver Service Index, Effective 09/01/2025, page 33):
“Respite services are intended to be utilized on a short-term basis to provide relief for an unpaid caregiver from the daily burdens of care. Respite includes assistance with personal care and activities of daily living, medication assistance if needed, and supervision.
Respite may be provided in the caregiver’s home, the provider’s home, the participant’s home, or in community settings. The respite setting and services must support the identified needs of the participant. Respite can only be provided for up to two participants at the same time. Three participants may be supported in this service if they are family members, live in the same household, and can be safely supported by one provider. A provider may also supervise other children under the age of 12, or other individuals requiring support and supervision, but must limit the total combined number of people under their care to no more than three, unless approved by DHCF. The provider must adhere to the supervision levels identified in each participant’s IPC.
Routine transportation is included in the service rate.”
Who Is Eligible
Who qualifies for Respite at ELS?
Wyoming DD Waiver Respite is for participants enrolled on the Comprehensive Waiver or Supports Waiver who have an active Plan of Care and an unpaid primary caregiver. The participant must have a case manager. Specific service authorization, unit type, and unit count are determined by the case management team and the Division of Healthcare Financing.
Common situations where Respite is the right fit:
- A family caregiver supporting an adult with I/DD needs reliable overnight or multi day relief
- A Veteran with an I/DD lives with a family caregiver who is taking time off, traveling, or recovering from a procedure
- A participant is transitioning home from an acute care hospital and the family needs a structured Respite environment for a few days while the household resets
- A participant’s primary caregiver has a planned absence (work travel, family event, medical appointment) and needs continuity of routine for the participant during that absence
- Emergency situations where a caregiver is suddenly unavailable and a Respite placement bridges the gap until longer term arrangements are confirmed
ELS will work with the case manager and family to confirm fit and authorization before a Respite stay starts.
Situations Where 24/7 Respite Is Most Helpful
When does 24/7 Respite make the biggest difference?
Some Respite needs are routine. Others are critical. 24/7 Respite (the Wyoming DD Waiver daily unit) is most helpful when the caregiver needs continuous coverage for the participant rather than hourly support, and when the participant benefits from staying inside a structured, supervised environment for the full stay.
Caregiver health events. A caregiver scheduled for surgery, recovering from illness, or managing their own medical appointments may need Respite for several consecutive days while the participant remains in safe, structured care.
Caregiver burnout and recovery. Continuous care of an adult with significant support needs is a real load. Wyoming DD Waiver Respite is designed to address this directly: the verbatim definition is “to provide relief for an unpaid caregiver from the daily burdens of care.”
Family travel and life events. Funerals, weddings, family emergencies, and out of state travel that the caregiver cannot bring the participant on are all common Respite triggers.
Hospital discharge bridge. When a participant returns home after an acute care hospital stay, families sometimes need a few days of structured Respite to reset the household, restock medications, and prepare the participant’s room before resuming primary caregiver duties.
Emergency placement. ELS works with case managers on emergency Respite when a primary caregiver becomes suddenly unavailable. Authorization and IPC documentation must be confirmed quickly, but the service is designed to fill exactly this gap.
What ELS Specifically Provides
What makes Essential Living Support different on Respite specifically?
Respite has to be more than just supervision. The participant is in someone else’s care during a stretch when their daily routines, environment, and social rhythm are already disrupted. ELS treats Respite as a short term continuation of structured living, not a holding pattern. The three principles below shape how we deliver Respite.
Reliable relief with safety and structure. Essential Living Support, LLC provides Respite Care with responsive 24/7 coverage when available and clinically appropriate, supporting families, guardians, and caregivers who need dependable relief while keeping the participant in a safe, respectful, and structured environment.
Respite that supports the whole person. Essential Living Support, LLC respite care may include meals, personal support, medication support, hygiene routines, supervision, meaningful activities, rest, and community engagement based on the participant’s needs and preferences.
A home based setting focused on comfort and continuity. Essential Living Support, LLC provides respite in a calm, supportive environment where participants can maintain routines, receive individualized attention, and feel respected while caregivers have time to rest, reset, or manage other responsibilities.
Care Environment
What is the Respite care environment at ELS?
ELS Respite is delivered in a real home, not a clinical or congregate facility. Our home is newer construction in a quiet Cheyenne neighborhood with a community park, tennis courts, basketball courts, and a walking trail nearby. Indoor spaces are designed for safety, structure, and dignity, with private participant areas and shared family style spaces for meals and activities.
What this looks like for the participant during a Respite stay:
- Private sleeping area assigned to the participant for the duration of the stay
- Meals prepared in the home using nutrition guidelines that respect the participant’s preferences and any dietary needs documented in the IPC
- Medication assistance per the participant’s prescriptions and IPC
- Hygiene routines maintained on the participant’s typical schedule
- Daily activities, light community participation if appropriate to the IPC, and rest periods built into the day
- Direct supervision during waking hours and overnight per the participant’s assessed Level of Support
For Veterans living at the VA approved medical foster home full time who need their own caregiver to take Respite, the Respite stay can happen in the same residence with continuity of staff, environment, and routine. This is one of the practical advantages of an integrated VA medical foster home and Wyoming DD Waiver provider.
How is Respite Care priced under the Wyoming DD Waiver and VA programs?
Respite Care under the Wyoming DD Waiver is reimbursed on per-unit codes set by the Wyoming DHCF Fee Schedule. For Veteran Respite, rates are individually negotiated between ELS and the VA case manager based on the participant’s level of care and current VA per diem guidelines. Essential Living Support facilitates this conversation directly with case managers and family decision-makers to ensure care alignment before a placement starts.
Service Availability
How is Wyoming DD Waiver Respite billed?
Wyoming DD Waiver Respite has two billing units: 15 minute (hourly Respite) and daily (24-hour Respite). The unit billed depends on length of stay and how the case management team has authorized the service in the IPC.
Per the Wyoming DD Waiver Service Index Effective 09/01/2025:
- Respite is billed at a 15 minute or daily unit. The 15 minute and daily unit cannot be billed on the same day.
- Any use of Respite over nine (9) hours a day must be billed as a daily unit.
- There is an annual cap of 5616 individual 15-minute units for the Comprehensive Waiver.
- Each daily unit counts as 37 units against the 5616 individual 15-minute units.
Service codes from the DD Fee Schedule Effective 09/01/2025: T1005 (15-minute Individual), T1005 HQ (15-minute Group of 2), S5151 (Individual daily), and S5151 U8 (Group of 2 daily). Current rates are published on the official Wyoming DHCF DD Fee Schedule at health.wyo.gov.
ELS bills as an agency provider. The case management team determines whether Individual or Group of 2 applies based on the participant’s IPC and whether another participant is in care at the same time.
Why Case Managers and VA Officers Refer to ELS
What makes ELS the right Respite provider in Cheyenne?
Case managers and VA officers refer participants to providers they trust to follow the Plan of Care, communicate clearly, and deliver consistently. ELS is built for that.
- Wyoming DD Waiver provider with active certification and Plan of Care follow through documented for each participant
- VA approved medical foster home in the Cheyenne VA service area, the first MFH approved in this service area, run by Richard and Nahomy Brown
- Veteran owned, Black owned, husband and wife family owned, healthcare administration credentialed (Richard is MBA-HCM, BS-HCA, and a Doctor of Healthcare Administration Candidate at Capella University)
- Active Friend of The Arc of Laramie County and active member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Wyoming
- 5.0 star Google Business Profile rating from referring families, case managers, and partners
- Husband and wife owned operations, which means consistent staffing rather than rotating shift workers for short term Respite stays
- Real time communication with case managers and guardians during a Respite stay, including status updates, documentation, and any incident reporting required by Wyoming DHCF
Scope and Limitations
What are the official scope and limitations on Respite?
Wyoming DD Waiver Respite has clear regulatory boundaries on what it can and cannot be used for. ELS publishes them here verbatim so case managers and families have a single, billing defensible reference.
Verbatim Scope and Limitations (Wyoming Comprehensive and Supports Waiver Service Index, Effective 09/01/2025, page 33-34):
“Respite must not be used to substitute care while the primary caregiver is at work, or during services otherwise available through public education programs including education activities, after school supervision, daytime services when the school is not in session, or services to preschool age children. The participant may choose to receive a more appropriate service, such as Child Habilitation or Companion Services, for support and supervision while their primary caregiver is working. Respite cannot be used to relieve a Community Living, Community Supports, or Adult Day Services provider.
Respite cannot be provided to individuals under the age of 18 and individuals 18 and older at the same time, unless participants are members of the same family and the situation has been approved by DHCF. In these situations, a detailed description of how Respite will be provided must be included in each participant’s IPC.
- Respite is billed at a 15 minute or daily unit. The 15 minute and daily unit cannot be billed on the same day. Any use of respite over nine (9) hours a day must be billed as a daily unit.
- There is an annual cap of 5616 individual 15-minute units for the Comprehensive Waiver. Each daily unit counts as 37 units against the 5616 individual 15-minute units.
- Approved service units are based upon the participant’s need and budget limit.
- Relative providers (defined as biological, adoptive, or step parents) cannot provide this service.
- Respite services cannot be provided during the same time period as other waiver services, which is subject to audit by the Program Integrity Unit within the Single State Medicaid Agency. This prohibition includes billing for or providing Respite on the same day the participant receives a daily unit of CLS.
This service is subject to electronic visit verification.”
How to Refer a Participant
Ready to refer a participant or talk to ELS about a Respite stay?
If you are a Wyoming case manager, discharge planner, VA officer, guardian, or family member, the fastest way to start is to call (307) 369-1030 or email rbrown@essentiallivingsupport.com. You can also use the case manager and guardian referral form embedded above this section.
What to expect on the first call:
- A short conversation about the participant, the IPC, the Respite trigger, the dates needed, and the funding pathway
- A Care Match Assessment to confirm the participant’s care needs, the requested setting, and the existing Plan of Care align before placement
- A brief overview of how ELS would deliver the requested Respite (in our home, the participant’s home, the caregiver’s home, or another approved
setting)
- Confirmation of authorization, unit type, and start date with the case manager
For emergency Respite, call (307) 369-1030 directly. Emergency placement requires the same authorization and IPC documentation as planned Respite, but ELS works with case managers to move the paperwork on the timeline the situation needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 24/7 Respite Care and hourly Respite?
Both are Wyoming DD Waiver Respite Services with the same regulatory definition. The difference is the billing unit. Hourly Respite is billed at a 15 minute unit (T1005 or T1005 HQ). 24/7 Respite is billed at a daily unit (S5151 or S5151 U8). Per the Service Index, any use of Respite over nine hours a day must be billed as a daily unit.
What is a Care Match Assessment?
A Care Match Assessment is the clinical intake review Essential Living Support completes before every Respite placement. The case manager, the family or guardian, and ELS confirm together that the participant’s care needs, the requested setting, and the existing Plan of Care align before the placement is scheduled. The Care Match Assessment is a process step, not a separate service or billable unit.
Can ELS provide emergency Respite?
Yes. ELS works with Wyoming case managers and VA officers on emergency Respite placement when a primary caregiver becomes suddenly unavailable. Authorization and IPC documentation still apply. Call (307) 369-1030 directly for emergency Respite.
Where does Respite happen?
Per the Service Index, Respite may be provided in the caregiver’s home, the provider’s home, the participant’s home, or in community settings. The respite setting and services must support the identified needs of the participant. ELS delivers Respite in our Cheyenne home most often, but in home or community settings are available based on the participant’s IPC.
How many participants can ELS support at the same time during Respite?
Per the Service Index, a Respite provider can support up to two participants at the same time, or three participants if they are family members, live in the same household, and can be safely supported by one provider. A provider may also supervise other children under the age of 12, or other individuals requiring support and supervision, but must limit the total combined number of people under their care to no more than three, unless approved by DHCF.
Can a parent provide Respite for their own child or adult relative?
No. Per the Service Index Scope and Limitations, relative providers (defined as biological, adoptive, or step parents) cannot provide this service.
Can Respite be billed at the same time as other waiver services?
No. Per the current Service Index, Respite services cannot be provided during the same time period as other waiver services, which is subject to audit by the Program Integrity Unit within the Single State Medicaid Agency. This prohibition specifically includes billing for or providing Respite on the same day the participant receives a daily unit of Community Living Services.
Does Respite include transportation?
Routine transportation is included in the service rate. The participant does not pay separately for routine transportation during a Respite stay.
Is Respite available for participants under 18?
Wyoming DD Waiver Respite is available for participants of all ages, but Respite cannot be provided to individuals under the age of 18 and individuals 18 and older at the same time, unless participants are members of the same family and the situation has been approved by DHCF, with a detailed description of how Respite will be provided included in each participant’s IPC.
Does Essential Living Support work with Veterans on Respite?
Yes. ELS is a VA approved medical foster home in the Cheyenne VA service area, the first such home approved in Cheyenne. Veterans with intellectual or developmental disabilities can receive integrated VA medical foster home support and Wyoming DD Waiver Respite under one provider, simplifying coordination across both funding pathways.
Is Respite subject to electronic visit verification?
Yes. Per the current Service Index, Respite is subject to electronic visit verification (EVV). ELS complies with EVV requirements as part of standard documentation and billing.
How quickly can ELS take a planned Respite placement?
Most planned Respite placements can be confirmed within a few business days once authorization, IPC documentation, and the case management team are aligned on dates. Emergency placement is faster. Call (307) 369-1030 for the realistic timeline on a specific case.
Other Wyoming DD Waiver Services at Essential Living Support
Beyond 24/7 Respite Care, ELS provides the rest of its DD Waiver service set under one provider, which simplifies coordination across IPCs and authorizations:
- Community Living Services (CLS). 5-tier daily living support system for adults with I/DD, including Host Home Services and 1:1 care arrangements.
- Wyoming DD Waiver Direct Care Services. Adult Day Services, Community Support Services, Companion Services, Homemaker Services, and Personal Care Services for adults with I/DD.
- Life Skills Development. Budgeting, meal planning, household management, communication, transportation, and health management coaching for adults and transition-age youth.
Refer a Participant
Service area: Cheyenne (primary), Laramie County (secondary), Wyoming (statewide tertiary).
Authored by Richard Brown Jr., MBA-HCM, BS-HCA, Doctor of Healthcare Administration Candidate at Capella University. Veteran owned. Wyoming DD Waiver provider. Member of VFW Warren F. E. Post 1881 in Cheyenne.
Dignity. Respect. Independence. Always.
