Respite
Healthcare partnerships save lives
People experiencing homelessness are more vulnerable to disease, infection, chronic stress, and other disabling conditions, especially when they are discharged directly from hospitalization into homelessness.
In response to this community need, South Park Inn launched its medical and behavioral Respite Program in 2017. The program is for members of our community who are experiencing homelessness and are medically stable enough to be discharged from the hospital yet remain at high risk if placed in a traditional shelter or released on the streets. Once discharged from a partner hospital to South Park Inn, a person experiencing homelessness is provided with an environment conducive to recovery and healing.
Dedicated 24/7 staff provide case management and facilitate follow-up medical care with the goal of facilitating a transition to the main emergency shelter program or direct housing. The short-term, 30-day program contracts directly with St. Francis Hospital, Hartford Hospital, the Institute of Living (IOL), and UConn’s Dempsey Hospital.
NIMRC Accreditation
South Park Inn’s Respite Program became certified by The National Institute for Medical Respite Care (NIMRC) in November 2025.
The NIMRC accreditation certification is a special program of the National Health Care for the Homeless Council. This means that our Respite Program’s leadership and care team completed a rigorous process to demonstrate a high degree of fidelity to nationally recognised principles, standards, and expectations in the field of medical respite care.*
Help someone in one of our participating hospitals
If you know someone who is hospitalized and has nowhere safe to stay post-discharge ask for a hospital social worker.
If you’re in the hospital now
If you are in the hospital now at either Hartford HealthCare, IOL, or St. Francis and you have nowhere safe to go, ask your social worker if you are eligible for respite. If you want more information, call us 24/7 at (860) 724-0071.
* Certification is awarded to medical respite care (MRC) programs that demonstrate adequate alignment to the principles and standards established by the National Healthcare for the Homeless Council (the Council), according to the Council’s scoring methodology. The certification program aims specifically to enhance the quality and consistency of services offered by MRC programs. It does not indicate endorsement or approval of the provider institution as a whole, nor is it a guarantee of client safety or the nature or efficacy of healthcare services provided to clients.
The Council is not a government regulator and has no legal authority over MRC operators. The Council has no obligation to investigate or remediate complaints against certified MRC programs, regardless of their nature or source. The Council does not address reports of abuse or other unlawful behavior; these allegations should be reported.