IPHI INITIATIVES
Illinois Medical Respite Capacity Building Initiative
The Illinois Medical Respite Capacity Building Initiative funds 29 community organizations across Illinois that are expanding access to Medical Respite Care for people experiencing homelessness.
Medical Respite Care—also known as recuperative care—provides short-term housing and health services for individuals experiencing homelessness who are recovering from illness or injury but do not require hospital-level care.
About the Initiative
Medical respite involves partnership between community homeless service providers and health care providers to develop safe environments for rest and recovery while connecting participants to supportive services and pathways to housing.
The Illinois Medical Respite Capacity Building Initiative is led by the Illinois Public Health Institute (IPHI) with funding from the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) and support from the Illinois Office to Prevent and End Homelessness (OPEH).
IPHI partners with the National Institute for Medical Respite Care (NIMRC) to provide technical assistance to develop community-level and statewide systems capacity for a network of medical respite providers across Illinois.
Cook County Medical Respite Network
The Cook County Medical Respite Network (CCMRN) is a subset of the Illinois Medical Respite Capacity Building Initiative. The regional group convenes Medical Respite providers with established programs and programs in the planning or pilot phase, hospitals, healthcare providers, Chicago and Suburban Cook County Continuums of Care, health departments, among other key partners in Chicago and across Cook County broadly.
Medical Respite Network Guide
The Medical Respite Network Guide is a tool for referring-hospitals and health centers to identify Medical Respite programs, with links to provider websites, referral forms, and contact information. The guide also offers detailed information explaining medical respite, common referral guidelines, and the four models of Medical Respite care.
At present, the Network Guide lists operating programs in Cook County. The tool is actively expanding to include statewide Medical Respite programs and emerging programs in 2026.
Learn More or Make a Referral
FY 2026 Awardees
Arrowleaf
BEDS Plus Care
Blessing Health System
City of Champaign Township
Connections for the Homeless
Cornerstone Community Outreach
FranRu (Franciscan Outreach + Rush)
Greater Alton Community Development Corporation
Helping Hands of Springfield
Home Sweet Home Ministries
Housing Forward (prev. MacNeal)
Journeys the Road Home
Lake County Crisis Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Domestic Violence, Inc. DBA A Safe Place
Lawndale Christian Health Center
McLean County Center for Human Services
PADS Lake County
Phoenix Community Development Services
Project NOW
Regional Housing & Supportive Services, Inc./DBA Hope on 5th
Respond Now
Respite Suites
Rockford Human Services Department
SIRAC (Southern IL Resources and Advocacy Center)
Take Action Today
The Boulevard
The Inner Voice
The Night Ministry
Wholistic Alliance
Will Grundy Medical Clinic
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