We’re so glad you’re here.

Read on to learn more about your family’s eligibility for our current services.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for services, your child must meet at least 2 of the 5 criteria below.


1) Technology or Device Dependence

Your child relies on medical equipment or devices that are essential for daily health, safety, or functioning.

Examples may include:

  •  G-tube or other feeding tube

  •  Tracheostomy

  •  Ventilator, BiPAP, or CPAP

  •  Oxygen

  •  Central line

  •  VP shunt

  •  Wheelchair or orthotics for significant mobility needs

2) Multi-Specialty Medical Care

Your child receives care from 2 or more medical subspecialistsin addition to a primary care provider.

Examples of subspecialists may include:

  •  Neurology

  •  Cardiology

  •  Pulmonology

  •  Gastroenterology

  •  Other specialty providers involved in ongoing complex care

3) High Healthcare Utilization

Your child needs healthcare services more often or more intensively than is typical for a routine condition.

Examples may include:

  •  Recurrent hospitalizations

  •  Frequent emergency department visits

  •  Complex outpatient treatment schedules

  •  Intensive therapies related to a medical condition

4) Complex Medical Caregiving Needs

Your child requires ongoing medical care that goes beyond typical day-to-day parenting responsibilities.

Examples may include:

  •  Complex medication administration

  •  Seizure management

  •  Specialized feeding protocols

  •  Medical monitoring

  •  24/7 supervision due to medical instability

Important: This refers to medical caregiving needs, not behavioral support or supervision needs alone.

5) Significant Functional Impact Related to Medical Complexity

Your child’s medical condition significantly affects daily functioning and requires extensive support or accommodations across settings such as home, school, and community. This may include substantial limitations in areas such as:

  •  Communication

  •  Mobility

  •  Self-care

  •  Independent functioning




Who We Serve and How Eligibility Is Reviewed

Alignment with our Mission

RESTkc supports families caring for children with significant medical complexity. We understand that caring for a child with ongoing medical needs can be demanding, and our goal is to provide support to families whose children require a high level of medical caregiving on a daily or near-daily basis.

What RESTkc Means by “Medical Complexity”

RESTkc focuses on children whose needs are defined not only by diagnosis, but by the intensity, frequency, and continuity of care required to keep them healthy and safe. This may include children with chronic, degenerative, or life-threatening conditions who require specialized medical equipment, ongoing medical management, and/or care from multiple medical specialists.

Service Area

While RESTkc’s core service area includes families living in Johnson and Wyandotte Counties in Kansas, we recognize that many families travel to the Kansas City metro for inpatient care. For those families, we offer limited support during their hospital stay regardless of home residence. At-home and community-based services are reserved for families who live within our designated service area.  

Is RESTkc the Right Fit for Your Family?

Your family may be a good fit for RESTkc if:

  •  your child has ongoing medical complexity

  •  your child requires more than routine or short-term care

  •  your child has high medical caregiving needs

  •  your child meets at least 2 of the 5 eligibility criteria listed below

RESTkc serves children with a wide range of medically complex conditions, including but not limited to rare genetic disorders, cerebral palsy, spinal muscular atrophy, spina bifida, and other conditions that require ongoing intensive medical support.

Important to Know Before You Apply

We know it can be hard to find caregiving support, and we are glad

you are here. Our program is designed specifically for families of children with significant ongoing medical needs. Because of this, eligibility is based on the level of medical complexity and caregiving required, not diagnosis alone.

For example:

  •  A child with a serious diagnosis may qualify if they require complex, ongoing medical care.

  •  A child with a serious diagnosis may not qualify if care needs are more intermittent, time-limited, or do not involve ongoing medical complexity.

  •  A diagnosis of autism or intellectual/developmental disability alone does not typically meet criteria unless it is accompanied by significant, ongoing medical complexity as described below.

RESTkc is currently focused on families with the highest medical caregiving needs.


Ready to apply?

See our FAQ section below if you have any questions, otherwise we encourage you to proceed to the application!

APPLY FOR SERVICES

Frequently Asked Questions

  • RESTkc welcomes applications for children of all ages, including adult children, who meet the criteria above.


  • Applications are reviewed by a multidisciplinary RESTkc team with experience in

    complex medical care. This may include a physician (MD), registered nurse, or licensed clinical provider such as a psychologist or social worker.

    In most cases, applications are reviewed within 2 to 4 weeks.


    While RESTkc focuses on families of children with significant medical complexity, requests may also be considered on a case-by-case basis when a child’s needs align closely with the mission of the program.


  • If you are not sure whether your child meets criteria, our team is here to help. We are happy to answer questions, talk through your child’s needs, and help you determine whether RESTkc may be the right fit for your family.

    We deeply respect the experiences of all families and understand that many children and caregivers need support. As a small and growing program, RESTkc is currently focused on those with the highest ongoing medical caregiving needs, with the hope of expanding in the future.

    If your family does not qualify at this time, a member of our team will follow up with additional resources that may be helpful.


  • Most families can complete this form using information they already have. We may ask for your child's diagnosis (if known), healthcare providers, support needs, and contact information. In some situations, RESTkc may request additional documentation or verification, but a physician's note is not required to begin the application process.

  • At this time, RESTkc primarily offers support through our Renewal tier, which focuses on providing practical assistance that helps caregivers of children with disabilities, chronic medical conditions, and complex support needs recharge and recover from the demands of daily caregiving.

    Depending on a family's circumstances and available resources, support may include services such as housekeeping assistance, meal support, laundry services, gift cards for essential needs, self-care items, or other forms of practical help designed to reduce stress and lighten the caregiving load. Our goal is to provide meaningful relief that helps families reset, restore, and reconnect.

    RESTkc is actively working to expand our services in the future to include additional caregiver wellness programs, volunteer supports, respite opportunities, and family engagement activities. As we grow, eligible families may have access to additional levels of support.


  • No. Current RESTkc services are provided at no cost to eligible families.

    Families who qualify for support through our Renewal tier may receive a gift or service package valued at up to $250, designed to reduce stress and support caregiver well-being. 

    To ensure we can serve as many families as possible, assistance is generally limited to one Renewal gift per family per calendar year. Receipt of services is subject to eligibility requirements, funding availability, and program capacity.


  • If your child does not meet eligibility requirements for RESTkc services, we will do our best to connect you with other community resources that may be able to help. We understand that every family's needs are unique, and we want families to leave with information and options, even when we cannot directly provide services.

  • Possibly. Because RESTkc operates with limited funding and relies on available resources to support families, there may be times when demand exceeds our current capacity.

    If a waitlist is necessary, priority may be given to families experiencing significant caregiver stress, recent life transitions, loss of support systems, medical events, or other circumstances that place them at increased risk of caregiver burnout or family crisis. 

    Our goal is to support families as quickly and fairly as possible while ensuring that available resources reach those with the greatest need.


  • If you need assistance completing this form or have questions about eligibility, please contact RESTkc at info@restkc.org. We are happy to answer questions and help families navigate the application process.

  • We may ask for information about your preferred language, communication needs, cultural considerations, and demographic information. Providing this information helps us ensure that services are accessible, equitable, and responsive to the needs of the families we serve. Sharing demographic information is voluntary unless otherwise noted.

Still have questions? We’d love to chat. Reach out to our team to learn more!

Contact RESTkc