RESPITE CARE OF SAN ANTONIO INCORPORATED
caring for children with special needs
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Research reveals that parents of children with special needs have higher rates of divorce and elevated stress which is linked to an increased risk of child abuse. Children with special needs are at an increased risk to suffer abuse. In 2017, 5,291 children in Bexar County were removed from their homes due to suspected child abuse.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Developmental Daycare
Respite Care’s full-time, Monday through Friday developmental daycare is housed at Christ Episcopal Church in the historic near-downtown area of San Antonio, one-half block from the Davidson Respite House Emergency Shelter. Since 2000, it has served children with special needs and complex medical diagnoses, as
well as their non-disabled siblings.
Residential Children's Emergency Shelter
The Davidson Respite House was created in 1997 to allow short-term overnight stays for children with special needs whose parents have to attend to family or personal matters. With the addition of the Najim Family Home, Respite Care's emergency shelters have capacity for 28 children.
At the outset, the leaders of Respite Care were approached by the State of Texas; they were asked to seek licensing to serve as an emergency shelter for children with special needs and complex medical conditions who were taken into protective custody. To date, it remains the only such licensed emergency shelter and receives children from all over the state and provides them a safe haven where they are cared for physically
and emotionally.
Day Out Services
Respite Care offers multiple part-time site-based childcare services for children with developmental disabilities and their non-disabled siblings. Mother's Day Out services are offered two days per week, from 8:30am-4:30pm. This service is often first used by parents while they search for employment or attend school prior to full-time attendance in the Developmental Daycare.
Family Day Out services are offered at locations near downtown and on the northwest side of San Antonio on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 this time may also allow for the non-disabled family members to spend quality time together without the constant demands and attention required by their child with special needs.
Parent's Night Out provides evening care on Fridays or Saturdays for children with special needs and their siblings, offering parents time to enjoy a night out or just take some quiet time alone to reconnect.
Where we work
External reviews

Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of bed nights (nights spent in shelter)
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Residential Children's Emergency Shelter
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Respite Care of San Antonio strives to respond to the increasing need for child placements by offering emergency care to children with special needs and complex medical conditions who are victims of abuse and/or neglect.
Respite Care of San Antonio aims to provide care to children with special needs and their siblings, offering parents the respite they need to strengthen their family and build new relationships and their children the opportunity to interact with peers and gain independence.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Respite Care of San Antonio's (RCSA) Davidson Respite House (DRH) and the Najim Family Respite Home (NRH) are the only licensed facilities in the state of Texas dedicated to the care of children with special needs and complex medical conditions. As a result, RCSA responds to requests for child placements from all over the state. RCSA's community-based programs provide respite to families caring for children with special needs or complex medical conditions. The options available to parents provide an opportunity to take a break from the ongoing demands of being a caregiver. These affordable services are designed to encourage developmental progress in participating children while providing needed support to families, reducing stress and offering the opportunity to achieve long-term financial and emotional stability.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Through specialized residential care, RCSA provides crisis intervention for children who are victims of abuse and neglect, offering a home-like environment that promotes the development and well-being of each child. All RCSA programs offers a child-centric environment that allows children to grow and develop safely, with an emphasis on family connection and support for the entire family. All programs offer individualized care to meet the unique needs of each child, providing activities for varying disabilities and conditions. Enrollment of non-disabled siblings offers convenience while creating an environment of inclusion, equity, and diversity. RCSA has stringent guidelines for hiring direct care providers, with thorough assessment of competencies, qualifications, experience and background prior to employment. Participation in pre-service and ongoing training throughout their tenure ensures consistent high-quality service is provided.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
For over thirty years, Respite Care's programs have grown in order to respond to the needs of families in the community. The programs undergo constant evaluation by staff and members of the board of directors to ensure that the needs of families caring for a child with special needs and/or complex medical conditions are met. Respite Care has provided care for thousands of children over the years, reducing family stressors and ultimately reducing the likelihood of child abuse.
Additionally, parents of children with special needs and complex medical conditions continue to be especially vulnerable to stress, which can lead to an increased likelihood of maltreatment. Access to respite care has been identified as an important need for these families.
While Respite Care of San Antonio provides care and nurturing to children with special needs, the need far exceeds the organization's current capacity.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time, It is difficult to get honest feedback from the people we serve
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
RESPITE CARE OF SAN ANTONIO INCORPORATED
Board of directorsas of 05/24/2023
Lauren Valkenaar
Chasnoff, Mungia, Valkenaar, Pepping & Stribling, LLP
Term: 2023 - 2025
David Darr
The Place Commercial Real Estate
Donnie Laurence
Nebens Laurence Wealth Management Group
Sandi Cavazos
Community Leader
Steve York
Broadway Bank
Lauren Valkenaar
Chasnoff, Mungia, Valkenaar, Pepping, & Stribling
Mary Ellen Archer
Jefferson Bank
Jay Winslow
Security Service Federal Credit Union
Monica Lerma
Vericast
Christopher Derby
San Antonio Livestock Expedition
Abel Martinez
H-E-B
Samuel Akeju
3M
Cathy Bertone
No Affiliation
Sheila Collazo
Somerset ISD
Sarah Del Campo de Gonzalez
Children's Hospital of San Antonio
Michael Heaney
Bank of America
Magdalena Janeczek
Valero Energy Corp.
Kelly Kuhle
CPS Energy
Analise Pfullmann
AIM & Northside Independent School District
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data