Written by Kim Martin, M.Ed., LMFT, Executive Director, Riverside Trauma Center
As families continue to navigate the challenges of raising youth with complex mental health needs, the call for accessible, community-rooted support has never been more urgent.
From July 2023 to March 2025, Riverside Community Care piloted Caregivers SOAR (Sustainable Opportunities for Accessing Respite), an innovative model that redefined how and where respite is delivered and who gets to be called a caregiver. Now, several months after the pilot’s conclusion, we’re reflecting on what made SOAR effective and considering the potential for its next chapter.
The SOAR Model: A Three-Pronged Approach
- On-Site Drop-Off Respite gave caregivers space to rest while youth engaged in resilience-building activities with coaches and peer mentors.
- Community-Based Respite and Coaching brought support directly into schools, youth centers, and other trusted community spaces without the stigma of traditional services.
- Community Youth Worker Support recognized youth workers as vital contributors to family well-being, offering trauma-informed training, wellness retreats, and individual consultations.
A unique role, the Sustainability Coach, helped families align their daily practices with long-term well-being.
“The Wellness Wheel helped me see I was pouring everything into my child but nothing into myself. I started small, walking with a neighbor, and suddenly I felt human again.” — Caregiver
Outcomes That Speak Volumes
SOAR supported hundreds of caregivers, youth, and community youth workers, delivering over 800 hours of respite and equipping families with tools that reduced stress, built confidence, and fostered meaningful connection.
“Some of the youth we worked with had never stayed in a program more than a few weeks. At SOAR, they not only stayed, they thrived.” — SOAR Coach
What’s Next?
SOAR was always more than a pilot, it was a proof of concept and a call to action. The need for flexible, community-based respite remains urgent, and the lessons from SOAR can help guide providers, funders, and policymakers toward sustainable solutions.
We’re urging leaders to:
- Include flexible respite in Medicaid benefit design
- Invest in coaching- and peer-led, non-clinical models
- Recognize and support community youth workers as caregivers
A New Blueprint for Behavioral Health
SOAR proved that respite can be more than a break, it can be a bridge to healing, connection, and sustainable change.
“This is the first system that actually felt human.” — Caregiver
Read the full story, outcomes, and policy recommendations in our new Caregivers SOAR White Paper.
