Center for Respite Care

What Center for Respite Care does

Center for Respite Care is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2003 and headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, that operates the only licensed medical respite facility in Hamilton County and Southwest Ohio. The organization runs a 20-bed, 24-hour medical and nursing care facility located on the third floor of the Saint Anthony Center in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, providing acute and post-acute recuperative care for adults experiencing homelessness who have been discharged from hospitals with nowhere safe to heal. Services include medical oversight, nursing care, medication administration, case management, housing navigation, coordination of mental health and substance abuse services, meals, and assistance transitioning to stable housing. In 2025, the organization extended its service offering with the launch of the Transformations Aftercare Program, which supports client reintegration following transition to stable placement.

The organization's core technology is its physical 20-bed clinical facility combined with case management workflows and an ecosystem of partner agencies. Clients do not pay for services; the cost per bed night is approximately $250 compared to $3,000-$6,000 for hospital beds, positioning the Center as a cost-effective bridge in the healthcare continuum. Approximately 5,500 bed nights and 146,000 hours of service are delivered annually, with a documented 70% transition rate to stable housing. Over 1,800 clients have been served since opening.

The business model is a diversified nonprofit funding stack: Hamilton County Tax Levy government funding (currently up for renewal), foundation and corporate grants (with event sponsorship tiers from $500 to $25,000), individual donations via an annual appeal campaign (1,000+ donors), Medicaid reimbursements, hospital partnerships, and third-party fundraising events including the annual Transformation Awards and Michael Chertock Holiday Concert. The GTM motion is community-led: clients enter primarily through hospital referrals and partner social service organizations such as the Street Medicine Institute, with awareness driven by a long-term Channel 12 WKRC media partnership. CEO Laurel Nelson has led the organization for over 10 years and chairs the national Respite Care Providers Network steering committee.

Name

Center for Respite Care

Legal name

Center for Respite Care, Inc.

Website

https://centerforrespitecare.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Center for Respite Care is a Cincinnati-based nonprofit operating the only licensed 20-bed medical respite facility in Southwest Ohio, providing 24-hour nursing care and case management to homeless adults discharged from hospitals, funded through donations, grants, Medicaid, and government levies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Respite Care

NAICS

Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) (623110), Other Residential Care Facilities (62399)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Skilled Nursing Care Facilities (8051)

akta.pro primary industry

Facility-Based Respite (Assisted Living/SNF/Memory Care Short Stays) (HLADAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Overnight & Live-In Respite Care (HLADAKAD), Short-Stay Respite SNFs (HLADADAN)

Keywords

• Medical respite care
• Homeless healthcare services
• Post-acute recuperative care
• Homeless case management
• Social services nursing

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Local, county, and state government funding including Hamilton County Tax Levy funds. The organization is preparing a submission for levy renewal.
2. Foundation and Corporate Grants: Grants from foundations supporting nonprofit organizations serving homeless populations. Sponsorship levels for Transformation Awards event range from $500 to $25,000.
3. Individual Donations: Annual Appeal campaigns (November through March), direct donations, employer matching programs, and planned giving opportunities. Over 1000 individuals, churches, foundations, businesses have contributed.
4. Medicaid Payments: The organization accepts Medicaid, which is described as a vital component of cash flow. Successfully navigating the Medicaid system for client care.
5. Hospital Partnerships: Collaborative partnerships with area hospitals and medical facilities that refer patients and provide support. Hospital stays at the Center save hospitals significant money compared to extended hospitalization.
6. Third-Party Fundraising Events: Annual Transformation Awards event (since 2011), Michael Chertock and Friends Holiday Concert (since 2014), and other community fundraising events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Center for Respite Care runs a 24-hour, 20-bed medical respite facility in Cincinnati providing acute and post-acute nursing and medical care to sick and injured adults experiencing homelessness who have been discharged from hospitals with no safe place to recover. Services include 24-hour nursing oversight, medication management, lab tests, coordinated mental health and substance abuse treatment, case management, housing navigation, and meals, all delivered free of charge to clients.

Product overview

Center for Respite Care operates a single 20-bed, 24-hour medical respite facility providing recuperative care to homeless adults in Hamilton County, Ohio. The core offering is the Medical Recovery Program, which provides acute and post-acute medical care for individuals released from hospitals who are too ill for shelters but not ill enough for hospitalization. This is supplemented by the Transformations Aftercare Program for community reintegration support. The organization also hosts the annual Transformation Awards event. The organization is not a technology company; it does not operate a software platform or sell technology products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Medical Recovery Program 24-hour medical and nursing care program delivered in a 20-bed facility, providing holistic medical care, medication management, lab tests, coordination of mental health and substance abuse services, and case management to sick and injured adults experiencing homelessness who have been discharged from hospitals with no safe place to heal.
• Transformations Aftercare Program Aftercare program that supports former Center clients as they adjust to new lives and routines after transitioning from the medical respite facility to stable housing or other secondary placement.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% of clients successfully transition to stable housing upon medical discharge
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NeighborHub HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGenerous gift-in-kind support enabling Dr. Bob Donovan to serve as the Center's physician. Partnership ensures high-quality, compassionate medical care remains accessible to clients. NeighborHub Health provides ongoing physician services through this collaborative arrangement.
• Saint Francis Seraph MinistriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsored ministry of the Franciscan Friars who have served people experiencing homelessness for over 175 years. Hosts the Center at the Saint Anthony Center facility. Franciscan Friars created multi-century legacy of caring for impoverished communities and made the Over-the-Rhine space available.
• Santa Maria Community ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatalyst and advocate for Cincinnati's Greater Price Hill families to attain educational, financial, and health goals. Provides over 2,500 individuals with educational tools and resources. Supports families in achieving stabilization and self-sufficiency.
• New Life Furniture BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFurniture bank serving over 1,300 households per year in partnership with over 50 social service agencies. Helps furnish homes for clients transitioning from the Center to stable housing.
• Over-the-Rhine Community Housing (OTRCH)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit community development organization providing affordable and supportive housing options in Over-the-Rhine. 40+ years of commitment to building sustainable, diverse neighborhoods that value low-income residents.
• Street Medicine InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobally impactful nonprofit delivering trauma-informed, patient-led healthcare directly to unsheltered individuals. Executive Director Kendall Fisher based in Cincinnati. Forms constant bi-directional referral loop with Center - referring patients who need stable recovery environment and receiving patients transitioning back to unsheltered living.
• Channel 12 WKRCcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-term media partnership including health reporter Liz Bonis coverage, public service announcements, event promotion for Annual Appeal and Transformation Awards. Channel 12 has supported the Center for many years.
• Area Hospitals (Hamilton County)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding partnership with area hospitals and medical facilities since the Center's founding. Hospitals refer patients who need post-acute care and cannot be discharged to safe environments. The Center saves hospitals significant costs compared to extended hospitalization.
• St. Francis Seraph Ministries' Dining RoomminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides weekday meals for Center clients. Weekday meals are covered through this partnership while volunteer-provided meals fill weekend needs.
• Freestore FoodbankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor regional food bank providing food resources. Partnership subject to federal funding challenges affecting food procurement from Ohio farmers.
• Sycamore Presbyterian ChurchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHosts the annual Michael Chertock and Friends Holiday Concert benefiting the Center since 2014. Church congregation provides hospitality and support for fundraising events.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Circle the City: Phoenix-based nonprofit medical respite provider operating dedicated beds for homeless individuals discharged from hospitals. Closely comparable mission, facility-based respite model, and integrated case management for transitions to permanent housing.
• Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program: One of the largest and oldest medical respite programs in the U.S., providing post-acute recuperative care for homeless adults. Directly comparable operating model — 24-hour clinical care, case management, hospital referral flow — though at significantly greater scale.
• Camillus House: Miami-based nonprofit providing medical respite and recuperative care for homeless and indigent adults. Operates a similar model combining clinical care, case management, and pathways to permanent housing for a vulnerable population.
• Healthcare for the Homeless – Houston: Houston-area nonprofit delivering medical, dental, and behavioral health services to people experiencing homelessness, including recuperative care programs. Comparable service mix and target population.
• Los Angeles Christian Health Centers: Federally qualified health center network operating recuperative care/medical respite programs for homeless patients in Los Angeles. Directly comparable in providing 24-hour medical oversight, case management, and housing transition support.

Broad incumbents

• National Health Care for the Homeless Council: National advocacy and technical assistance organization supporting 200+ Health Care for the Homeless programs. Comparable as the umbrella body advancing medical respite policy, of which the Center is a member site and whose Respite Care Providers Network the Center's CEO chairs.

Regional players

• Over-the-Rhine Community Housing: Cincinnati nonprofit providing affordable and supportive housing in the same Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. Functions as a downstream housing partner for Center clients transitioning to stable placement rather than a clinical competitor.
• Saint Francis Seraph Ministries: Cincinnati-based Franciscan ministry that hosts the Center at Saint Anthony Center and provides weekday meals. Operates overlapping social services for the same homeless population in the same geography; a critical facility partner rather than direct competitor.
• Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio: Regional social services nonprofit serving poor and homeless populations across Greater Cincinnati. Overlapping mission and referral network, though focused on emergency shelter and social services rather than clinical respite care.

Emerging players

• Street Medicine Institute: Global nonprofit supporting street medicine programs that deliver care directly to unsheltered individuals. The Center maintains a bi-directional referral loop with SMI; comparable in mission overlap and Cincinnati presence, with a complementary delivery model (street-based vs. facility-based).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HomelessRespite
• Facebookfacebook.com/CenterforRespiteCareCincinnati
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/center-for-respite-care-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/centerforrespitecare

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Center for Respite Care