What is the Difference Between Attendant Care (ATC), Respite (RSP), and Habilitation (HAH)?

If you are navigating the Arizona DDD system, you have likely been handed a service plan filled with acronyms like ATC, RSP, and HAH. Understanding these three specific service codes is crucial, as they dictate exactly what kind of care can be provided and who can be paid to provide it.

Here is a plain-English breakdown of the three most common in-home services.

1. Attendant Care (ATC)

What it is: Attendant Care is hands-on assistance with the activities of daily living. It is about keeping the individual safe, clean, and healthy. Examples: Assisting with bathing, dressing, toileting, meal preparation, feeding, transferring from a bed to a wheelchair, and light housekeeping related directly to the individual's needs. Who can do it: Parents of minors, adult siblings, extended family members, and (in Arizona) even spouses, up to 40 hours a week.

2. Habilitation (HAH)

What it is: Habilitation is all about teaching and skill-building. While Attendant Care is doing things for the individual, Habilitation is teaching the individual to do things for themselves to increase their independence. Examples: Teaching the individual how to tie their shoes, safely use a microwave, count change, or practice social skills for public settings. These goals are explicitly outlined in the DDD service plan. Who can do it: Parents of minors, adult siblings, and extended family. (Spouses generally do not provide paid Habilitation).

3. Respite Care (RSP)

What it is: Respite is a temporary break for the unpaid, primary live-in caregiver. It allows the primary caregiver to run errands, rest, or handle other family matters while another qualified individual steps in. Examples: A trained aunt comes over for four hours on a Saturday so the parents can go grocery shopping and take a break. Who can do it: Extended family or friends who do not live in the same household. Parents and live-in siblings cannot be paid for Respite, as you cannot be paid to give yourself a break.

Managing the Codes

Tracking different codes and hourly allotments can be a headache for families. When you utilize the Agency with Choice program through Nova Z Health Services, our timesheet systems ensure that your caregivers are logging the correct codes compliantly, ensuring seamless payroll processing and state billing.