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  3. Employment: How to Prepare for Getting a Job
  4. State programs for people with disabilities
  5. Medicaid Waivers

Learn about Waiver services

As we said, if you can get Medicaid Waiver services, it's a huge help — for employment and other parts of life!

There are different Waivers, which offer different sets of services.  You can go to our Medicaid Waivers Guide to learn more, but here are some examples of the kinds of service you might be able to get.

Click on the boxes below to learn about each one:

This service gives people 18 or older a chance to get a job with ongoing support.

This means that your family member can have a job, earn an income, and get help with certain tasks while at work.


What is included in Employment-Related Training?



Exceptional_Lives_Shower_Icon.jpgExceptional_Lives_Utensils_Icon.jpgHelping with ADLs
Personal hygiene, eating, going to the bathroom, and behavioral support


Exceptional_Lives_cash_Icon.jpgExeptional_Lives_paycheck_Icon.jpgEarning a Paycheck
Your family member can earn an income based on the number of hours they work

Exceptional_Lives_Construction_Hat_Icon.jpgExceptional_Lives_Hammer_Icon.jpgStaying Safe at Work
Teaching your family member how to use equipment and how to be safe at work

Exceptional_Lives_Medicaid_Waivers_Housing_Support.jpgExceptional_Lives_Lunch_Icon.jpgGetting Ready for Work
Packing lunch and shooing what to wear to work each day         

 

Transportation is included in this service!

Source: LDH

If a person wants to work in the community, this may be offered in their care plan.

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Transportation to and from work is included in NOW services.

Source: LDH

This service will pay for any adaptations or modifications you need to make to your family member's home or car in order to keep them healthy and safe.

Environmental_Accessibilities_Adaptations.jpg

 

Notes:

  • OCDD must approve of an adaptation (change) before this service will pay for it.

  • Adaptation should be listed on your family member's POC.

  • If you need to make changes to your home, like widening a doorway, then the Support Coordinator will ask you to fill out the Environmental Accessibility Adaptation Job Completion Form.

Click the link at the bottom of the page to download a copy of the form.

7k_EAA_limit_-_NOW.jpg

 

Source: LDH

PCA services are for people who live in the community but need extra help to safely live on their own.

You will hire a PCA through an agency of your choice to help you at home.

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Source: OCDD

CID is a service that helps your child or adult family member to build more relationships in your community.

This can help give you more support, activities to do, and friendships.

This is different from Individual and Family Support services. CID services focus just on community activities and supports.

You can share this with other children and adults who get NOW services. That means both your child and another child will get services together at the same time. This can be a good chance for your child to practice their skills with other children who have disabilities. It may also help them make friends!

Transportation is included for activities documented in the Plan of Care.

Your child can use CID services for up to 60 hours per year. That's a lot of time! If your child spends 1 hour each week at a community event, they will still have hours leftover at the end of the year.

Source: LDH

A Respite Care Center is a place where qualified staff can take care of your child for a short time if you need some time off.

So if you have a sudden emergency and need to travel, or if you're planning a work trip, you can have your child stay at a respite care center while you're away.

This NOW service covers up to 12 days (or 720 hours) of care in a respite center.

Source: LDH

SIL is a service for people age 18 and older who need a little help in order to be able to live on their own.

If your adult child lives in their own apartment, but forgets to clean the house or pay their bills, this could be a good service for them.

SIL_-_NOW.jpg

 

If your child lives with you, they will not be able to get SIL services.

Source: LDH

SFC is a service for adults who need to live somewhere with supervision.

They can live in a Substitute Family Care Home.

SFC_-_NOW.png

 

SFC services do not cover costs for rent or food, so your family may need to pay for those things. Make sure to work with your Support Coordinator to see if this service is a good fit for your family.

If your family member lives in a SFC home, they may also be able to get Individual Family Support benefits. Ask about this!

Source: LDH

Day Habilitation services help people with disabilities learn new skills.

These skills often focus on making the person more independent. (They're for people 18 or older.)

Day_Habilitation__1_.png

Your family member's POC will list which of these services will help them reach their goals.

Day Habilitation may also include building skills outside of the home, like making food choices at a restaurant or doing non-paid work in the community to practice social skills.

NOW will cover transportation to and from where the services are taking place.

Source: LDH

This service will pay for devices, and equipment that your family member needs to have in order to stay healthy and safe.

This includes things they need for life support or for physical conditions.

It will also help you decide which devices you need, train you to use them and help with repairs.

SMES.png

Notes:

  • This service covers things that help your family member adapt to their disability.

  • It does NOT cover appliances (washer, dryer, stove, etc), cars, costs for bus passes or taxis, toys, or telephones.

1k_SMES_limit_-_NOW.jpg

Source: LDH

PERS.jpg

 

Ask your child's Support Coordinator for a PERS if you would like to have this extra layer of safety.

Source: LDH

This service is meant to help your child become more independent at home and in the community.

What are "professional services"?

  • Nutrition or Dietary Services - learning what to eat and why, and about food and allergies

  • Social Work - connecting with helpful services, groups, and people

  • Psychology - talking to a therapist during counseling, getting advice on how to cope and handle different experiences

If your child is under 21, you should ask for these services first through EPSDT, or the Healthy Louisiana health care plan. If you cannot get the services through either of those, then you can get them with the NOW waiver.

Source: LDH

Skilled Nursing services are for people who have medical needs that require help from a doctor or nurse.

  • If your family member needs nursing services, make sure they are included in the Plan of Care (POC)

  • To get these services, your Support Coordinator will need approval from OCDD

  • You can usually get approved for 12 hours or less per day. If you need more than this, your Support Coordinator will work with DHH for approval

  • If your child is under 21, they will get these services through EPSTD.

Source: LDH

NOW offers housing services to help people get ready to leave a hospital or group home and return to their family or live on their own.

These services must be included in your family member's POC and approved by OCDD.Housing must be a part of the PSH program.

Housing_Transition_and_Crisis_Intervention.png

Source: LDH

 

Whether you're applying or already getting some services, look through this list to see what you need. Make sure to ask for the services by name!

 

Sources: LDH, OCDD