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Medicaid Waivers

This could be one of the most important things you do to get support throughout your child's life.

Waivers are a part of Medicaid, which is a state-funded health insurance. They're also called Home and Community-Based Waivers. 

If you can live at home, but only with support, the waivers give that support.

Image of a family and their home being supported by handsWhat kind of services?

  • Respite care
  • Family Training
  • Specialized equipment
  • Help with independent skills
  • Waivers provide services for children and adults
  • There may be a wait, depending on how urgent your child's needs are

    If there is any chance you or a family member might need support services at some point, it's worth getting on the list!


A picture of two thought bubbles. One says: 'My child won't need that kind of support! That's for people with more severe problems...' The second thouhgt bubble says 'But what if they do need help when they're older? What do have to lose? Apply now now just in case! You can always turn down services if you don't need them.'

 
If your child has urgent needs, they should be able to get some services quickly. But the wait list can be years long if their needs are not urgent at the moment. So it's worth applying now, even if you don't know how much help your child will need years from now!

To apply for a Medicaid Waiver, you will contact your local Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities, or OCDD. See the next page to learn how to contact them and apply.

To learn more, see our Medicaid Waivers Guide.

  • Go to Tools at the top of your screen and choose Topics & Guides.

  • It will describe what kinds of services you could get, and show you how to apply.

 

 

Sources: Medicaid, LDH