Supports Waiver

The Supports Waiver (SW) began July 1, 2006 as a way to provide options and meaningful opportunities through vocational and community inclusion for individuals who are 18 years of age and older and meet the eligibility criteria for waiver services.

Services

Waiver participants are eligible for all medically necessary Medicaid services. In addition to the medically necessary services, the following waiver services are available:

• Support Coordination (required case management)
• Supported Employment (Individual and group)
• Prevocational
• Day Habilitation
• Respite
• Habilitation
• Permanent Supportive Housing Stabilization Transition
• Permanent Supportive Housing Stabilization
• Personal Emergency Response System

Note: Individuals who receive the SW may also receive Long-Term Personal Care Services (LT-PCS)

Population Requirements

The SW provides services in the home and the community to individuals 18 years of age or older, who are eligible to receive OCDD waiver services. The SW is intended for individuals whose needs can be met by the services that are included in the waiver. This waiver is not intended to provide 24-hour-a-day support.

To qualify for the Supports Waiver, a person must:

• Meet Medicaid eligibility AND
• Are 18 years of age or older AND
• Have an OCDD Statement of approval AND
• Meet the Louisiana definition of Developmental Disability per Revised Statute 25:451.2, Paragraph (12) AND
• Meet Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF-IID) Level of Care Criteria

How to Apply

Individuals who have a need for services should contact their local Human Services District/Authority in order to go through the eligibility determination process. Once a person is eligible for OCDD services, they may ask to be added to the Developmental Disability Request for Services Registry(RFSR).

OCDD maintains a Developmental Disability RFSR of individuals who need waiver services along with the date the person initially requested waiver services.

As each individual is added to the RFSR, the individual is screened to determine their urgency of need for services. An individual, who meets the eligibility criteria, is in the highest urgency priority category(s) being served based on funding, and has the earliest RFSR date, will be offered the next available OCDD waiver opportunity that meets their needs.

The application process does not begin until a waiver slot becomes available. At that time, medical and financial determinations will be completed simultaneously to verify that the person has a developmental disability and meets the financial and medical/psychological requirements for an intermediate care facility for the developmentally disabled (ICF/DD).

Resources

• Supports Waiver Fact Sheet

Contact

For more info, contact the Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities at 225-342-0095.