About the Supports Waiver
The Supports Waiver 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.
Supports Waiver Services
Waiver participants are eligible for all medically necessary Medicaid services. In addition to the medically necessary services, waiver 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 Supports Waiver (SW) program provides services in the home and in 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 program 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 addes to the Developmental Disability Request for Services Registry(RFSR).
OCDD maintains a Developmental Disability RFSR of individuals who have a need for waiver services along with the date the person initially requested waiver services.
As each individual is addes 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).
Supports Waiver Fact Sheet
Waiver Guidelines, Documents and Forms
To access all provider documents and forms for the Supports Waiver, please click here
The Medicaid Manual with all updated chapters can be found here
Employment First Initiative
People with disabilities are demanding system changes that allow for greater opportunities for economic self-sufficiency. Employment is key to making that happen. To learn more about this initiative, please click here