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Medicaid Waivers for Support Family Services
Two Medicaid Waiver programs offer Support Family services.
- Home and Community-based Services (HCS) Waiver. In Texas, HCS is the waiver most typically used to fund Support Families as an alternative to institutional care for either children or adults. The HCS program provides comprehensive community-based services to individuals with developmental disabilities who would otherwise live in an institution. The HCS waiver includes a service referred to as “foster/companion care” which provides funds for Support Families. To be eligible for HCS, a person must have an intellectual disability with an IQ below 70 or a related condition (such as autism or cerebral palsy) with an IQ of 75 or below. HCS has no age limit, so no-one ever “ages out.” HCS is funded by Medicaid and regulated by the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS). DADS contracts with community-based provider agencies to implement the program. Although HCS is a Medicaid program, it is not an entitlement. It is available statewide, but only to a limited number of people. Typically, individuals are offered waivers based on the date their name was put on an “interest”list (waiting list) for the program. It can be many years until a “program slot” becomes available, however, there are certain conditions under which a person may access an HCS slot earlier such as residence in a large Intermediate Care Facility, or a nursing facility if under age 22.
For a full description of services, eligibility criteria, and standards you can view the HCS section of the Department of Aging and Disability Services website at http://www.dads.state.tx.us/providers/HCS/index.cfm
- Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) Waiver. Like HCS, CLASS provides comprehensive community-based services to people of all ages with developmental disabilities as an alternative to facility care. CLASS is regulated by DADS and funded by Medicaid. To be eligible for CLASS, a person must have a diagnosis of a “related condition” like cerebral palsy, autism or spinal cord injury as a child. CLASS offers Support Family Services only to children under 18 years of age. At this time, CLASS is not yet widely used for Support Family care, but DADS is working to address barriers to effective use of the service.
For a full description of services, eligibility criteria, and standards you can view the CLASS section of the Department of Aging and Disability Services website at http://www.dads.state.tx.us/providers/CLASS/index.cfm
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