A Medicaid Home and Community Based (HCBS) Waiver allows a state to provide services beyond its State Plan to a limited number of people who meet certain Level of Care (LOC) criteria. Currently, the DODD offers three waivers that require a person to meet a developmental disability LOC and which allow people to live in their homes or other community settings and receive needed supports. Each waiver has its own spending limits.
Level One Waivers:
The Level One Waiver (L1 Waiver) is a good fit for people who do not need a lot of paid staff to provide services, people who have a lot of family or other non-paid supports surrounding them, and/or who primarily need supports to pursue vocational and/or adult day activities.
Self-Empowered Life Funding (SELF) Waivers:
Ohio’s first participant-directed waiver is designed for people who want to be in charge of some of their services and how those services are budgeted. The SELF Waiver requires the person enrolled, or someone they choose, to direct at least one of their services.
Individual Options (I.O.) Waivers:
The I.O. Waiver is a comprehensive waiver that allows people to live in the person’s family home and/or other community settings of their choice with necessary supports. The I/O Waiver has a higher funding limit that is determined by assessment.
Waiver services are developed in order to meet a person’s individualized needs. To learn more about waivers and services, visit DODD’s website.
