DHHS reports Q4 FY25 waiver waitlist data: most delays linked to Medicaid eligibility and look-back

The Division of Long Term Supports and Services and the Bureau of Developmental Services presented quarterly waiver waitlist data to the committee on Oct. 24.

Melissa Hardy (Division Director, Long Term Supports and Services) and Jessica Gorton (Bureau Chief, Bureau of Developmental Services) said all funding requests in Q4 FY25 for the three waivers were funded during the quarter. For the Developmental Disabilities (DD) waiver, 158 people were funded in the quarter: 64 individuals withdrew their requests (commonly because they remained in school up to age 22 or left the state) and 94 remained; of 86 individuals projected to start in the quarter, 67 began services and 19 did not start on the expected schedule. DHHS attributed most delayed starts to pending Medicaid eligibility or completion of the Medicaid look-back and to outstanding provider/service agreements.

For the in-home supports waiver (children), Hardy reported 40 requested and funded in Q4; seven withdrew and 33 began services (some started later in FY26). For the Acquired Brain Disorder (ABD) waiver, six requests were funded, two withdrew, and three started services in Q4 (the remaining case started in a subsequent quarter).

Officials said they are implementing a department roadmap commitment to improve eligibility customer service, streamline application processes, and reduce time to Medicaid determination. They noted the department is working with the Bureau of Family Assistance (which houses the disability-determination unit) to reduce duplicate documentation and to accelerate determinations when information already exists in intake forms. The department also said ARPA-funded workforce grants to home- and community-based providers will end Dec. 31, 2025; DHHS is participating in a peer-learning collaborative to assess which recruitment and retention strategies produced measurable gains.