Home and Community Based Waivers (HCBS)

Waiver Overview

The Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) offers five Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waivers:

  • Basic Plus
  • Children's Intensive In-home Behavioral Supports (CIIBS)
  • Community Protection         
  • Core
  • Individual and Family Services (IFS). 

Each of the five waivers provides an array of services tailored to the specific populations they serve. Waiver services provide additional support when Medicaid state plan services and other supports are not sufficient.  For more information about the waiver program, go to the Services and Information Request form, contact your Case Resource Manager, Social Worker, or regional DDA office.

For detailed information about all DDA services, please visit the Informing Families Website.

DDA received approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for the 5 year renewals of the following 4 waivers:  Basic Plus, Core, Community Protection (CP) and Children’s Intensive In-home Behavioral Support (CIIBS).  DDA also received approval of the Individual and Family Services (IFS) waiver amendment. 

Current Approved Waivers

Waiver Amendments

Draft waiver amendments  for the Individual and Family Service, Basic Plus, Core, Community Protection and Children’s Intensive In-Home Behavioral Support Waivers are available for public comment July 27th through October 20, 2018:

  • Proposed Changes to the IFS, Basic Plus, Core, Community Protection, Children’s Intensive In-Home Behavioral Support waivers effective 2/1/19:
    • State proposes to update a portion of the participant assessment tool, the Supports Intensity Scale (SIS), to the Supports Intensity Scale-Adult (SIS-A), that will achieve the same result as the existing tool, with little or no impact on participants. The SIS-A is a national normed instrument used to measure the pattern and intensity of supports for individuals aged 16 and older. DDA proposes to update the current assessment tool to the SIS-A for use in determining the Intermediate Care Facility/Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/IID) level of care, identifying health and welfare needs, determining behavioral and medical acuity levels, and identifying support need acuity levels within the Comprehensive Assessment Reporting and Evaluation (CARE) assessment tool.

To view a draft amendment, click on the bolded name of the waiver amendment above.

DDA Waiver Amendment Stakeholder Summary

In June, 2018 DDA representatives met with stakeholders across Washington State to discuss amendments to DDAs five HCBS waiver programs.  The amendments would help redefine DDA services to make the pathway to access between AppleHealth behavioral health and DDA waiver services more transparent and easier for a waiver participant to navigate. Stakeholder feedback summary

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Resources