The Indiana Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services, also known as DDRS is working on re-designing its Family Supports Waiver and its Community Integration and Habilitation Waiver. They want to hear from YOU! At any time, you can send your comments to: BDDSInfo@fssa.in.gov.
Indiana currently has two Medicaid HCBS waivers for serving individuals with IDD – the Family Supports Waiver (FSW) and the Community Integration and Habilitation Waiver (CIH). The project team has identified two different options, or paths, for organizing the waivers as part of redesign which are presented below. These two paths are only exploring the number and structure of waivers that could be available. The proposed services that will be discussed later can be available in either path.
Path 1 would work similarly to the current structure. As part of Path 1, the Family Supports Waiver would be replaced with Waiver 1. On this new waiver, individuals would still have a capped budget but with increased service options that would best meet their individual goals and needs. The amount of the capped budget has not been identified at this time. It could remain the same or change.
The Community Integration and Habilitation Waiver would be replaced with Waiver 2. Under this new waiver, the total amount of support they receive would still be determined using the current method (called the Objective Based Allocation, or OBA) and entrance would still be determined by priority criteria. The priority criteria would be analyzed and could be revised based upon feedback received. Individuals on this waiver would also have access to a refreshed, expanded array of services.
If this path is pursued the need for more flexible support options would primarily be addressed through the new and expanded array of services.
Path 2 would have the same two waivers as path 1 but it would include the addition of a third waiver. The third waiver would address the gap in supports
that currently exist between the FSW and the CIH. Under Path 2, the middle waiver (Waiver 2) would allow for additional supports with an increased annual budget and additional service options. While the annual budget amounts associated with each waiver would still need to be determined, it is expected that Waiver 1 and Waiver 2 would have their own capped annual budget, with waiver 2 being higher than waiver 1.
What waiver options do you feel would work best in Indiana and Why? Leave your comments below.