Arkansas Division of Developmental Disabilities Services: Programs, Eligibility, and How to Apply

The Division of Developmental Disabilities Services (DDS) is the arm of the Arkansas Department of Human Services that administers long-term care for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It runs the CES waiver, manages the waitlist, and determines which individuals qualify for PASSE managed care. If your child has a developmental disability and you're navigating the adult service system, DDS is the first intake point — and the one most families contact too late.

What DDS Administers

DDS oversees three main service tracks:

The Community and Employment Support (CES) Waiver: Arkansas's primary home and community-based services program for adults with developmental disabilities. It funds supported living, job coaching, respite care, specialized equipment, and community integration services. The CES waiver is not an entitlement — it has a capped number of slots and a waitlist of approximately 2,000 to 2,268 individuals.

Adult Developmental Day Treatment (ADDT): Licensed clinic-based day programs available through Medicaid state-plan coverage — separate from the CES waiver. ADDT programs provide occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, behavioral services, and structured educational activities during weekday hours. Crucially, ADDT may be available to individuals on the CES waiver waitlist who qualify for traditional Medicaid, not just those with active waiver slots.

PASSE Enrollment Management: DDS works with the Department of Medical Services to assign individuals assessed at Tier 2 or Tier 3 functional need to one of the PASSE managed care organizations. The PASSE assignment happens at the time of waitlist placement, giving the individual a care coordinator even before a waiver slot opens.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for DDS services, the individual must meet these criteria:

• A qualifying developmental disability with onset before age 22 — intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, or another condition resulting in similar functional limitations
• Meet the clinical standard for an Intermediate Care Facility for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/IID) level of care — this does not mean institutionalization is required, only that the individual's needs are at that functional level
• Demonstrate substantial functional limitations in the five core functional areas assessed by DDS: self-care, understanding and use of language, learning capacity, mobility, and self-direction and ability to live independently

The functional assessment is conducted by Optum, the state-contracted independent assessment organization, through a standardized evaluation covering those same five core functional areas.

How to Apply

The intake process starts with the DDS Intake and Referral unit:

1. Call 501-683-5687 to request an intake packet. A family member, school transition coordinator, physician, or case manager can make the referral.
2. Complete the required forms. The intake packet includes Form DHS-703 (Medical Need) and documentation of the developmental disability.
3. Submit psychological evaluations and adaptive behavior assessments. Recent evaluations (within 2-3 years) carry the most weight. If evaluations are outdated, the school system may still have time to conduct updated testing before graduation.
4. DDS schedules the Optum independent assessment. Based on the results, the individual is assigned a tier level and either placed on the CES waiver waitlist or enrolled in standard Medicaid services.

The intake-to-assessment process can take time and varies by case. Families should initiate the referral no later than age 14 or 15 to establish waitlist priority — don't wait until the IEP ends.

After High School: DDS vs. School Services

When the IEP ends, the school's obligation to provide a free appropriate public education is over. DDS does not replace the school. What DDS does provide for adults:

• Access to ADDT programs (the closest analog to school-based day services)
• Waitlist placement for comprehensive CES waiver services
• PASSE care coordination connecting the individual to therapy, medical care, and community resources
• Pathway to supported employment through waiver-funded job coaching (once a slot opens)

What DDS does not provide: guaranteed employment services (that's Arkansas Rehabilitation Services), housing assistance, or income support (that's SSI).

Key Contacts

• DDS Intake and Referral: 501-683-5687
• CES Waiver Waitlist Status: [email protected]
• PASSE Ombudsman: 1-844-843-7351
• DHS Office of Appeals and Hearings: P.O. Box 1437, Slot S101, Little Rock, AR 72203-1437

The Arkansas SSI at 18 & Adult Disability Benefits Guide maps the DDS intake process alongside the SSI application, Medicaid enrollment, and ARS vocational referral — showing exactly how these systems interlock and which deadlines depend on each other.

See more Arkansas guides →