Building Independence Waiver Virginia

What the Building Independence Waiver Is For

The Building Independence waiver is designed for a specific population: adults aged 18 and older with intellectual or developmental disabilities who can live semi-independently with periodic, non-continuous support. Unlike the Community Living waiver, which funds 24/7 residential placement, BI supports individuals who can manage daily life with drop-in assistance rather than constant supervision.

The key distinction is the housing arrangement. BI enrollees must own, lease, or otherwise control their own living space. The waiver does not fund group home placement or sponsored residential services — those fall exclusively under the CL waiver. BI supports are designed to supplement, not replace, the individual's ability to manage a household.

Services Covered Under the BI Waiver

BI waiver services focus on building and maintaining the skills needed for independent community living:

• Personal assistance — help with daily living activities as needed (not 24/7)
• Supported employment — job coaching and workplace accommodations
• Community engagement — structured support for participating in community activities
• Therapeutic consultation — behavioral and clinical services
• Assistive technology — devices that increase independence
• Environmental modifications — home adaptations for accessibility
• Benefits planning — coordination of financial benefits with employment goals

The level of support is explicitly lighter than FIS or CL. An individual on the BI waiver might receive a few hours of personal assistance per day, a weekly check-in from a support coordinator, and job coaching at their workplace — rather than round-the-clock staff presence.

Who Is a Good Fit

BI works best for individuals who:

• Can handle basic daily routines (hygiene, simple meal preparation, taking medication) with reminders rather than hands-on help
• Have stable behavioral health — no active safety risks requiring constant monitoring
• Are interested in or already pursuing employment or structured day activities
• Want to live independently or with a roommate, not in a family home or group setting
• Can use community resources (transportation, stores, medical offices) with periodic support

The waiver is particularly relevant for young adults transitioning out of high school or post-secondary programs who have developed functional independence skills through their IEP transition planning. It fills the gap between "can live alone with some help" and "needs family or group home support."

How to Access the BI Waiver

The pathway is the same as for FIS and CL: screening at the local Community Services Board, VIDES assessment, priority classification, and waitlist placement. There is no separate BI application.

The CSB Support Coordinator determines which waiver type matches the individual's support needs during the assessment and Person-Centered Planning process. For someone who meets DD waiver functional eligibility but whose support needs are at the lower end — periodic rather than continuous — BI is the appropriate match.

The statewide DD waiver waitlist governs all three waivers. Priority classification (1, 2, or 3) and Critical Needs Summary scores determine when a slot becomes available. Because BI serves individuals with lower support needs, families sometimes find that the WSAC prioritizes CL and FIS slots for individuals in more critical situations, extending the effective wait for BI.

The Housing Requirement

The most practical challenge with BI is housing. The waiver covers services, not rent. The individual must secure their own living arrangement before or shortly after receiving a waiver slot. This typically means:

• A rental apartment or house (with the lease in the individual's name or jointly held)
• A home owned by the individual
• A shared housing arrangement where the individual has a lease or ownership stake

Housing subsidies outside the waiver system — HUD Section 8 vouchers, state rental assistance programs, supportive housing funded through DBHDS — can fill the gap. Coordinating a BI waiver slot with available housing is one of the more logistically complex parts of the process, and CSB Support Coordinators can help navigate local housing resources.

BI vs. FIS: The Practical Difference

The most common confusion families encounter is whether FIS or BI is the right fit. Both serve individuals living in community settings (not group homes). The distinction comes down to where the person lives and how much support they need:

An individual can transition between waivers as their needs change. Someone who starts on FIS while living at home might move to BI after developing independent living skills. This transition requires a new Person-Centered Plan and CSB coordination, but it does not require going back to the bottom of the waitlist.

Medicaid Eligibility

Like all DD waivers, BI services are Medicaid-funded. The individual must have active Medicaid coverage. The Long-Term Care Medicaid income limit of $2,982/month (300% of the SSI FBR in 2026) applies, with Virginia's medically needy spend-down available for those over the threshold.

Virginia's separate-application Medicaid requirement means filing through CommonHelp or the local DSS — SSI approval does not trigger automatic enrollment until the 1634 agreement is implemented, currently projected for FY 2028.

The Virginia SSI at 18 & Adult Disability Benefits Guide covers all three DD waivers, the CSB screening process, and how to coordinate waiver services with housing, employment, and financial benefits.

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