Colorado DD Waiver Waiting List in 2026

The HCBS-DD (Developmental Disabilities) waiver is the only Home and Community-Based Services waiver in Colorado with an active waiting list, and in 2026 the situation has gotten worse. HCPF cut the churn rate by 50%, meaning the state now enrolls only one new person for every two who leave the waiver. The practical effect: what was historically an 8-year average wait is projected to stretch toward 14 years.

What the DD Waiver Provides

The DD waiver funds comprehensive, 24-hour residential and community support services — host homes, group homes, day programs, and employment services. It's designed for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities who require round-the-clock supervision or structured living arrangements.

This is Colorado's most intensive waiver, and it's the most expensive per-person. The capped capacity is a direct consequence of cost — HCPF can only fund a fixed number of slots at any given time.

How the Waiting List Works

Colorado uses two waiting-list tracks for the DD waiver:

As Soon As Available (ASAA): You want a slot as soon as one opens. Individuals are ranked by their placement date — either their developmental disability determination date or their 14th birthday, whichever is later. When a slot opens, it goes to the person with the oldest placement date who chose ASAA.

Date Specific: You want a slot at a particular future date (commonly when a caregiver anticipates they'll no longer be able to provide care). This track lets you plan for a transition rather than taking the first available opening.

To get on the list, you must first have a developmental disability determination through your local Case Management Agency (CMA). The CMA completes a functional eligibility screen, and if the individual meets the institutional level-of-care criteria, they can be placed on the DD waiver waiting list.

The 2026 Budget Reality

HCPF's LTSS sustainability measures have directly impacted DD waiver enrollment:

• 50% churn reduction: Previously, when someone left the waiver (moved out of state, died, transitioned to another program), the slot was backfilled relatively quickly. Now only half the vacated slots are refilled with new enrollees.
• No automatic transitions from pediatric waivers: Children aging out of CES (Children's Extensive Support) or CHRP (Children's Habilitation Residential Program) no longer automatically receive an adult DD waiver slot. They must access services through the SLS waiver or wait on the DD list.
• PETI cost-sharing effective August 1, 2026: DD waiver members with residential services and certification start dates on or after July 1, 2026, will face Post-Eligibility Treatment of Income cost-sharing, where a portion of monthly income goes toward residential care costs.

What to Do While Waiting

The SLS waiver has no waiting list and is available immediately to individuals who meet the functional and financial eligibility criteria. It doesn't provide 24-hour residential services, but it funds supported living, personal care, day programs, and employment supports up to about 35 hours per week.

Community First Choice (CFC), launched July 2025, is a Medicaid state plan benefit that can provide attendant services — personal care, homemaker, and health maintenance activities — to eligible members with or without HCBS waiver enrollment. CFC eligibility also requires the applicable financial and institutional level-of-care criteria.

Between SLS and CFC, most individuals can access substantial daily supports while waiting for a DD waiver slot.

Getting on the List Early

The single most important thing a Colorado family can do is get their child's developmental disability determination completed through the CMA and request placement on the DD waiting list at age 14. The placement date is what determines your position — every year you delay is a year added to your wait.

The Colorado SSI at 18 & Adult Disability Benefits Guide includes the complete timeline for DD waiver enrollment, the CMA intake process, and the parallel steps for securing SLS and CFC services while the DD wait continues.

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