DD Waiver Waitlist Virginia

The Scale of Virginia's DD Waiver Waitlist

As of late 2024, the statewide DD waiver waiting list in Virginia stood at over 15,000 individuals. This number represents people who have been screened, found functionally eligible, and placed on the list — and are still waiting for a slot in one of Virginia's three Home and Community-Based Services waivers.

The waitlist is managed by DBHDS (Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services) through the WaMS (Waiver Management System) database. Unlike many state systems that operate on a first-come, first-served basis, Virginia allocates waiver slots based on urgency of need, not time spent waiting.

How Priority Categories Work

After the local Community Services Board completes the VIDES assessment and confirms functional eligibility, the individual is assigned one of three priority levels based on the Priority Needs Checklist:

Priority 1 (Urgent Need) — The individual needs waiver services within one year. Criteria include immediate jeopardy to health and safety due to the primary caregiver's chronic physical or mental condition, or a transitioning young adult (aged 21-27) seeking independent living services. Only Priority 1 individuals are eligible for active slot consideration by the local Waiver Slot Allocation Committee.

Priority 2 — The individual will need services within one to five years, or the primary caregiver is over age 55 and may soon face limitations in providing care.

Priority 3 — The individual will need services in five or more years, and the current care situation is stable.

The assignment is not permanent. As circumstances change — a caregiver's health declines, the individual's behavioral needs escalate, or the family situation destabilizes — the Support Coordinator can reassess and move someone from Priority 3 to Priority 1. Annual VIDES updates are the mechanism for this.

The Waiver Slot Allocation Committee

When a waiver slot becomes available in a locality, the allocation process goes through the local Waiver Slot Allocation Committee (WSAC). These committees are composed of trained community volunteers who are independent of the CSB — they don't know the applicants personally.

The WSAC reviews anonymized profiles of Priority 1 individuals, using scores from the Critical Needs Summary (CNS). The CNS quantifies the severity of the caregiver's limitations, the individual's behavioral challenges, and their medical vulnerabilities. The person with the highest CNS score gets the slot.

This system means that a Priority 1 individual with a high CNS score can receive a slot relatively quickly — sometimes within a year or two of placement on the list. A Priority 2 or 3 individual may wait much longer, potentially a decade or more.

What the Three Waivers Actually Fund

Each waiver serves a different level of independence:

Community Living (CL) — The most comprehensive waiver. Funds 24/7 residential supports including group homes and sponsored residential services. For individuals with intensive medical, behavioral, or functional needs who require continuous active supervision. The General Assembly has allocated 172 new CL slots annually (43 per quarter) for FY 2027 and FY 2028.

Family and Individual Supports (FIS) — For individuals living with family or in their own home. Covers personal assistance, respite care, companion services, and therapeutic services. Does not cover 24-hour group home placement. The legislature is adding 1,548 new FIS slots phased in quarterly for FY 2027 and FY 2028.

Building Independence (BI) — For adults 18 and older who can live semi-independently with periodic supports rather than constant supervision. Enrollees must control their own living arrangement, often supplemented by non-waiver housing subsidies.

Tight Deadlines Once a Slot Is Offered

When the WSAC allocates a slot, the clock starts immediately:

1. Accept the slot in writing within 15 days of notification
2. Meet with the assigned CSB Support Coordinator within 30 days of acceptance to formulate the Person-Centered Plan and initiate services
3. Start Community-Based Care services within 180 days of the Notice of Action approving long-term services

Missing any of these deadlines can result in losing the slot, which goes back to the committee for reallocation. After years on the waitlist, losing a slot to a missed deadline is devastating.

What to Do While Waiting

The wait for a Priority 1 slot can range from 1 to 3 years. Priority 2 and 3 waits can be considerably longer. During this time, families have access to two bridge supports:

Individual and Family Support Program (IFSP) — Administered by DBHDS, this provides direct financial assistance to waitlist individuals living in their own or a family home. Priority 1 applicants receive up to $1,000 per fiscal year, prioritized by CNS score. Priority 2 and 3 applicants are eligible for smaller allocations distributed through a lottery system. Funds cover home modifications, adaptive equipment, therapeutic copays, dental procedures, and assistive technology.

Case Management — While on the waitlist, individuals are eligible for ongoing support coordination from their local CSB. Support coordinators help locate community resources, coordinate therapies, and conduct the annual VIDES updates that can change the individual's priority classification.

The Annual Update Is Not Optional

Every year, the CSB Support Coordinator should conduct a VIDES update for each individual on the waitlist. This is the mechanism that keeps the priority classification current. If a family's circumstances have changed — the primary caregiver has been diagnosed with a serious health condition, the individual's behavioral needs have intensified — the update can trigger a reclassification from Priority 2 or 3 to Priority 1.

Families should prepare for the annual review the same way they prepared for the initial assessment: document current support needs, describe limitations as they exist without informal family supports, and bring updated medical or behavioral evaluations.

The Virginia SSI at 18 & Adult Disability Benefits Guide includes the complete DD waiver screening process, VIDES preparation strategies, and priority classification criteria for all three waivers.

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