ICAP Assessment for Mississippi IDD Waiver Eligibility

What the ICAP Assessment Is

The Inventory for Client and Agency Planning (ICAP) is the standardized assessment tool that Mississippi's Department of Mental Health (DMH) Bureau of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (BIDD) uses to determine whether an individual meets the institutional level of care required for placement on the ID/DD Waiver planning list.

The ICAP measures two domains: adaptive behavior (what the person can do independently) and maladaptive behavior (challenging behaviors that require support or intervention). It produces several standardized scores, but the one that matters most for waiver eligibility is the Broad Independence Standard Score.

This assessment is not optional. Without it, there is no path onto the planning list, and without the planning list, there is no route to funded ID/DD Waiver services—the primary source of long-term community-based support for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Mississippi.

The Score That Determines Eligibility

To qualify for placement on the ID/DD Waiver planning list, the individual must achieve a Broad Independence Standard Score of 69 or below on the ICAP. This score reflects a composite of the individual's ability to perform motor skills, social and communication skills, personal living skills, and community living skills independently.

A score of 69 or below indicates that the individual requires a level of support equivalent to what would be provided in an intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF/IID). That institutional-equivalent standard is the legal threshold for the waiver program.

If the score comes in at 70 or above, the case is not automatically denied. Instead, DMH refers the case to a clinical psychologist for a comprehensive record review. The psychologist examines the full clinical and educational history to determine whether the individual still meets the ICF/IID level of need despite the ICAP score. This review can result in planning list placement even with a borderline score, but it adds time and requires robust documentation.

Where the Assessment Happens

Mississippi operates five Regional IDD Centers, each serving a designated catchment area based on the individual's county of residence. The assessment is conducted by the Diagnostic and Evaluation (D&E) team at the appropriate regional center.

Families can also contact the DMH Bureau of IDD directly at 877-210-8513 to determine which regional center serves their county and begin the intake process.

How to Prepare for the ICAP Evaluation

The ICAP is typically administered as a structured interview with the individual's parent or primary caregiver—not directly with the individual. The evaluator asks detailed questions about what the person can do independently, what they can do with verbal prompting, what they can do with physical assistance, and what they cannot do at all.

Be accurate, not aspirational. Parents naturally want to highlight their child's achievements. But the ICAP is measuring support needs, not celebrating growth. If the individual needs verbal reminders to brush their teeth every morning, that is a support need. If they can prepare a simple meal only when each step is broken down verbally, that is a support need. Reporting that they "can make lunch" without mentioning the prompting paints a misleading picture of independence.

Describe worst-case functioning. The evaluator needs to understand the full range of the individual's capacity, including their most difficult days. If the person has periodic behavioral episodes that require crisis intervention, cannot manage transitions without meltdowns, or has days where sensory overload prevents basic self-care, those experiences are essential data points for the ICAP.

Bring documentation. While the ICAP is interview-based, supporting documents strengthen the assessment. Bring recent psychoeducational evaluations (the Broad Independence score on the ICAP should be consistent with adaptive behavior scores from school evaluations), functional behavioral assessments, IEP progress reports showing ongoing support needs, and any clinical assessments from therapists or psychiatrists.

Include maladaptive behavior data. The ICAP's maladaptive behavior section captures the frequency and severity of self-injurious behavior, property destruction, aggression, elopement, and other challenging behaviors. If the individual has a Behavior Intervention Plan from school, bring it—it documents the exact behaviors and the level of intervention required to manage them.

The Diagnostic Evaluation Process

Before or alongside the ICAP, the regional center's D&E team conducts a broader diagnostic evaluation to confirm the individual's intellectual or developmental disability diagnosis and assess their overall service needs. This evaluation may include:

• Review of existing psychological and medical records
• Intellectual assessment if current cognitive testing is not available
• Adaptive behavior assessment (the ICAP itself serves this function)
• Assessment of physical and sensory needs
• Evaluation of current living situation and support network

The entire intake and evaluation process can take several weeks to several months depending on the regional center's caseload and the availability of the individual's records. Families should initiate this process well before the young adult exits the school system—age 16 is the recommended starting point because the planning list wait can stretch for years.

What Happens After Qualifying

Qualifying for the planning list is not the same as receiving services. Mississippi's ID/DD Waiver operates under a capped enrollment model, and the state legislature must appropriate funds each year to move individuals from the planning list to active waiver status. Under Senate Bill 3072 for the FY2027 budget cycle, the targeted measure was to add 250 individuals from the planning list to active services, against a waitlist of over 2,700 people.

While waiting for a funded slot, individuals who have full Medicaid coverage and have completed their education can access the 1915(i) Community Support Program (CSP). The CSP is a state plan service—meaning there is no waitlist—and provides day services, prevocational training, supported employment, and supported living. It operates as a bridge until a waiver slot opens.

Our Mississippi SSI at 18 & Adult Disability Benefits Guide includes a step-by-step ICAP preparation guide, a regional center contact directory, and a planning list timeline so families can coordinate waiver intake with SSI applications, Medicaid enrollment, and the school-to-adult services transition.

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