IFSP Funding Virginia: Bridge Support While on the DD Waiver Waitlist

What IFSP Funding Covers

Waiting for a DD waiver slot in Virginia can stretch years. With over 15,000 individuals on the statewide waitlist and slots allocated by functional urgency rather than chronological order, families need something to bridge the gap between getting on the list and receiving waiver-funded services.

That's where the Individual and Family Support Program comes in. Administered by DBHDS (the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services), IFSP provides direct financial assistance to individuals with developmental disabilities who are on the DD waiver waiting list and live in their own home or a family home.

IFSP isn't a waiver. It doesn't fund ongoing services like personal care or residential support. Instead, it provides one-time-per-fiscal-year payments for specific disability-related expenses that the family would otherwise pay out of pocket. Think of it as emergency gap funding — small enough that it doesn't replace a waiver slot, but large enough to address critical needs that can't wait.

How Much Funding Is Available

Under the current guidelines, IFSP allocates:

• Up to $1,000 per fiscal year for individuals assigned Priority 1 on the DD waiver waitlist — allocated based on Critical Needs Summary scores, with the highest-scoring individuals funded first
• Up to $500 per fiscal year for individuals assigned Priority 2 or 3 — distributed through a randomized lottery system after Priority 1 allocations are complete

The funding window opens once per fiscal year, and demand consistently exceeds supply. DBHDS announces the application period through CSB support coordinators, the DBHDS website, and advocacy organizations like The Arc of Virginia and Moms in Motion.

What You Can Spend It On

IFSP funding covers a broad range of disability-related expenses. Eligible items include:

• Home modifications — ramps, grab bars, bathroom accessibility renovations, door widening
• Adaptive furniture and equipment — specialized beds, positioning devices, adaptive seating
• Assistive technology — tablets configured for communication apps, sensory equipment, adaptive switches
• Therapeutic services — co-pays for behavioral therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy not covered by Medicaid or insurance
• Dental care — procedures not covered by Medicaid (a significant gap for many adults with developmental disabilities)
• Summer programs and camps — adaptive recreation programs, specialized day camps
• Respite care — temporary relief for primary caregivers, paid to qualified respite providers

The funds are non-reimbursable — they're paid directly for approved expenses, not as a reimbursement after the family pays. Your CSB support coordinator helps identify eligible expenses and processes the funding request.

How to Apply

IFSP applications go through your local Community Services Board. The process:

1. Contact your CSB support coordinator — if your adult child is on the DD waiver waitlist, they already have an assigned support coordinator at the CSB. If not, contact the CSB intake department to request a DD screening first. You must be on the waitlist to access IFSP.

2. Identify eligible expenses — work with your coordinator to document the specific items or services you need. The coordinator can help match your needs to the program's approved expense categories.

3. Submit during the application window — IFSP has a defined annual application period. Your coordinator will notify you when the window opens. Applications received outside the window are not considered.

4. Wait for allocation — Priority 1 individuals are funded first, ranked by Critical Needs Summary scores. If funding remains, Priority 2 and 3 individuals receive allocations through the lottery.

Improving Your Position

Because Priority 1 individuals with the highest Critical Needs Summary scores get funded first, the IFSP allocation process tracks directly to your child's VIDES assessment and CNS score. Two things improve your position:

Keep the VIDES current. The CSB reassesses your child's functional needs annually. If their condition has changed — a caregiver's health has declined, behavioral challenges have intensified, or medical needs have increased — make sure the annual VIDES update reflects the current situation, not last year's status quo. The VIDES assessment evaluates limitations across eight functional categories, and adults must meet criteria in at least three.

Request a priority review. If circumstances have changed dramatically (the primary caregiver has a new serious health condition, the individual has had a psychiatric crisis or emergency hospitalization), contact your support coordinator to request an off-cycle VIDES update and a reassessment of priority status. Moving from Priority 2 to Priority 1 opens both IFSP funding at the higher tier and eligibility for active waiver slot consideration by the local Waiver Slot Allocation Committee.

IFSP Is Not a Substitute for the Waiver

The $500–$1,000 annual IFSP allocation is a fraction of what a DD waiver provides. The Community Living waiver funds 24/7 residential care. The Family and Individual Supports waiver funds personal assistance, respite, companion services, and therapeutic supports on an ongoing basis. The Building Independence waiver funds drop-in supports for semi-independent adults.

IFSP is gap funding — it helps with a specific expense in a specific year. Families still need to actively manage their child's waitlist position, ensure their VIDES and Critical Needs Summary accurately reflect current needs, and prepare for the rapid timeline when a waiver slot is finally offered (15 days to accept, 30 days to initiate services, 180 days to start community-based care).

The Virginia SSI at 18 & Adult Disability Benefits Guide maps the full DD waiver waitlist strategy alongside IFSP bridge funding, showing how to coordinate these short-term supports with the long-term waiver application process.

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