Indiana Bureau of Disabilities Services: DDARS Programs and Waiver Access

If your family member has an intellectual or developmental disability and lives in Indiana, nearly every state-funded adult service they will access runs through a single agency: the Bureau of Disabilities Services, known as BDS. Understanding what BDS does, what it does not do, and how to navigate its systems is the first step in securing long-term support.

Where BDS Sits in the State Structure

BDS operates within the Division of Disability, Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DDARS), which itself sits under Indiana's Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA). This layered structure matters because different parts of FSSA handle different programs — the Division of Family Resources (DFR) manages Medicaid eligibility, the Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning (OMPP) sets Medicaid policy, and BDS specifically administers services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).

BDS's primary function is running Indiana's two HCBS Medicaid waivers for the I/DD population: the Family Supports Waiver (FSW) and the Community Integration and Habilitation (CIH) Waiver. Beyond the waivers, BDS also oversees eligibility determinations, waitlist management, service provider oversight, and quality assurance for I/DD services statewide.

The Two BDS Waivers

The Family Supports Waiver (FSW) is a non-residential waiver that funds supports in the family home. The annual budget cap is $26,482 per person, and services include respite care, participant assistance and care, community-based day activities, transportation, environmental modifications, and assistive technology. The FSW is designed for individuals who live with family or in their own home and need moderate support — it does not fund 24-hour residential care.

The Community Integration and Habilitation (CIH) Waiver is the comprehensive option, designed for individuals who need 24-hour residential support or intensive daily services. CIH has no annual cap comparable to the FSW's $26,482 — service budgets are determined individually based on assessed need. CIH funds residential habilitation, supported living, day habilitation, and the full range of community integration services.

Both waivers require the applicant to have a documented intellectual or developmental disability with onset before age 22, to meet the Intermediate Care Facility level of care standard (substantial functional limitations in at least three of six major life areas), and to have personal countable income at or below approximately $2,982 per month unless a valid Miller Trust is used for excess income, with assets at or below $2,000.

The 2026 Case Management Reorganization

August 2026 brought a major structural change. Under a newly approved federal 1915(b)(4) selective contracting waiver, Indiana centralized all BDS waiver case management under five authorized statewide Case Management Organizations (CMCOs):

• Aging & In-Home Services of Northeast Indiana
• Indiana Professional Management Group (IPMG)
• Inspire Case Management
• Unity of Indiana
• The Columbus Organization

Legacy case management providers that were not selected had their contracts terminated. Families whose case managers worked for exiting agencies were required to choose one of the five CMCOs and transfer their service plans. If you were affected by this transition and have not yet selected a new CMCO, contact your local BDS District Office — your case file remains with BDS regardless of which organization manages the day-to-day coordination.

How to Access BDS Services

The entry point is the BDS Gateway portal at bddsgateway.fssa.in.gov. You will need an Access Indiana account to log in. From there, you submit two foundational forms:

• State Form 55068 — Application for Developmental Disabilities Services
• State Form 54727 — Confirmation of Diagnosis, which must be signed by a licensed physician (MD or DO) and document the disability's onset before age 22

After submission, BDS assigns a local district office to evaluate the applicant's level of care using the interRAI assessment tool. If the applicant meets the ICF/IID level of care standard, they are placed on the FSW waiting list or, if they meet specific emergency criteria, referred for CIH needs-based access.

BDS also operates district offices across Indiana where families can get in-person assistance with applications, eligibility questions, and waitlist status. The central toll-free number is 1-800-545-7763, and the main office is at 402 W. Washington St., Room W453, Indianapolis.

Waiver Services Beyond BDS

Not all disability services in Indiana run through BDS. Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services are administered by a separate DDARS division. Medicaid itself (including MED Works for working individuals with disabilities) is handled by DFR and OMPP. Social Security disability benefits (SSI and SSDI) are federal and go through the SSA. BDS specifically handles the I/DD waiver system — if your family member's disability is physical rather than intellectual/developmental, the Aged & Disabled (A&D) waiver or the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) waiver, administered through different FSSA divisions, may be the relevant pathway.

For a complete walkthrough of how BDS fits into Indiana's full adult disability transition — including SSI, Medicaid, the interRAI assessment, and asset protection — the Indiana SSI at 18 & Adult Disability Benefits Guide covers the entire sequence from pre-transition planning through waiver activation.

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