Virginia DD Waiver After High School

The Three DD Waivers and What Each One Funds

Virginia's developmental disability waiver system is administered jointly by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) and the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS). Once a waiver slot is awarded through the CSB intake process, the individual receives one of three waivers based on their support profile:

Building Independence (BI) Waiver: Designed for adults age 18 and older who can live mostly independently with minimal, non-continuous supports. The individual must own or lease their own living arrangement. BI funds services like periodic check-ins, community coaching, and limited personal assistance — enough structure to maintain independence without 24/7 oversight.

Family and Individual Supports (FIS) Waiver: Available to both children and adults who live with family, friends, or in their own homes and need functional, behavioral, or medical supports. FIS is the most common waiver for transition-age youth because it covers the range of services families typically need while the young adult still lives at home: respite care, day support, personal assistance, behavioral consultation, and assistive technology.

Community Living (CL) Waiver: For individuals requiring comprehensive, 24/7 residential and clinical supports due to complex medical or behavioral needs. CL funds group homes, sponsored residential placements, and intensive day programs with nursing oversight.

The Waitlist Reality

Here's the part that catches families off guard: qualifying for a DD waiver doesn't mean getting one. The statewide waitlist is managed through the Virginia Waiver Management System (WaMS) and is needs-based, not chronological. Your child's VIDES screening at the local CSB determines eligibility and assigns a priority level (1 through 3), and only Priority 1 individuals are actively reviewed when slots become available.

Wait times can span years. The number of available slots depends on state budget allocations distributed to regional CSBs through a formula process. A local Waiver Slot Assignment Committee reviews anonymous profiles of Priority 1 individuals and awards slots based on critical-need scores — not time on the list.

This means getting on the waitlist early matters, but it also means the waitlist alone isn't a plan. You need an interim strategy.

The CCC Plus Waiver: Immediate Support While You Wait

The Commonwealth Coordinated Care Plus (CCC Plus) Waiver exists specifically for situations like this. It's a Medicaid HCBS waiver for individuals of any age with complex medical, clinical, or nursing needs who are at risk of nursing-facility placement within 30 days without supportive services.

The critical difference: CCC Plus has no waiting list. To apply, contact the local Department of Social Services or Department of Health and request a Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) screening. A nurse and social worker evaluate functional dependency using the Uniform Assessment Instrument (UAI).

If approved, CCC Plus can immediately fund in-home personal care attendants, respite care, and assistive technology — providing real support while the DD waiver waitlist grinds forward. Not every transition-age individual qualifies (the medical/nursing threshold is specific), but families should explore it rather than assuming the DD waiver is the only path.

The Medicaid Qualification Shift at 18

While on the DD waiver waitlist, the individual doesn't need to meet Medicaid financial criteria. But once a slot is actually awarded, Medicaid eligibility must be established immediately to activate the funding.

For transition-age youth, the financial picture changes dramatically at 18. Before the 18th birthday, Medicaid eligibility considers the parents' income and assets (parental deeming). After 18, the adult student is evaluated as a "household of one" — only their own income and assets count. This often makes Medicaid qualification straightforward for young adults with significant disabilities who have limited personal income.

The Medicaid application, along with Appendix D (the financial evaluation for long-term care), goes to the local Department of Social Services. Families should have this paperwork ready to file as soon as a waiver slot is offered — delays in Medicaid qualification can delay activation of the funding.

Protecting Assets: ABLENow

If your child receives SSI or will need to stay below Medicaid asset limits, Virginia's ABLENow (ABLE) account can help them save while preserving eligibility for certain benefits. Account balances below $100,000 are generally excluded from SSI resource limits and do not affect SSI benefit payments. Funds can be used for disability-related expenses including housing, transportation, assistive technology, and education. Opening the account before the 18th birthday, while the student is still SSI-eligible, simplifies the process.

The Virginia IEP Transition to Adulthood Guide maps the DD waiver application timeline alongside the CSB screening, Medicaid application, SSI transition, and school-based services — because all of these systems converge during the same 18-to-22 window, and missing one deadline cascades into the others.

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