Mental Retardation/Intellectual Disabilities (MR/ID) Waiver
What makes someone eligible for the MR/ID Waiver?
The MR/ID Waiver provides home and community-based services to individuals under six (6) years of age who are “at developmental risk,” and to individuals six (6) years of age and older who have a diagnosis of mental retardation/intellectual disability and who:
- Qualify for institutional care in an Intermediate Care Facility for Individuals with mental Retardation (ICF/MR);
- Are at imminent risk of ICF/MR placement, and
- Need home and community-based services to live in the community rather than living in an ICF/MR.
As with all Medicaid-funded services, there are also financial eligibility criteria.
Services offered through the MR/ID Waiver
- Assistive Technology
- Agency and Consumer-Directed Companion Services
- Crisis Stabilization and Crisis Supervision
- Day Support
- Environmental Modifications
- In-Home Residential Support Services
- Residential (Group home) Support Services
- Agency and Consumer-Directed Respite
- Agency and Consumer-Directed Personal Assistance
- Personal Emergency Response System (PERS)
- Prevocational Services
- Skilled Nursing
- Supported Employment
- Therapeutic Consultation
- Transition Services
If you answer yes to any/all of the following questions, you may be eligible for the MR/ID Waiver.
- Are you younger than six (6) years of age and “at developmental risk” OR are you six (6) years of age or older and have a diagnosis of mental retardation/intellectual disability?
- Are you at imminent risk of placement in an ICF/MR because you cannot take care of yourself without supports?
Next Steps
If you think that you might qualify for the MR/ID Waiver, contact your local community services board (CSB). To find information on-line, visit the VirginiaNavigator website, select “Community Services Boards,” and put in your zip code. After you contact the Community Services Board, a case manager will schedule a meeting with you to assess your needs. To view the assessment instrument that will be used (the Level of Functioning Survey), look on-line at the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.
For more information about this and other Medicaid programs, look on-line at the Department of Medical Assistance Services or contact the Medicaid Mentor Program (toll free) at 1-866-323-1088 or 757-461-8007.
Important Note
The MR/ID Waiver has “slots” that are funded by the Virginia General Assembly. Individuals using this Waiver must have a funded slot in order to participate, and there is currently a “non-urgent” and an “urgent” waiting list for this program. For information about how to qualify for either of these waiting lists or to find out how long each waiting list is now, call your local community services board (CSB); a case manager there can explain the waiting list and the process the CSB uses to fill the slots as they become available. Information about how to contact the CSB is under “Next Steps” above.
