Memos and Forms FAQs Strategic Plans and Reports Medicaid Expenditures and Enrollments Other Resources Contact Us
The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) would like to provide and exchange information with members, stakeholders, providers, legislators, and policymakers about HCPF's efforts to ensure that all eligible individuals receive the services they need at the time they're needed, within the constraints of the state's limited financial resources. When funding limits the availability of services, waiting lists are established for individuals seeking services.
Currently, the only HCBS waiver with an active waiting list is the HCBS Developmental Disability waiver (HCBS-DD). This waiver has two waiting lists: As Soon As Available (ASAA), and Safety Net (SN).
Below are the strategic plans submitted to date, information about current enrollments, waiting list totals, funding, and ways to get involved with the strategic planning process.
Memos and Forms
- Informational Memo IM 21-042 - HCBS-DD Waiver Waiting List and Enrollments Fact Sheet - June 28, 2021
- Attachment - HCBS-DD Waiver Waiting List and Enrollments Fact Sheet - June 2021
- Attachment - HCBS-DD Waiver Waiting List and Enrollments Fact Sheet - Spanish - June 2021
- Operational Memo OM 20-052 - Waiting List Management Changes for the HCBS Developmental Disabilities Waiver - July 2020
- Enrollment Overview and Waiting List Procedures - February 15, 2017
- DIDD Enrollment Overview - February 15, 2017
Developmental Disability Determination Forms and Resources
FAQs
Waiting List Questions
- What is the DD waiting list?
- When the HCBS-DD Waiver reaches capacity for enrollment, an individual determined eligible for the waiver shall be eligible for placement on a waiting list.
- When the HCBS-DD Waiver reaches capacity for enrollment, an individual determined eligible for the waiver shall be eligible for placement on a waiting list.
- How do I get placed on the waiting list?
- The case management agency (CMA) will complete a Developmental Disability Determination for the Individual and open a waiting list record. You can locate your local CMA to contact and start the process.
- The case management agency (CMA) will complete a Developmental Disability Determination for the Individual and open a waiting list record. You can locate your local CMA to contact and start the process.
- Do I need to have Social Security Income (SSI) and/or Medicaid to be placed on the waiting list?
- No, you do not need to have SSI or Medicaid to be placed on the waiting list; however, there are financial requirements that you must meet in order to enroll into the HCBS-DD waiver.
- No, you do not need to have SSI or Medicaid to be placed on the waiting list; however, there are financial requirements that you must meet in order to enroll into the HCBS-DD waiver.
- How is my place in line determined?
- The placement date used to establish a person's order on a waiting list shall be the date on which the person was initially determined to have a developmental disability by the Community Centered Board; or the fourteenth (14) birth date, if a child is determined to have a developmental disability by the Community Centered Board prior to the age of fourteen.
- The placement date used to establish a person's order on a waiting list shall be the date on which the person was initially determined to have a developmental disability by the Community Centered Board; or the fourteenth (14) birth date, if a child is determined to have a developmental disability by the Community Centered Board prior to the age of fourteen.
- When should I get on the waiting list?
- You may request to be on the waiting list at any time after you have completed a developmental disability determination with your local CMA and are age 14 or older. If you are between the ages 14-18 you will only be allowed to be on the Safety Net list until you are eligible for the waiver at age 18.
- You may request to be on the waiting list at any time after you have completed a developmental disability determination with your local CMA and are age 14 or older. If you are between the ages 14-18 you will only be allowed to be on the Safety Net list until you are eligible for the waiver at age 18.
- Will this always be my place in line?
- Yes, regardless of how many times you decline an enrollment authorization or change your timeline (As Soon As Available, Safety Net, See Date) for needing services, your placement date on the waiting list will remain the same.
- As Soon As Available (ASAA) – The individual has requested enrollment as soon as available.
- Date Specific – The individual does not need services at this time but has requested enrollment at a specific future date. This category includes individuals who are not yet eligible for adult programs due to not having reached their 18th birthday.
- Safety Net (SN) – The individual does not currently need or want adult services, but requests to be on the waiting list in case a need arises. This category includes individuals who are not yet eligible for adult programs due to not having reached their 18th birthday.
- Yes, regardless of how many times you decline an enrollment authorization or change your timeline (As Soon As Available, Safety Net, See Date) for needing services, your placement date on the waiting list will remain the same.
- How long will I be on the waiting list before I receive an enrollment authorization offer?
- The length of time an individual spends on the waiting list will vary depending on their placement date on the waiting list. The number of years an individual is considered to be waiting includes only the years the individual is 18 years of age or older. On average, individuals are on the waiting list for 8 years before receiving an enrollment authorization.
- The length of time an individual spends on the waiting list will vary depending on their placement date on the waiting list. The number of years an individual is considered to be waiting includes only the years the individual is 18 years of age or older. On average, individuals are on the waiting list for 8 years before receiving an enrollment authorization.
- How old are individuals who are on the waiting list?
- 78% of individuals on the waiting list are between the ages of 20 and 39.
- 78% of individuals on the waiting list are between the ages of 20 and 39.
- How can my needs be met while I am waiting for enrollment into the HCBS-DD waiver?
- You may be eligible to enroll into one of 9 other waivers to access needed services and supports. You also may be eligible for the Family Support Services Program (FSSP) or State Supported Living Services (State-SLS) program. Contact your local CMA to find out additional information for eligibility and enrollment into these waivers/programs. You can also see waiver charts for more detailed waiver information.
Enrollment Authorization Questions
- Which Individuals are authorized for enrollment into the HCBS-DD waiver from the waiting list?
- Individuals who have a timeline of “As Soon As Available” with the oldest placement date on the waiting list are authorized first.
- Individuals who have a timeline of “As Soon As Available” with the oldest placement date on the waiting list are authorized first.
- How long do I have to accept or decline an enrollment authorization?
- A person shall accept or decline the offer of enrollment within thirty (30) calendar days from the date the enrollment was offered. Reasonable effort shall be made to contact the person, family, legal guardian, or other interested party. Upon a written request of the person, family, legal guardian, or other interested party an additional thirty (30) calendar days may be granted to accept or decline an enrollment offer.
- A person shall accept or decline the offer of enrollment within thirty (30) calendar days from the date the enrollment was offered. Reasonable effort shall be made to contact the person, family, legal guardian, or other interested party. Upon a written request of the person, family, legal guardian, or other interested party an additional thirty (30) calendar days may be granted to accept or decline an enrollment offer.
- If I decline an enrollment authorization, do I lose my place in the waiting list line?
- No, a person does not lose their placement date on the waiting list if they decline an enrollment authorization. The waiting list record will be updated to reflect a “Safety Net” timeline.
When a person is ready to accept an enrollment authorization as soon as it is offered, they can have the CMA change the timeline of the waiting list record to “As Soon As Available” and they will be back on the waiting list based on the previously established placement date.
- No, a person does not lose their placement date on the waiting list if they decline an enrollment authorization. The waiting list record will be updated to reflect a “Safety Net” timeline.
- If I accept an enrollment authorization, do I have to leave my family home and reside in a Group Residential Services and Supports (GRSS) setting?
- No, a person does not have to reside in a GRSS setting to enroll into the HCBS-DD waiver. Individuals may choose to live in an Individual Residential Services and Supports (IRSS) setting as well. Both settings are part of the Residential Habilitation Services and Supports in the HCBS-DD waiver. These settings may include the family home, an independent apartment setting, or other living arrangements.
- No, a person does not have to reside in a GRSS setting to enroll into the HCBS-DD waiver. Individuals may choose to live in an Individual Residential Services and Supports (IRSS) setting as well. Both settings are part of the Residential Habilitation Services and Supports in the HCBS-DD waiver. These settings may include the family home, an independent apartment setting, or other living arrangements.
- How often are waiting list enrollments authorized?
- Enrollments are authorized from the waiting list on a monthly basis and when the Colorado General Assembly issues a one-time appropriation for additional enrollment authorizations.
- Enrollments are authorized from the waiting list on a monthly basis and when the Colorado General Assembly issues a one-time appropriation for additional enrollment authorizations.
- How many enrollments are authorized from the waiting list at a time?
- Each month HCPF authorizes approximately 10-20 enrollments from the waiting list based on previous months' churn, or vacancies in the waiver enrollment.
In July 2021 the Colorado General Assembly authorized an additional 667 enrollments for authorization. These enrollments will be authorized based on the procedure outlined in OM-20-052 as an exception to the waiting list protocol. The Department will authorize enrollments to individuals based on their order of selection within a catchment area. That catchment area will be allocated enrollments based on the State Demographer’s calculation of the population in that area. For example, if 20 enrollments were made available and a singular CMA catchment area had 10% of the State’s population, that CMA would receive 10% of the available spots (two spots) to authorize their top two waitlisted individuals.
Enrollments into the HCBS-DD waiver may be reserved to meet statewide priorities which include those authorized through the exception to the waiting list protocol. Exception enrollments are categorized as either Emergency, Youth Transitions, or Deinstitutionalizations.- Emergency enrollments can be requested when the health, safety, and welfare of an individual or others is in danger due to homelessness, an abusive or neglectful situation, danger to others, danger to self, or loss or incapacitation of a primary caregiver.
- Youth Transition enrollments include youth transitioning from the Children's Habilitation Residential Program Waiver (CHRP), the Children's Extensive Support Waiver (CES), or Foster Care into adult waivers.
- Deinstitutionalization enrollments are for those Individuals residing in an institutional setting (Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF), Mental Health Institutions, Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/IID), and Regional Centers) who want to receive services in the community.
- Emergency enrollments can be requested when the health, safety, and welfare of an individual or others is in danger due to homelessness, an abusive or neglectful situation, danger to others, danger to self, or loss or incapacitation of a primary caregiver.
- Each month HCPF authorizes approximately 10-20 enrollments from the waiting list based on previous months' churn, or vacancies in the waiver enrollment.
If you meet any of the criteria listed above and would like to enroll into the HCBS-DD waiver, please contact your local CMA to request enrollment authorization. Persons who do not fit into these categories may be authorized to enroll into the HCBS-DD waiver from the waiting list.
Strategic Plans and Reports
Below are links to the Strategic Plans for Ensuring Timely Access to Services for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities as reported to the Colorado General Assembly each November and required by 25.5-10-207.5(3)(a), C.R.S. (2015).
- November 1, 2023 Strategic Plan Update
- November 1, 2022 Strategic Plan Update
- November 1, 2021 Strategic Plan Update
- November 1, 2020 Strategic Plan Update
- November 1, 2019 Strategic Plan Update
- November 1, 2018 Strategic Plan Update
- November 1, 2017 Strategic Plan Update
- November 1, 2016 Strategic Plan Update
- November 1, 2015 Strategic Plan Narrative
- November 1, 2014 Strategic Plan
DD Waiver Waiting List Report - 2017
- Communication Brief - PPT and Final Report
- Colorado Waiting List Stakeholder Presentation - May 2017
- Colorado HCBS-DD Waiting List Final Report - June 2017
Medicaid Expenditures and Enrollments
Below are the expenditures and enrollment totals, by fiscal year, submitted to the Joint Budget Committee. Reports are published on the 15th of each month and reflect totals as of the end of the previous month. Since each report is cumulative for the fiscal year, only the most recent report is posted.
Fiscal Year 2020-21
Fiscal Year 2019-20
Fiscal Year 2018-19
Fiscal Year 2017-18
Fiscal Year 2016-17
Fiscal Year 2015-16
Fiscal Year 2014-15
Other Resources
- Children's Extensive Support (HCBS-CES) Waiver
- Developmental Disabilities (HCBS-DD) Waiver
- Supported Living Services (HCBS-SLS) Waiver
- Family Support Services Program
- Current list of Medicaid Home and Community Based Services Providers for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Contact Us
Program Contact/Program Administrator:
Mary Stuckwisch
HCPF_EmergencyEnrollment@state.co.us
General Questions about Waivers and Services contact:
HCPF_HCBS_Questions@state.co.us
HCPF, pursuant to Section 25.5-10-207.5(4)(a), C.R.S (2015), must: "develop, in consultation with intellectual and developmental disability system stakeholders, a comprehensive strategic plan...to enroll eligible persons...with intellectual and developmental disabilities into home and community based services programs, and programs pursuant to this Article at the time those persons choose to enroll...or need the services or supports."