Acquired Brain Injury Branch

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The Acquired Brain Injury Branch operates two 1915(c) HCBS Medicaid waivers. These waivers provide assistance to adults with an acquired brain injury who want to live in the community as independently as possible.

Programs and Services

​Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) waiver: The ABI waiver is for adults with an acquired brain injury who can benefit from intensive rehabilitation services. The services are designed to help participant re-enter the community and functioning independently.

Acquired Brain Injury Long Term Care (ABI LTC) waiver: The ABI LTC waiver is for adults with an acquired brain injury who have reached a plateau in their rehabilitation level. They require maintenance services to live safely in the community.

Services​

ABI and ABI LTC offer a variety of services​ to support each participant's goals and preferences. Services include but are not limited to:

  • Adult Day Training
  • Companion (ABI) or Community Living Supports (ABI LTC)
  • Individual and Group Counseling
  • Environmental and Minor Home Modifications
  • Respite​​
  • Supervised Residential Care
ABI Waiver Brochure: English and Spanish 
ABI LTC Waiver Brochure: English and Spanish

Participants in the ABI and ABI LTC programs have three options for how they receive their non-medical, non-residential services: 

  • Traditional: The participant selects a provider agency, which sends an employee to deliver services. 
  • Participant Directed Services (PDS): The participant hires​ their own employees to deliver services. The participant is responsible for finding, interviewing, selecting, and managing employees. A financial management services agency helps the participant with some employer functions, such as payroll. 
  • Blended: Services are delivered by a mix of traditional provider agencies and employees hired by the participant.

Visit the DMS PDS page​ for more information on the PDS service delivery option. 

Eligibility

You may qualify for ABI or ABI LTC waiver services if you:

  • Have an acquired brain injury. There are exclusions. Read section seven of the ABI regulation or ABI LTC regulation for the list.
  • Are age 18 or older
  • Meet the requirements for residence in a nursing facility. These are defined in Kentucky Administrative Regulation 907 KAR 1:022
  • Are expected to benefit from waiver services
  • Meet the financial qualifications for Medicaid. There are special financial qualifications applied to the ABI and ABI LTC waiver programs. Read the Medicaid Waiver Services Fact Sheet for details.
ABI services, eligibility, and other requirements are outlined in the approved ABI waiver application and state regulations 907 KAR 3:090 and 907 KAR 3:100​. ABI LTC services, eligibility, and other requirements are outlined in the approved ABI LTC waiver application and state regulation 907 KAR 3:210​

Apply

If you are interested in applying for ABI or ABI LTC waiver services, you must first obtain financial eligibility for Medicaid. You can apply for Medicaid online using kynect, by calling the Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) at (855) 306-8959 or in-person at a DCBS office. It is helpful to have some documents when applying. The Medicaid Waiver Services Fact Sheet lists those documents.

Once you are ready to apply for ABI or ABI LTC waiver services​​​​, you can complete your application online using kynect or in-person at an Aging and Disability Resource Center or a Community Mental Health Center​.

If you need more information about the ABI or ABI LTC program, please email DMS or call (844) 784-5614.​​​​​​​​​​​