Kentucky is expanding its 1915(c) HCBS waiver offerings with a new program for children and youth up to age 21. The proposed Community Health for Improved Lives and Development (CHILD) waiver will provide home and community-based stabilization and support for children and youth with high-intensity behavioral health or developmental needs.
The CHILD waiver is currently pending approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) with a proposed effective date in early 2026.
Services
The CHILD waiver will offer services not otherwise available through the Medicaid state plan to support each child or youth in the community as they work toward their unique goals. All services will be provided by certified, Medicaid-enrolled traditional agency providers.
- Case Management
- Clinical Therapeutic Services
- Community Living Supports
- Environmental and Minor Home Modifications
- Respite
- Supervised Residential Care
Eligibility
A child or youth may qualify for CHILD waiver services if they:
- Are under the age of 21.
- Meet hospital - inpatient psychiatric facility or intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disability (ICF/IID) level of care.
- Have exhausted other Medicaid and non-Medicaid services and supports that could help them succeed in the community setting.
- Meet the financial qualifications for Medicaid. There are special financial qualifications applied to the CHILD waiver program. Read the Medicaid Waiver Services Fact Sheet for details.
A child or youth who meets the above criteria and is in one of the following situations due to the intensity of his or her behavioral health or disability may be determined to have urgent needs:
- Currently unhoused or at risk of being unhoused; or
- Have had at least two different foster placements in the last year; or
- At least five contacts with law enforcement in the last year due to the intensity of his or her disability; or
- Is discharging from an inpatient psychiatric hospital, ICF/IID, or similar institution within the next 45 calendar days and requires the level of support offered through the CHILD waiver.
Enrolled children or youth will transition off the waiver once they are stabilized or reach the age of 21. For those aging out, transition planning will begin at least 120 days before the date they will reach the age limit. Those aging out have the option to receive services through another 1915(c) waiver program, the 1915(i) RISE program, or the Medicaid state plan. If they do not meet eligibility for another Medicaid program, case managers will work with the child or youth's support team to identify community or other state-funded resources that may help.
CHILD waiver services, eligibility, and other requirements are outlined in the approved CHILD waiver application and state regulations 907 KAR 7:720 and 907 KAR 7:725. Information for CHILD providers is available on the CHILD provider type page (coming soon).
Apply
If you are interested in applying for CHILD 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. There are some documents that are helpful to have when applying. The Medicaid Waiver Services Fact Sheet lists those documents.
Once you are ready to apply for CHILD 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.
Questions
If you have questions about the CHILD waiver, please email the 1915(c) Waiver Help Desk or call (844) 784-5614.