Information about Home and Community Based Waivers – SC Dept. of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS)
In South Carolina, the SC Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS) is the state agency responsible for all Medicaid funding. South Carolina has chosen to serve several different populations by utilizing the Home and Community Based (HCB) waiver option. SCDHHS, through its Community Long Term Care (CLTC) Division, administers HCB Waivers to serve the elderly and disabled (Community Choices Waiver), people with HIV or AIDS (HIV/AIDS Waiver), and adults who are dependent on a life support system (Ventilator Dependent Waiver). In addition, SCDHHS partners with the South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (SCDDSN) to offer waivers to serve people with head or spinal cord injuries (HASCI Waiver), people with mental retardation or related disabilities (MR/RD Waiver and Community Supports Waiver) and people with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD Waiver). For most Home and Community Based Waivers, there is a waiting list.
The Mental Retardation/Related Disabilities Waiver provides services for children and adults who have disabilities and special needs to avoid or prevent the risk of out of home placement. Services available to children include behavior support services, environmental modifications, private vehicle modifications, psychological services, respite services and specialized medical equipment, supplies and assistive technology. Priority is given to those consumers with critical needs. Critical is defined by the following criteria: The consumer requires a service available through the waiver which if not provided would result in serious and imminent harm. The consumer has an immediate need for direct care or supervision. The consumer has recently lost a caregiver or is at imminent risk of losing a caregiver. The consumer is ready for or has recently been discharged from a hospital and needs services to prevent readmission.
The purpose of the Community Supports Waiver is to serve people with mental retardation or related disabilities in the community, whose waiver service needs will not exceed the individual cost limit set forth in the waiver. It also offers opportunities for individuals to self-direct certain services if they choose. Services are similar to those received through the MR/RD Waiver and include respite, behavior support services, psychological services, specialized medical equipment, supplies and assistive technology, environmental and private vehicle modifications and in-home supports.
The Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) Waiver is for children ages 3-10 who have been diagnosed with Autism or other Pervasive Developmental Disorders by age 8. The waiver provides Early Intensive Behavior Intervention Therapy in the home for up to 40 hours per week and case management.
If you would like more information about a home and community based waiver or you would like to request a waiver slot for your family member, please contact your service coordinator. Please note, your family member can be on more than one waiver waiting list at a time. However, a person can only be enrolled and receive waiver services from one waiver program at a time. If you have already requested your family member be added to the waiting list for one of the waivers listed above, please confirm with your service coordinator.
Please see link to the waiver programs on the DDSN website.