Indiana · Application guide
Indiana's BDDS waivers (now the Bureau of Disabilities Services, BDS) are applied for online: the BDS Gateway portal is the primary route for the Family Supports Waiver and CIH. A paper form survives as a fallback, and the aging-track waivers start with a phone call instead. Here is the whole map — and what to record at each step.
Step 1
The BDS Gateway is for the I/DD waivers — Family Supports Waiver (FSW) and Community Integration and Habilitation (CIH). If you are pursuing the Health & Wellness Waiver (under 60) or PathWays for Aging (60+), skip the Gateway entirely and call the Area Agency on Aging instead (see below).
Step 2
Go to bddsgateway.fssa.in.gov and set up an account. The portal is available 24/7 and is FSSA's primary application route. Save the username and email you used — you will need them for every status check.
Step 3
Work through the portal application with your diagnosis, residency, and contact details at hand. Before you close the browser, record the submission date and any confirmation or reference number — that record is your proof of when you applied.
Step 4
BDS runs an online waitlist portal/dashboard. Allow about five business days after submitting, then confirm your registration appears and note what it shows. Recheck quarterly and after any FSSA capacity announcement.
Step 5
If your registration has not appeared after two weeks, contact your local BDS district office or BDS.Help@fssa.in.gov, and log the date, person, and answer. WaiverPath's reminders are built for exactly this follow-up.
If the portal is not workable for your family, FSSA still accepts the paper Application for BDS Waiver Services — State Form 55068. Print it, complete and sign it, and return it to your local BDS district office (Indiana has eight districts) by fax, mail, or hand delivery. Keep a dated copy of everything you send, and still verify your registration in the waitlist portal afterward.
The Health & Wellness Waiver (under 60) and PathWays for Aging (60+) do not use the BDS Gateway. Intake starts with a phone call to your local Area Agency on Aging — statewide line 1-800-986-3505. Log the date, who you spoke with, what they asked for, and the promised next step. As of June 2026, FSSA reports about 7,402 people waiting for Health & Wellness and about 12,169 for PathWays.
One timing note, dated: FSSA announced FSW and CIH reached maximum capacity in December 2025, with no new slots expected until at least July 2026. Applying still establishes your registration — the families who fare best are the ones whose contact info stays current and whose follow-ups are logged, so a targeted invitation is never missed.
Last reviewed by WaiverPath: July 2, 2026.
WaiverPath is not a government agency, law firm, Medicaid provider, or benefits advisor. We help you organize information, documents, and follow-up tasks. Always verify requirements with the official agency or a qualified professional.
