Indiana · BDDS / BDS Waivers
Indiana runs four main home- and community-based waivers under FSSA: the Family Supports Waiver (FSW) and Community Integration and Habilitation (CIH) for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, plus the Health & Wellness Waiver (under 60) and PathWays for Aging (60+). Indiana is portal-first — FSW/CIH applications go through the BDS Gateway online — and WaiverPath keeps the whole process organized.
Indiana's entry I/DD waiver, providing person-centered supports that help individuals live in their own home or family home. Run by the Bureau of Disabilities Services (BDS, historically BDDS); applications go through the BDS Gateway portal.
The more intensive I/DD waiver for people with higher support needs. Also a BDS waiver applied for through the BDS Gateway. A 365-day group-home prerequisite for certain CIH pathways took effect in January 2026.
Serves Hoosiers under 60 with disabilities as an alternative to nursing-facility admission. Since Indiana split its old Aged & Disabled waiver in July 2024, this is the under-60 track — intake starts with a phone call to your local Area Agency on Aging.
The 60-and-over track, delivered through managed care since July 2024. Like Health & Wellness, it starts with phone intake through the Area Agency on Aging (statewide line 1-800-986-3505), not the BDS Gateway.
Per FSSA's official waiting-list page, as of June 2026 roughly 7,402 people are waiting for the Health & Wellness Waiver and roughly 12,169 for PathWays for Aging. Third-party compilations put the combined FSW/CIH waitlist around 9,453 — an unofficial figure, since FSSA does not publish a single FSW/CIH count on that page. Transitions from nursing facilities, CHOICE, and hospital discharges receive first priority for targeted waiver invitations each month — which is exactly why keeping your contact information current matters: an invitation sent to a stale address is an invitation missed.
It depends on the track. For the I/DD waivers (FSW and CIH), apply online through the BDS Gateway portal at bddsgateway.fssa.in.gov — paper State Form 55068 survives only as a fallback, returned to a local BDS district office. For Health & Wellness or PathWays for Aging, call your local Area Agency on Aging (statewide line 1-800-986-3505) for phone intake.
FSSA announced that FSW and CIH reached maximum capacity in December 2025, with no new slots expected until at least July 2026. Applying still matters — it establishes your registration — but families should expect a wait and check the BDS waitlist portal for status.
Per FSSA's official waiting-list page (June 2026): about 7,402 people waiting for Health & Wellness and about 12,169 for PathWays for Aging. Third-party compilations put the combined FSW/CIH waitlist around 9,453 — treat that figure as unofficial. Nursing-facility transitions, CHOICE, and hospital discharges get first priority for targeted invitations each month.
Same bureau. Indiana's Bureau of Developmental Disabilities Services (BDDS) is now the Bureau of Disabilities Services (BDS), part of FSSA's Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services. Many families and even official materials still say BDDS — the Gateway portal URL itself is bddsgateway.fssa.in.gov.
Two things to watch: a 365-day group-home prerequisite for certain CIH pathways took effect in January 2026, and FSSA has proposed August 2026 waiver amendments — including a 40-hour-per-week cap on legally responsible individual (LRI) caregiving, rate changes, and case-management organization consolidation. Treat the August items as proposed and rolling out, not settled.
No. Indiana's process is portal- and phone-based, so there is nothing to mail on your behalf. WaiverPath is the organizer: the right-track decision, your Gateway submission record, document inventory, waitlist-status log, and reminders so a targeted invitation never slips past you.
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.
