Kentucky HCBS Waivers
This checklist helps Kentucky families organize a 1915(c) waiver application — MPW, SCL, HCB, ABI, Model II, or CHILD — through kynect or an in-person ADRC/CMHC visit. CHFS states that applications are not accepted by mail. It is an organizer, not an eligibility decision. Confirm every step, form, and timeline with CHFS, your ADRC, or your case manager.
First, choose your waiver track below. Save a checklist so you can gather records, record your kynect or agency application details, and return to your next step.
WaiverPath saves preparation notes; it does not autofill or submit this state’s official application.
Save my checklistWaiverPath 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.
Last reviewed: September 2026.
Confirm with CHFS, your ADRC, or your case manager — WaiverPath does not determine eligibility.
Step 1
CHFS runs seven 1915(c) waivers: Michelle P. Waiver (MPW) and Supports for Community Living (SCL) for intellectual/developmental disabilities, Home & Community Based (HCB) for the aged or people with disabilities, Acquired Brain Injury (ABI and ABI LTC) for adults 18+, Model II for ventilator-dependent individuals, and the CHILD waiver for children and youth up to 21 with high-intensity behavioral health or developmental needs. Confirm current waiver names and who each serves with CHFS before you apply.
Official source ↗Step 2
Medicaid and waiver services have separate applications. Apply for waiver-supportive Medicaid online at kynect.ky.gov, by phone with DCBS at (855) 306-8959, or in person at a DCBS office. CHFS states that applications are not accepted by mail.
Official source ↗Step 3
Once the Medicaid application is approved or pending, submit the waiver application online through kynect (kynect.ky.gov) or in person at an Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC line (877) 925-0037) or a Community Mental Health Center. CHFS repeats it for waiver applications too: applications are not accepted by mail. Confirm current sequencing (whether a pending Medicaid application is enough to start the waiver) with CHFS or your ADRC.
Official source ↗Step 4
Each waiver has its own required documents: ABI/ABI LTC, HCB, and Model II need a MAP-10 plus medical records (hospital discharge with CT/MRI for ABI, physician ADL statement for HCB, ventilator orders for Model II). MPW needs documentation of intellectual/developmental disability such as an IEP, psychological evaluation, KEIS evaluation, or physician's order. SCL needs a psychological evaluation with a full-scale IQ (FSIQ) and adaptive behavior assessment. CHILD needs a physician's statement plus behavioral-health or psycho-educational records. Confirm the current document list for your waiver with CHFS or the operating agency before you submit.
Official source ↗Step 5
After you submit through kynect, save the submission date, confirmation or case number, and the KOG account used. DMS reviews the application and mails a letter saying whether requirements are met and what to do next — your dated record is your proof of where you are in line.
Official source ↗Step 6
Per CHFS figures presented to the Kentucky legislature on 9/2/2025, MPW had approximately 9,686 people waiting (average approximately 1,274 days), SCL approximately 3,742 (average approximately 7.8 years), HCB approximately 5,360 (average approximately 119 days), and ABI/ABI LTC/Model II had no waitlist in that snapshot — approximately 16,373 unduplicated people total. SFY26 added 1,250 slots effective July 1, 2025 (HCB +500, MPW +500, SCL +250). These figures change. Confirm current waitlist counts and slot releases with CHFS or your ADRC before you plan around them. CHFS says the MPW waiting list is ordered by application completion date — confirm current ordering rules with CHFS.
Official source ↗Step 7
DMS communicates by mailed letter after review, and waitlists can run years. Update kynect and the waiver's operating agency whenever your address, phone, or email changes so an offer or request for information never goes to a dead address.
Official source ↗Step 8
ABI, ABI LTC, Model II, and CHILD questions go to the DMS 1915(c) Waiver Help Desk at (844) 784-5614 / 1915cWaiverHelpDesk@ky.gov. HCB goes to the Department for Aging and Independent Living at (877) 315-0589. MPW and SCL go to DBHDID at (502) 564-7700. Keep the date, person, and outcome of each call.
Official source ↗Step 9
The Community Health for Improved Lives and Development (CHILD) waiver serves children and youth up to age 21 who need stabilization support due to high-intensity behavioral health or developmental needs. If a child is waiting on MPW or SCL, ask the DMS 1915(c) Waiver Help Desk whether CHILD fits.
Official source ↗Step 10
DMS reviews the application and mails a letter with the decision and next steps. Save the letter, the date it arrived, any MAP-10 or evaluation appointment dates named in it, and the next action you were asked to take. Confirm those next steps with the operating agency named in the letter — WaiverPath does not interpret the decision.
Official source ↗Confirm the current document requirements with CHFS or the operating agency before you submit through kynect.
These are paperwork-tracking notes, not legal advice.
Mailing a Kentucky waiver application
CHFS states that applications are not accepted by mail. Kentucky waiver applications go through kynect or an in-person ADRC/CMHC visit. Confirm the current submission method with CHFS before you send anything.
Treating Medicaid and the waiver as one application
Waiver-supportive Medicaid and the 1915(c) waiver are separate applications. Confirm current sequencing (whether a pending Medicaid application is enough to start the waiver) with CHFS, DCBS, or your ADRC — WaiverPath does not determine enrollment order.
Calling the wrong Kentucky help desk
ABI, ABI LTC, Model II, and CHILD questions go to the DMS 1915(c) Waiver Help Desk at (844) 784-5614. HCB goes to DAIL at (877) 315-0589. MPW and SCL go to DBHDID at (502) 564-7700. Confirm the current desk for your waiver with CHFS.
Planning around a waitlist snapshot as if it were current
CHFS waitlist counts presented to the Kentucky legislature on 9/2/2025 are a dated snapshot. Slot releases and ordering rules change. Confirm current waitlist counts, ordering, and slot availability with CHFS or your ADRC before you plan around them.
This organizer covers Kentucky's 1915(c) waivers administered through CHFS Department for Medicaid Services: Michelle P. Waiver (MPW), Supports for Community Living (SCL), Home & Community Based (HCB) Waiver, Acquired Brain Injury (ABI and ABI LTC), Model II, and the CHILD waiver. Confirm current waiver names and who each serves with CHFS before you apply. WaiverPath does not determine which waiver applies to your family.
Apply online through kynect (kynect.ky.gov) or in person at an Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC line 877-925-0037) or a Community Mental Health Center. CHFS states that applications are not accepted by mail. Confirm current application routes with CHFS or your ADRC.
Medicaid and waiver services have separate applications. CHFS directs families to apply for waiver-supportive Medicaid through kynect, by phone with DCBS at (855) 306-8959, or in person at a DCBS office. Confirm current sequencing — including whether a pending Medicaid application is enough to start the waiver — with CHFS or DCBS. WaiverPath does not determine enrollment order.
Documents differ by waiver. MPW typically needs I/DD documentation such as an IEP, psychological evaluation, KEIS evaluation, or physician's order. SCL typically needs a psychological evaluation with a full-scale IQ and adaptive behavior assessment. ABI, HCB, and Model II typically need a MAP-10 plus medical records. CHILD typically needs a physician statement plus behavioral-health or psycho-educational records. Confirm the current document list for your waiver with CHFS or the operating agency before you submit.
CHFS figures presented to the Kentucky legislature on 9/2/2025 listed approximately 9,686 people waiting for MPW (average approximately 1,274 days), 3,742 for SCL (average approximately 7.8 years), and 5,360 for HCB (average approximately 119 days). That same snapshot listed no waitlist for ABI, ABI LTC, and Model II. SFY26 added 1,250 slots effective July 1, 2025. These figures change. Confirm current waitlist counts, ordering, and slot releases with CHFS or your ADRC before you plan around them.
ABI, ABI LTC, Model II, and CHILD questions go to the DMS 1915(c) Waiver Help Desk at (844) 784-5614 or 1915cWaiverHelpDesk@ky.gov. HCB questions go to the Department for Aging and Independent Living (DAIL) at (877) 315-0589. MPW and SCL questions go to DBHDID at (502) 564-7700. Confirm the current desk and hours with CHFS.
The Community Health for Improved Lives and Development (CHILD) waiver serves children and youth up to age 21 who need stabilization support because of high-intensity behavioral-health or developmental needs. If a child is waiting on MPW or SCL, ask the DMS 1915(c) Waiver Help Desk whether CHILD also fits. Confirm current CHILD criteria and slot availability with CHFS.
No. WaiverPath is an organizer only. It helps families track steps, gather documents, and log follow-up calls. Families submit the application through kynect or an ADRC/CMHC. WaiverPath does not contact any Kentucky agency on your behalf, does not determine eligibility, and does not create or extend any deadlines. Confirm every requirement with CHFS, your ADRC, or your case manager.
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.
Last reviewed by WaiverPath: September 8, 2026.
Last reviewed by WaiverPath: September 8, 2026.
