Treating an incomplete packet as being on the list
CHFS orders the MPW waiting list by application completion date. Log missing documents and the date you supplied them. Confirm with CHFS or your ADRC whether the application is complete.
Kentucky · Michelle P. Waiver
Michelle P. Waiver: what it covers and how to apply
The Michelle P. Waiver (MPW) is Kentucky's largest 1915(c) waiver for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities — and the one with the longest line in the CHFS 9/2/2025 snapshot. CHFS materials describe the application as online through kynect or in person; Kentucky does not accept mailed applications. WaiverPath organizes the documents, dates, and years of follow-up around that submission. It is an organizer, not an eligibility decision. Confirm every step, form, and timeline 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: September 2026.
No card required. WaiverPath is an organizer, not a government application or eligibility service.
What MPW covers
CHFS lists behavioral supports, day training, home adaptations, personal care, and respite. Participants can use traditional provider agencies or hire their own staff through Participant Directed Services. Confirm current covered services with CHFS or your ADRC.
Who CHFS describes as eligible
CHFS materials describe a person with an intellectual or developmental disability who would otherwise need institutional care, needs a protected learning environment, and meets Medicaid financial requirements — documented with an IEP, psychological evaluation, KEIS evaluation, or physician's order. Confirm current criteria with CHFS. WaiverPath does not determine eligibility.
The waitlist, as a dated snapshot
Per CHFS figures presented to the legislature 9/2/2025: 9,686 people waiting, average wait 1,274 days (~3.5 years). That same snapshot said SFY26 added 500 MPW slots effective July 1, 2025. The list is ordered by application completion date. These figures change. Confirm current status with CHFS or your ADRC.
How the MPW application works
- Step 1 — Confirm current MPW criteria. Before you treat any printed list as current, confirm Michelle P. Waiver (MPW) criteria, documents, and waitlist status with CHFS, your ADRC, or your case manager. WaiverPath does not determine eligibility.
- Step 2 — Apply for waiver-supportive Medicaid. CHFS materials describe a Medicaid step first: apply online at kynect.ky.gov (Kentucky Online Gateway account), by phone with DCBS at (855) 306-8959, or in person at a DCBS office. Confirm the current Medicaid path with DCBS.
- Step 3 — Submit the MPW application through kynect or in person. Once Medicaid is approved or pending, CHFS materials describe submitting the waiver application through kynect or in person at an ADRC ((877) 925-0037) or a Community Mental Health Center. CHFS's how-to-apply guide (updated January 13, 2026) states that applications are not accepted by mail.
- Step 4 — Gather I/DD documentation. CHFS materials list records such as an IEP, psychological evaluation, Kentucky Early Intervention System (KEIS) evaluation, or a physician's order. Confirm the current document list with CHFS or DBHDID before you submit.
- Step 5 — Record the submission date and confirmation number. CHFS says the MPW waiting list is ordered by application completion date. Store the submission date, confirmation number, and a copy of what you submitted in one place the same day.
- Step 6 — Keep kynect and DBHDID contact information current. DMS communicates by mailed letter, and waits are measured in years. Update kynect and DBHDID whenever address, phone, or email changes. Confirm the current contact-update process with CHFS or your ADRC.
- Step 7 — Log quarterly check-ins. MPW and SCL questions go to DBHDID at (502) 564-7700. General ADRC help is (877) 925-0037. Log the date, person, and what they confirmed. Confirm you are still on the list rather than assuming silence means you are.
- Step 8 — Track waitlist letters in one organizer. Keep DMS letters, slot-release notes, and follow-up tasks together. WaiverPath is an organizer only — it does not submit applications, extend deadlines, or decide eligibility.
What to gather before the kynect application
This is an organizer list, not an official CHFS packet. Confirm the current document list with CHFS or DBHDID.
| Group | Examples families often store | Confirm with |
|---|---|---|
| Disability documentation | IEP, psychological evaluation, KEIS evaluation, or physician's order documenting intellectual or developmental disability. | Confirm the current MPW document list with CHFS or DBHDID before you submit. |
| Medicaid / kynect records | Kentucky Online Gateway login, Medicaid application confirmation, and any pending-or-approved notice. | Confirm the current Medicaid path with DCBS. WaiverPath does not file Medicaid applications. |
| Identity and contact | Legal name, date of birth, current mailing address, phone, and email as they should appear on kynect. | DMS letters go by mail. Confirm the current address-update process with kynect or your ADRC. |
| Submission proof | Application completion date, confirmation number, and a copy of what you submitted. | CHFS orders the waitlist by application completion date. Store proof the same day. |
Organizer checklist while you wait
- Keep a complete-application log. CHFS orders the MPW waiting list by application completion date. Track which documents are still outstanding.
- Keep contact information current. DMS communicates by mailed letter. Update kynect and DBHDID whenever your address, phone, or email changes.
- Check in quarterly and log every call. Confirm you are still on the list and ask about slot releases. MPW/SCL questions go to DBHDID at (502) 564-7700.
- Families with children: ask CHFS whether CHILD also applies. Kentucky's Community Health for Improved Lives and Development waiver serves children and youth up to 21 with high-intensity behavioral health or developmental needs. Confirm with CHFS or the DMS 1915(c) Waiver Help Desk whether CHILD is a current path alongside MPW or SCL.
Four organizer mistakes that stall MPW packets
Letting contact information go stale
Average waits in the 9/2/2025 CHFS snapshot were measured in years, and DMS communicates by mailed letter. Update kynect and DBHDID when address, phone, or email changes.
Assuming mail is still accepted
CHFS's January 13, 2026 how-to-apply guide states that applications are not accepted by mail. Confirm the current channel before you mail a MAP-115 or any other packet.
Skipping the call log
Quarterly DBHDID or ADRC check-ins only help if you can show the date, the person, and what they confirmed. WaiverPath stores that log; it does not make the call.
Michelle P. Waiver FAQ
What is the Michelle P. Waiver?
The Michelle P. Waiver (MPW) is one of Kentucky's 1915(c) Home and Community Based Services Medicaid waivers, run by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) Department for Medicaid Services. CHFS materials describe it as helping people with intellectual or developmental disabilities live at home and in the community instead of an institution, with services such as behavioral supports, day training, home adaptations, personal care, and respite. Confirm current covered services with CHFS or your ADRC.
Who does CHFS describe as eligible for the Michelle P. Waiver?
Per CHFS materials: someone with an intellectual or developmental disability who would need institutional care without waiver services, who needs a protected learning environment, and who meets Medicaid financial requirements. Applicants generally document the disability with records such as an IEP, psychological evaluation, KEIS evaluation, or a physician's order. WaiverPath does not determine eligibility. Confirm current criteria with CHFS, DBHDID, or your ADRC.
How do I apply for the Michelle P. Waiver?
CHFS materials describe two steps, and neither can be mailed. First get waiver-supportive Medicaid — online at kynect.ky.gov, by phone with DCBS at (855) 306-8959, or in person at a DCBS office. Then, once Medicaid is approved or pending, submit the waiver application through kynect or in person at an Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC, (877) 925-0037) or a Community Mental Health Center. Confirm the current sequence with CHFS or your ADRC.
Can I mail a Michelle P. Waiver application?
CHFS's official how-to-apply guide (updated January 13, 2026) states twice that applications are not accepted by mail. The older paper MAP-115 route has been superseded by kynect. Confirm the current channel with CHFS or your ADRC before you send anything.
Is there a Michelle P. Waiver waitlist?
Yes. Per CHFS figures presented to the Kentucky legislature on 9/2/2025, MPW had 9,686 people waiting with an average wait of 1,274 days — roughly 3.5 years. The same snapshot said the state added 500 MPW slots for SFY26, effective July 1, 2025. CHFS says the list is ordered by application completion date. These figures change. Confirm current waitlist status and slot counts with CHFS or your ADRC.
How is the MPW waitlist ordered?
CHFS materials say the list is ordered by application completion date — an application still missing documents is generally not yet in line. Confirm the current ordering rule with CHFS, DBHDID, or your ADRC. WaiverPath does not place anyone on the list.
Who do I call with Michelle P. Waiver questions?
MPW (and SCL) questions go to the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities (DBHDID) at (502) 564-7700. General ADRC help is at (877) 925-0037. Confirm the current phone tree with CHFS if a number has changed.
Does WaiverPath apply for the Michelle P. Waiver for me?
No. WaiverPath is an organizer only. It does not submit applications, determine eligibility, provide legal or medical advice, or contact CHFS on your behalf. Confirm every requirement with CHFS, your ADRC, or your case manager.
MPW is one of seven Kentucky 1915(c) waivers — SCL, HCB, ABI, ABI LTC, Model II, and the CHILD waiver each fit different needs. CHFS materials have at times described ABI and Model II as having no slot waitlist — confirm current slot status with CHFS or the DMS 1915(c) Waiver Help Desk. See the Kentucky Medicaid waiver application guide and the Kentucky HCBS waiver checklist for the full picture.
Official sources
Last reviewed by WaiverPath: September 8, 2026.
Medicaid.gov Home & Community Based ServicesFederal HCBS overview describing home and community-based services for Medicaid beneficiaries.Kentucky CHFS — Michelle P. Waiver (MPW)Official CHFS/DMS page for the Michelle P. Waiver: services, eligibility, how to apply, and the waiting list based on application completion date.CHFS guide: Applying for Waiver Services (updated 01/13/26)Official CHFS how-to-apply guide covering all seven 1915(c) waivers, kynect and in-person application routes, required documents per waiver, and help-desk contacts. States that applications are not accepted by mail.kynect — Kentucky's benefits portalKentucky's official online portal for Medicaid and waiver applications. Requires a Kentucky Online Gateway (KOG) account.
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 11, 2026.