Pennsylvania · ODP · OLTL · CHC · Adult Autism

Pennsylvania Medicaid waiver guide

Pennsylvania operates six home- and community-based services (HCBS) waiver paths across two offices: the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) for Consolidated, Community Living, Person/Family Directed Support (P/FDS), and Adult Autism — entered through the county Mental Health/Intellectual Disabilities (MH/ID) office — and the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) for Community HealthChoices (CHC) and OBRA. Your first-contact date with the office handling your path — and, for Consolidated or Community Living, your ODP Interest List or waiting-list date — are the records you own. WaiverPath helps you track those dates and every document and deadline along the way.

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.

Consolidated Waiver

Pennsylvania's broadest Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) waiver for people with an intellectual disability, autism, or developmental disability who need more intensive or residential home- and community-based supports. Administered by DHS ODP through the county Mental Health/Intellectual Disabilities (MH/ID) office — also called the county Intellectual Disabilities/Autism (ID/A) office. Start by contacting the county office to register for supports. Confirm current eligibility criteria, documentation, and Interest List procedures with your county MH/ID office.

Community Living Waiver

An ODP waiver for people with intellectual disability, autism, or developmental disability who meet current ODP rules and need HCBS supports, often at a less intensive level than the Consolidated Waiver. Same county MH/ID entry point as Consolidated. Ask the county office which track matches the person's documented support needs. Confirm current Community Living Waiver requirements, service limits, and availability with your county MH/ID office.

Person/Family Directed Support (P/FDS) Waiver

An ODP waiver for people with intellectual disability, autism, or developmental disability who qualify for ODP services and need capped home- and community-based supports, including traditional provider models and self-directed options. Contact the county MH/ID office and ask how P/FDS differs from Consolidated and Community Living for your family member. Confirm current service caps, eligibility criteria, and intake steps with the county office or support coordinator.

Adult Autism Waiver

An ODP waiver for adults age 21 or older with autism spectrum disorder who need long-term services and supports for community living. PA.gov directs applicants to call the local county MH/ID office. Ask what autism diagnostic documentation is required, whether Medical Assistance must be active before the next step, and how the county communicates eligibility or waiting status. Confirm current eligibility, documentation, and availability through DHS or your county office.

Community HealthChoices (CHC)

Pennsylvania's Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) managed-care path for many adults age 21 or older, including people enrolled in both Medicare and Medical Assistance and people who need Medicaid long-term services and supports. PA.gov lists exclusions, including people receiving ODP services. Start with CHC enrollment resources, your county Assistance Office, Area Agency on Aging, or current managed care plan. Confirm current CHC eligibility and enrollment steps with DHS, OLTL, or the enrollment channel.

OBRA Waiver

An OLTL HCBS waiver for people with developmental physical disabilities who may need home- and community-based supports to live in the community. OBRA can interact with CHC enrollment rules for some adults. Contact OLTL, your county Assistance Office, or the local long-term services intake channel and ask whether OBRA or CHC is the correct path. Confirm current eligibility and enrollment with OLTL or the appropriate intake office.

How Pennsylvania waiver applications work in 2026

1
Identify your waiver track
Determine whether the applicant belongs in an ODP path (Consolidated, Community Living, P/FDS, or Adult Autism) or an OLTL path (CHC or OBRA). ODP tracks generally start with intellectual disability, autism, or developmental disability documentation through the county MH/ID office. CHC and OBRA are aging and physical-disability long-term services paths. Confirm the correct entry point with DHS, your county office, or a case manager before gathering forms.
2
Confirm Pennsylvania Medical Assistance enrollment
Pennsylvania Medicaid is called Medical Assistance. HCBS waiver services generally require active Medical Assistance before services can begin. Apply or renew through COMPASS (compass.state.pa.us), a county Assistance Office, or by calling 1-800-692-7462. Keep your Medical Assistance ID and any approval notice separately from county MH/ID, ODP, CHC, OBRA, and support-coordination records.
3
Contact the correct local intake office and record the first-contact date
For ODP waivers and Adult Autism, contact the county MH/ID office and ask to register for supports or services. Find county contacts through the DHS county directory (dhs.pa.gov/contact) or by calling 1-800-692-7462. For CHC or OBRA, contact the CHC/OLTL enrollment path, county Assistance Office, Area Agency on Aging, or managed care plan. Record the date, person, phone number, agency, what they asked for, and the next deadline.
4
Request Interest List, priority, or enrollment status in writing
For Consolidated and Community Living, ask the county MH/ID office how they document Interest List registration, recorded urgency or need category, and any waiting-list or priority category. Request written confirmation of your Interest List date and recorded urgency or need category — that date and category are your documented position. For CHC or OBRA, ask how assessment dates, managed-care enrollment, and eligibility notices are recorded. Confirm the current process with the office handling your intake.
5
Assemble required documents
For ODP tracks, gather diagnosis and functional-support records, school or IEP records if relevant, proof of Pennsylvania residency, identity documents, and Medical Assistance confirmation. For CHC or OBRA, gather medical and functional records, Medicare/Medicaid cards, and any assessment notices. Ask the intake office which documents are required today before your first appointment.
6
Keep contact information current and monitor every parallel record
Pennsylvania families often manage Medical Assistance renewal, county MH/ID contacts, support coordinator notes, CHC MCO contacts, assessment dates, and mailed DHS notices at the same time. Keep your address, phone, and email current with every office that has an open record. Put every date and contact in one tracker and confirm any unclear instruction with the state, county office, case manager, or managed care plan.

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The ODP Interest List reality

Pennsylvania ODP maintains a statewide Interest List for Consolidated and Community Living waiver slots. Priority is based on the date you were registered and an official urgency or need category the county records. ODP's current PUNS manual on PA.gov describes three need categories — Emergency Need, Critical Need, and Planning for Need — but category names and procedures can change. The list has historically been large, and applicants who are not in an emergency-need category may wait several years. There is no single published wait time that applies to every county or every family. Request written confirmation of your Interest List or waiting-list date and recorded urgency category from your county MH/ID office and store it as a permanent record. Keep your address, phone, and email current with the county office at all times — a notice sent to a stale address is a notice missed. Confirm current category names, wait estimates, and your recorded status directly with your county MH/ID office or ODP.

Pennsylvania Medicaid waiver FAQ

Which Pennsylvania Medicaid waiver is right for my family?

It depends on the person's disability type, age, and documented support needs. For intellectual disability, autism, or developmental disability, ODP waivers — Consolidated, Community Living, P/FDS, and Adult Autism — generally start at the county MH/ID office. Adult Autism focuses on adults age 21 or older with ASD. CHC and OBRA are OLTL pathways for many aging and physical-disability long-term services. Confirm the correct entry point with Pennsylvania DHS, your county MH/ID office, OLTL, or a case manager before gathering forms.

How do I apply for a Pennsylvania Medicaid waiver?

For ODP waivers such as Consolidated, Community Living, P/FDS, and Adult Autism: contact the local county MH/ID office and ask to register for supports or services. PA.gov service pages point families to the county office, not a direct family application mailed to DHS. For CHC or OBRA: contact CHC/OLTL enrollment resources, your county Assistance Office, Area Agency on Aging, or managed care plan and ask how to request the level-of-care assessment. All Pennsylvania HCBS waivers generally require active Medical Assistance — apply through COMPASS (compass.state.pa.us), a county Assistance Office, or by calling 1-800-692-7462. Confirm current application procedures with the office handling your intake.

How long is the Pennsylvania ODP Interest List?

Pennsylvania ODP maintains a statewide Interest List for Consolidated and Community Living waiver slots. Placement priority is based on the date registered and an official urgency or need category the county records. ODP's current PUNS manual on PA.gov describes three need categories — Emergency Need, Critical Need, and Planning for Need — but names and procedures can change. The list has historically been large, and wait times for applicants who are not in an emergency-need category can span several years. There is no single published wait time that applies to every family. Request written confirmation of your Interest List or waiting-list date and recorded urgency category from your county MH/ID office and keep it. Confirm current category names, wait estimates, and your recorded status directly with the county office or ODP.

What is the difference between Consolidated, Community Living, and P/FDS?

All three are ODP HCBS waivers for people with intellectual disability, autism, or developmental disability, but they differ in scope, service limits, and support intensity. Consolidated is generally broader, Community Living generally supports less intensive needs, and P/FDS can include capped supports and self-directed options. These distinctions are policy details and can change — confirm the current differences with your county MH/ID office or support coordinator.

What documents do I need for a Pennsylvania waiver application?

For ODP tracks, families typically gather psychological evaluations, adaptive behavior records, autism or developmental disability documentation, school or IEP records, prior service plans, proof of Pennsylvania residency, identity documents, and Medical Assistance information. For CHC or OBRA, collect medical records, functional-support documentation, current care-plan notes, Medicare/Medicaid cards, and any assessment notices. Exact requirements vary — ask the intake office which documents are required today before your first appointment.

What is Community HealthChoices and who is it for?

Community HealthChoices is Pennsylvania's managed-care program for many adults age 21 or older who receive both Medicare and Medicaid or need Medicaid long-term services and supports. PA.gov lists eligibility categories and exclusions, including that people receiving services through DHS's Office of Developmental Programs are not eligible for CHC. Confirm CHC eligibility and enrollment steps with DHS, OLTL, your county Assistance Office, Area Agency on Aging, or managed care plan.

Does WaiverPath apply for the waiver on my behalf in Pennsylvania?

No. Pennsylvania ODP applications go through your county MH/ID office. CHC and OBRA enrollment go through OLTL, the county Assistance Office, Area Agency on Aging, or a managed care plan. WaiverPath is an organizer — it helps you record your county first-contact date, Interest List or assessment date, required documents, and every agency contact so a notice or deadline does not slip past you. It does not determine eligibility, submit applications for you, identify which waiver you should pursue, or provide legal, medical, or benefits advice. Always confirm the correct track and status with Pennsylvania DHS, your county MH/ID office, OLTL, CHC plan, county Assistance Office, Area Agency on Aging, or a case manager.

Related Pennsylvania and national guides

Last reviewed: August 2026.