This checklist helps Pennsylvania families organize the Consolidated, Community Living, Adult Autism, or Community HealthChoices waiver application — from confirming Medical Assistance enrollment through contacting your county ID/A office and tracking the ODP Interest List. It is an organizer, not an eligibility decision.
Step 1
Identify your Pennsylvania waiver track
Pennsylvania splits HCBS waivers by population and administering office. For ODP waivers such as Consolidated, Community Living, and P/FDS, the entry point is your county's Intellectual Disabilities/Autism (ID/A) office. Adults age 21 or older with autism may also need to ask about the Adult Autism Waiver path. CHC is generally an OLTL managed-care path for adults age 21 or older who meet CHC enrollment categories, including dual Medicare/Medicaid eligibility or Medicaid long-term services and supports needs. Confirm the correct entry point with DHS, OLTL, your county office, or the enrollment channel before gathering forms.
Official source ↗Step 2
Contact your county Intellectual Disabilities/Autism (ID/A) office for ODP waivers
For Consolidated Waiver, Community Living Waiver, P/FDS, and Adult Autism Waiver intake, the starting point is your county's ID/A office. The county office can explain how registration, eligibility review, and any Interest List or priority status are documented. Find your county's ID/A office through the DHS county contacts directory or by calling the DHS helpline at 1-800-692-7462. Record the date and name of your first contact.
Official source ↗Step 3
Understand the ODP Interest List — date matters
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 ID/A office and keep it. Confirm current category names, wait estimates, and your recorded status directly with the county office or ODP.
Official source ↗Step 4
Apply for Pennsylvania Medicaid (Medical Assistance)
All Pennsylvania HCBS waivers require active Pennsylvania Medicaid (called Medical Assistance in PA). Apply online at COMPASS (compass.state.pa.us), in person at your county Assistance Office, or by calling 1-800-692-7462. Keep your Medical Assistance ID and any approval notice — both are required throughout the waiver process. If the applicant is not yet enrolled in Medicaid, begin the application concurrent with your county ID/A outreach.
Official source ↗Step 5
For CHC or OBRA: confirm the OLTL enrollment path
Community HealthChoices (CHC) is an OLTL managed-care path for many Medicaid participants age 21 or older, including people enrolled in both Medicare and Medical Assistance and people who qualify for Medicaid long-term services and supports because they need a nursing-facility level of care. OBRA remains a separate OLTL waiver for some people with developmental physical disabilities and has its own current eligibility rules. Contact the Independent Enrollment Broker, OLTL, your county Assistance Office, Area Agency on Aging, or managed care plan to confirm the right path and assessment process.
Official source ↗Step 6
Assemble eligibility documents before your county ID/A meeting
Gather records that document the applicant's diagnosis, functional support needs, residency, identity, and Medical Assistance status before your first county ID/A intake appointment. For ODP paths, ask the county office which psychological, adaptive behavior, autism, developmental disability, medical, school, or IEP records are required for the program being considered. For CHC or OBRA, ask the intake channel which medical and functional records are needed for the level-of-care assessment.
Official source ↗Step 7
Understand Support Coordination — assigned at enrollment
Pennsylvania ODP waiver participants are assigned a Support Coordinator through a Support Coordination Organization (SCO). The Support Coordinator is your point of contact for service planning, Individual Support Plan (ISP) development, and provider coordination after a waiver slot is offered. You do not choose services independently — the ISP process determines what the waiver covers. Understand the ISP process before your first planning meeting; record dates and participants at every ISP meeting.
Official source ↗Step 8
Log every call, meeting, and document exchange
Keep a single running log of every contact with your county ID/A office, DHS, OLTL, SCO, MCO, or providers: date, person, what was discussed, what was submitted, and next steps. Pennsylvania waiver processes involve multiple agencies, offices, and handoffs — your log is the only complete record you own. A missed update or unreturned form can cost months or years of priority status.
Official source ↗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.
