Individuals and Families

Consistent individual budgets

In the new Disability Waiver Program, you will get a budget you can use to plan for services. Your budget is the money you can use for the waiver services you choose. It is based on your support needs, your age, and whether you choose residential services (like living in a group home) or other supports.

How budgets are determined

These individual budgets are calculated using a consistent method so people with similar needs have similar budgets, no matter what county or Tribal Nation they live in. Most important, you choose how your budget is used.

Services in the budget

Not all services are paid for through your individual budget. Some services, such as case management, crisis respite and employment services, will be paid for outside of your budget. This means they do not reduce the amount of your budget available for other services you choose.

We will share more information about budgets and what services are included in the budget when those details are available.

Budget exceptions

We designed the individual budget based on the needs of most people using the waiver system. We recognize that people have a wide range of needs. You might have higher or more complex support needs that might not fully align with the standard budget.

In these cases, you might need more services than your budget can cover. When that happens, there is a budget exception process. Note: Budget exceptions are not automatic. You will need to meet specific criteria to qualify. We will share more information about the budget exception process when those details are available.

Simplified waivers that are easier to understand

The new Disability Waiver Program will simplify the number of waivers from four diagnosis-based waivers to two waivers based on your needs and choices:

• Individual Support Waiver

Everyone who is eligible for a waiver may choose to live in their own home, or with family, and access services and supports through the Individual Support Waiver.

• Residential Support Waiver

The Residential Support Waiver is available for those who need and choose to receive services and supports as a part of a structured residential setting, such as a group home.

As long as you meet the eligibility criteria, you may move between the two waivers as your needs and preferences change.

Overall waiver eligibility rules will remain the same. If you have a waiver today, you will be eligible for a waiver in the new program as long as your situation doesn’t change. As in the past, your initial and ongoing eligibility will be determined as a part of their MnCHOICES assessment or reassessment.

The new Disability Waiver Program will not change overall eligibility rules or the overall service menu.

Expansion of self-direction

People who live at home, or with family, and choose to self-direct their services through consumer directed community supports (CDCS) will have expanded opportunities to do so. Under the new Disability Waiver Program, people who self-direct will benefit from improved budget structures that make self-direction a more practical and appealing option.

These improvements mean people can choose self-direction with greater confidence—knowing they will have more equitable resources, more flexibility, and more control over how their services support their daily life.

We are continuing to explore how people who live in a residential setting such as a group home might be able to self-direct some of their services in the future.

Direct access to your own information

As a part of the new program, we are developing a new secure, easy-to-use online portal. The portal will give you easy access to your own information. It will help you understand, manage and plan your supports. 

Through this new online portal, you will be able to:

• See your assessment results.
• Find your support plan and budget.
• Access resources that explain what these details mean and how to use them.