Waiver Reimagine update: Planning continues to set a new timeline

Oct. 29, 2026

DHS continues to develop Minnesota’s new Disability Waiver Program through Waiver Reimagine. This quarterly update shares DHS’ current work, engagement takeaways and additional work and decisions still needed.

Implementation timeline

The new Disability Waiver Program will not launch in 2027. We hoped to share an updated timeline by now, but we still need to complete important work before we can set a new timeline. We will base it on the time:

• We need to carefully complete this work.
• People, families, providers and lead agencies need to prepare.

Policy and budget development

We have focused recent policy and budget work on:

• How individual budgets will work.
• How the new program will meet people’s assessed needs.

Budget range recalibration

DHS continued work with the Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) to refine the proposed Individual Support Waiver (ISW) and Residential Support Waiver (RSW) budget ranges. The Expert Panel and Advisory Task Force on Waiver Reimagine reviewed the preliminary ISW findings produced by this work in August 2026.

DHS began this recalibration work in preparation for a Jan. 1, 2027, launch. After reviewing the impacts of 2026 legislation and the uncertainty around the Waiver Reimagine implementation timeline, we paused work on the RSW budget ranges. We may need to update the ISW ranges again when we set a new implementation date.

Budget exception request criteria

DHS drafted criteria to identify when a person may qualify to ask for more funding if their budget does not meet their assessed needs. We are reviewing the Advisory Task Force on Waiver Reimagine and Expert Panel’s considerations and gathering more information to refine the criteria and understand their impact.

Preparing people and systems for change

DHS recognizes that the new Disability Waiver Program will bring changes and new opportunities for people and partners. Feedback, including experiences with previous system changes, has reinforced the need for clear information, meaningful engagement and adequate time to prepare.

The following work is underway:

• Learning framework: Identify what different audiences need to learn and how they prefer to learn to prepare for the new program.
• Case for change: Clearly explain why we initiated Waiver Reimagine and what the new program aims to improve.
• Core communications content: Develop clear, consistent information about the changes that we can adapt for different audiences and uses.

We plan to complete audience engagement to help inform, test and refine these materials in the future.

Engagement and input

DHS continued gathering input from people who use and administer waiver services through:

• Regional lead agency meetings.
• Expert Panel.
• Advisory Task Force on Waiver Reimagine.
• Other engagement activities.

This feedback is helping DHS better understand people’s priorities and informing the development of the new program.

Feedback on terms used to explain individual budgets

DHS gathered feedback on terms used to explain individual budgets from the Virtual Insight Panel (VIP), Professional Insight Panel (PIP) and Expert Panel. We are using the feedback to identify language that is easier to understand. The feedback will inform how we explain individual budgets in future communications and materials.

Regional meetings with lead agency staff

Regional meetings with lead agency staff highlighted the importance of clear guidance, manageable workloads and thoughtful implementation planning. Lead agencies emphasized the need for clear roles, communication and adequate support. DHS leadership and teams developing the new program will use this feedback to help inform implementation planning.

Expert Panel

The Expert Panel held its final meeting on Oct. 27, 2026. The 39 members brought lived experience and practical expertise to help DHS test and refine the proposed support range model. Their feedback helped identify gaps and informed changes to:

• Support range descriptions.
• Service mixes.
• Proposed budget exception types and criteria.

We will share more about the panel’s work, findings and recommendations from its final report in the next Waiver Reimagine update.

Advisory Task Force on Waiver Reimagine

The Advisory Task Force on Waiver Reimagine is working to:

• Consolidate members’ work within the last year to inform their recommendations.
• Develop a report outlining these recommendations, which DHS must submit to the Minnesota Legislature by Jan. 15, 2027.

Looking ahead

DHS will continue providing quarterly updates as this work progresses. We will share decisions, what they mean for people who use and support disability waiver services and what to expect next.