You Choose
The 1991 Call to Action by Lucy Gwin
In 1994, most states offered assistance to families and individuals with developmental disabilities under Medicaid Home-and Community-Based Services waivers. Those waivers, which help keep children and adults with developmental disabilities out of institutions, were available to 157,180 people at an average annual $27,649 taxpayer cost per person served nationwide.
State waiting lists for qualifying families are as long as ten years.
In 1992, 7,538 adults with developmental disabilities in some states received supports known as Personal Assistance Services so that they might live in the community. The average cost per person served was $1,753. 14,779 others received Supported Living services in some states at an average annual taxpayer cost per person so served of $7,569. National average annual cost to taxpayers of the most expensive support services for a developmentally disabled person living at home: $27,649*
*This figure includes both people who require 24-hour support and people who require fewer services.