The Waiver Unit determines Medicaid eligibility for applicants of all Ohio waiver programs.

Before an individual can be enrolled in a waiver program, they must first be determined Medicaid eligible. When we receive your application, we will work with you to determine your eligibility for the waiver program and other public assistance programs, including cash, medical, food, and Medicare assistance programs.

The Medicaid waiver program can be an alternative to nursing home placement. The income and resource guidelines are based on Ohio’s long-term care policy.

To apply for this program, applicants must complete ODM 02399 Request for Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) and the JFS 07200 Request for Cash, Food and Medical Assistance Application (if they do not have an open Medicaid case). Applications can be submitted online, faxed to 330.643.7431, mailed to 1180 S. Main Street, Suite 102, Akron, OH 44301-1256, or brought in to the agency.

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Enrollment in a Medicaid waiver program is determined with a level-of-care assessment completed by different Ohio agencies:

Area Agency on Aging oversees the PASSPORT Waiver program and the Assisted-Living Waiver program. PASSPORT services, for individuals 60 and older, include adult day health programs, environmental-accessibility adaptations, home-delivered meals, personal emergency-response systems, specialized medical equipment and supplies, chore assistance, independent-living assistance, nutritional consultation, personal-care services, social work and counseling, and transportation. The Assisted-Living Waiver allows individuals age 18 and older to reside in and receive services from a licensed residential- care facility. Contact the Area Agency on Aging at 330.896.9172 to schedule an assessment, during which they will assist with your Medicaid application.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) administers the Bureau of Community Services (BCS), waiver program, which are designed to meet the home-care needs of individuals ages 0 to 60 whose medical condition and/or functional abilities would qualify them for Medicaid coverage in a nursing home or hospital. In addition to the core services of nursing, daily living, and skilled therapies, waiver services include home-delivered meals, emergency-response systems, supplement adaptive/ assistive devices, adult day health services, out-of-home respite, supplemental transportation, nutrition/social social work counseling, and care coordination. To apply, call the Medicaid Consumer Hotline at 1.800.324.8680 (toll free) or CareStar at 330.492-4530 or 1.800.423.1046 (toll free).

Summit County Developmental Disabilities Board oversees the Individual Options (IO) Waiver, the Level 1 Waiver, and the Self-Empowered Life Funding (SELF) waiver. IO Waiver services include homemaker/personal care, home modifications and adaptations, non-medical transportation, respite care, social work, home-delivered meals, nutrition, interpreter services, specialized adaptive or assistive medical equipment and supplies, supported employments, and adult day- services array. Level 1 Waiver services include homemaker/personal care, institutional respite, informal respite, non-medical transportation, personal-emergency response systems, specialized medical equipment and supplies, environmental accessibility adaptations, emergency assistance, supported employment, and adult day-services array. The SELF waiver is Ohio’s first participant-directed waiver. Participant direction means that individuals with developmental disabilities have authority to make decisions about their waiver services and accept responsibility for taking a direct role in managing their services. To apply for any of these waivers, contact the Summit County Developmental Disabilities Board at 330.634.8000 or 1.877.271.6733 (toll free).