There are currently over 27,000 people waiting for waiver services in Ohio. There is greater need than resources available. County boards maintain waiting lists for services that are not available due to limited resources. This includes waiting lists for the IO Waiver, Level I Waiver, and possibly for locally
funded services. In order to determine if an individual should be on a waiting list and the various options that may meet his/her needs, contact the local county board.
For HCBS waivers, the law requires a county board to follow this order:
Emergencies
Priorities
Date of Request
Emergency [ + ]
County boards must follow the definition of emergency that is in the law. This definition in part states; an emergency is any situation that creates for an individual with DODD a risk of substantial self-harm or substantial harm to others if action isn’t taken within 30 days.
A few examples of situations that may create substantial harm could be:
Loss of residence
Loss of caretaker
Abuse, neglect or exploitation
**It’s important to note that each individual situation is different. If you think you/your family member is an emergency, contact your county board and let the county board know your specific situation.
Priority Categories [ + ]
Priority categories are defined in statute and rule. The local county board will determine if a priority category exist on a case by case basis. Generally, the County Board has the ability to “refinance” local expenditures, as well as serve emergencies, individuals with intensive
needs or individuals who are living with aging caregivers as a priority, as opposed to simply offering waiver services according to the oldest original waiting list date, first.
*For the entire statute and/or rule – please refer to the links above for rule and statute
The Future of the Waiting List?
The DODD Futures Committee has recommended an overhaul to the waiting list statute to accommodate the needs of individuals and families in context of the realities of Ohio’s unique funding streams and local services.
The DODD Futures Progress report distributed April 29, 2009 indicated the following updates pertaining to what is happening with the overhaul of the waiting list statute:
DODD outlined a statewide strategy to revise and better manage waiting lists. A stakeholder group is refining the strategy.
DODD began producing a quarterly report of waiting list data and continues to work with county boards to "clean" the data.
DODD analyzed waiver expenditures by county; the analysis will be used to inform discussion about high-cost waivers.
County boards participating in the county collaborative project are mapping business practices, including waiting list management, for the purpose of identifying opportunities for improvement, efficiencies, and collaboration.
