What Is the Best Waiver for my family member? A Simple Breakdown of All Colorado Medicaid Waivers
When I started helping families navigate Colorado’s Medicaid waivers, the hardest part wasn’t the paperwork, it was choosing the right waiver. With so many acronyms, DD, SLS, CES, CHRP, EBD, CIH, CMHS, BI, and more, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and stall the process.
That confusion is exactly why I built Navigating Disabilities Colorado (NDC): to help you match your child’s needs to the waiver that’s the best fit, fast, accurately, and without guesswork.
What Colorado Waivers Are Available, and Which Might Fit
Colorado offers several Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers through Medicaid. Each serves different age groups and needs:
Adult Waivers
Developmental Disabilities (DD) Waiver: Provides round-the-clock 24/7 support, residential care, day habilitation, and employment services for adults with IDD.
Supported Living Services (SLS) Waiver: For adults who need support but not 24/7 supervision, focuses on personal care, employment, and community integration.
Elderly, Blind & Disabled (EBD) Waiver: Supports seniors or physically disabled adults needing nursing-home-level care at home.
Complementary & Integrative Health (CIH) Waiver: Offers services like massage and chiropractic for conditions like SCI, MS, or cerebral palsy.
Community Mental Health Supports (CMHS) Waiver: For long-term mental health support to keep individuals in the community.
Brain Injury (BI) Waiver: Supports those recovering from or living with brain injuries.
Children's Waivers
Children’s Extensive Support (CES) Waiver: Helps children with intense care needs stay with family while receiving essential services.
Children’s Habilitation Residential Program (CHRP) Waiver: For youth needing high levels of care but living at home.
Children with Complex Health Needs (CwCHN) Waiver: Combines older children’s waivers into one for medical complexity.
Children’s Life-Limiting Illness (CLLI) Waiver: Supports children with serious chronic conditions requiring substantial care.
For a full list and side-by-side comparison, visit the Colorado HCPF HCBS Waiver page, which includes Waiver Comparison Charts.
Why Selecting the Right Waiver Matters
Choosing the most fitting waiver ensures your child gets the right services, promptly, not on a waitlist.
Apply for the wrong one? You could end up stuck with limited services or heavy delays.
Match the waiver to the need and age (e.g., DD for 24/7 support, SLS for independence with light support).
Some transitions work better than others, like switching from CES to SLS or DD depending on your child’s development and home situation.
How NDC Helps Simplify the Choice
Here’s what I offer to help families choose confidently:
A Waiver Matching Quiz to pinpoint your top-fit options.
A downloadable Waiver Comparison PDF that breaks down services, eligibility, and benefits side by side.
Expert guidance inside the Core / VIP programs to support you through application, planning, and transition.