Funding by state, answered plainly

Does Medicaid pay for supported homes in Delaware?

How a supported-home bed is funded in Delaware — with the official agency to verify.

Yes — in Delaware, Medicaid pays the support services in a supported home through the Lifespan Waiver (DHSS Division of Developmental Disabilities Services); long-term services also run through Diamond State Health Plan-Plus. It generally does not pay room and board (the resident’s SSI usually covers that), and Medicare does not pay for a supported-home bed. Verify eligibility and the waitlist with DE DDDS.

The Delaware waiver that pays

In Delaware, the residential support services in a supported home are paid by the Lifespan Waiver (DHSS Division of Developmental Disabilities Services); long-term services also run through Diamond State Health Plan-Plus. Medicaid funds the services; the resident’s SSI pays the room and board. This two-stream model is how a bed gets funded — see Does Medicaid pay for supported homes?

Verify: DE DDDS — dhss.delaware.gov/ddds. Full per-state reference: Medicaid waivers by state.

The waitlist (there isn't one), and how to apply

Good news: Delaware's Lifespan Waiver has no waitlist — KFF lists Delaware among the states with no HCBS waiting list. Apply through the DDDS Office of Applicant Services, (302) 744-9700. One state-specific catch: applying to DDDS is a separate step from applying for the waiver's services — do both, with a DDDS case manager.

Source: KFF HCBS waiting-list data (2024); Delaware DDDS Intake.

Where to start

Contact DE DDDS to request an eligibility assessment and apply for the waiver, or ask a care manager or hospital discharge planner to start it. For free options counseling, call your local ADRC via the Eldercare Locator, 800-677-1116. In a crisis, call or text 988.

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Related

About Mai Heaven: this page is educational, not eligibility advice. We build small, permanent supported homes — also called group homes — for adults who are hard to place. Join the waiting list and we’ll reach out when a home opens near you. Need help now? Call or text 988, or dial 211.