Finding a home, answered plainly
How do I find a supported home that takes Medicaid?
Who to call, what to verify, and the questions that reveal a good home fast.
Start with your state Medicaid agency, a care manager, or your local Aging & Disability Resource Center — call the Eldercare Locator at 800-677-1116. They know which HCBS-waiver homes serve your area and have openings. Medicaid pays the
services through a waiver; the resident's
SSI usually pays room and board. Ask each home which waiver it bills and whether it has an opening.
Who to ask first (free)
- Your local ADRC / Area Agency on Aging — free information & referral. Reach one through the federal Eldercare Locator, 800-677-1116 or eldercare.acl.gov.
- Your state Medicaid agency — they administer the HCBS waivers that pay for these homes.
- A hospital discharge planner or Medicaid care manager — if you're leaving a hospital or already have Medicaid.
Source: Administration for Community Living, Eldercare Locator — eldercare.acl.gov.
Understand how the money works
Most Medicaid-funded supported homes are paid by two streams at once: Medicaid pays the support services through an HCBS waiver, and the resident's SSI pays the room and board. Knowing this helps you ask the right questions. See Does Medicaid pay for supported homes? and the waiver-by-state reference.
Questions to ask each home
- Which Medicaid HCBS waiver do you bill, and am I eligible for it?
- Do you have an opening now, or a waitlist?
- What does room and board cost, and does SSI cover it?
- What's the staff-to-resident ratio and overnight staffing?
- How do you handle medication and coordinate with my existing doctors?
- Can I see your license and your resident rights?
We keep a free, printable touring & vetting checklist with the 30 questions that reveal a bad home fast.
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.