Joining the Virginia DD Waiver waitlist can bring both relief and uncertainty. Completing the screening means a family has taken an important step toward long-term support, but a waiver slot may not become available immediately. During that time, families often wonder whether they should simply wait or whether there are practical steps they can take now. The most important thing to understand is that the waitlist is based on urgency of need, not simply the date a person joined it. Changes in health, safety, caregiver availability, housing, daily functioning, or other supports may affect how the person’s needs are documented. Keeping that information current can help the support team understand the person’s real situation. This guide explains how the Virginia DD Waiver waitlist works, who families should contact, what to keep updated, and how to prepare for future services without assuming that a waiver slot, authorization, provider opening, or start date is guaranteed.
What Is the Virginia DD Waiver Waitlist?
Virginia has three Developmental Disability waivers:
- Building Independence (BI) Waiver
- Family and Individual Supports (FIS) Waiver
- Community Living (CL) Waiver
For a broader introduction to the three waiver types and the application system, read the Smiles Like Yours Virginia DD Waiver Guide for Families. This article focuses specifically on the waitlist and the actions families can take during that period. These Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services waivers help eligible people receive supports in homes and community settings. Virginia has a limited number of funded waiver slots, so a person who meets the diagnostic and functional criteria may be placed on the statewide DD Waiver waitlist until a slot becomes available. According to the Virginia Medicaid DD Waiver application fact sheet, a person does not need to be enrolled in Medicaid to be placed on the waitlist. Medicaid eligibility must still be established before waiver services can begin when a slot is offered. The waitlist is not a provider’s program waitlist. Smiles Like Yours and other service providers do not decide who receives a state waiver slot. That process is administered through Virginia’s public developmental disability system.
How Does Someone Join the DD Waiver Waitlist in Virginia?
The first step is to request a screening through the local Community Services Board (CSB) or Behavioral Health Authority (BHA). The CSB or BHA reviews documentation and determines whether the person meets the diagnostic and functional eligibility requirements. The process may include:
- Contacting the CSB or BHA that serves the person’s locality
- Providing diagnostic records and other relevant evaluations
- Completing the appropriate Virginia Individual Developmental Disabilities Eligibility Survey, commonly called the VIDES
- Receiving a determination regarding diagnostic and functional eligibility
- Being added to the statewide waitlist when the applicable criteria are met
- Completing the Priority Checklist so the urgency of need can be documented
Families can use the Virginia Association of Community Services Boards directory to identify the appropriate local agency. People who have already completed this process should contact their assigned Support Coordinator or CSB when they need to confirm their status or report a change.
Understanding Priority 1, Priority 2, and Priority 3
Everyone on the Virginia DD Waiver waitlist is assigned a priority level based on how urgently waiver services are expected to be needed.
Priority 1
Priority 1 generally applies when waiver services are needed within one year and at least one of Virginia’s qualifying urgency criteria is present. Examples may involve significant threats to health or safety, loss or serious limitation of an unpaid primary caregiver, the absence of another available caregiver, certain transitions from institutional settings, or other circumstances defined by state regulations.
Priority 2
Priority 2 generally applies when waiver services are expected to be needed within one to five years and the person meets at least one applicable criterion. Examples may include declining caregiver capacity, risk of losing housing or employment support, declining skills because of insufficient support, or needs that could substantially improve with appropriate services.
Priority 3
Priority 3 generally applies when a waiver slot is expected to be needed in five years or longer, assuming current supports remain available. A person may currently have another source of support, anticipate a future need, or have goals that could be advanced by waiver services. These descriptions are summaries, not eligibility decisions. The assigned CSB or Support Coordinator must evaluate the person’s individual circumstances using Virginia’s current criteria. The official Navigating the Developmental Disability Waivers guide provides more detail about the Priority Checklist and waitlist process.
How Long Is the Virginia DD Waiver Waitlist?
There is no single waiting period that applies to every person. The number of funded slots is limited, individual circumstances differ, and available slots are assigned according to urgency rather than through a simple first-come, first-served line. When a slot is available, a Waiver Slot Assignment Committee, or WSAC, reviews information about eligible people with urgent needs. DBHDS describes the WSAC as an impartial group of trained community volunteers. The committee recommends the person with the highest documented need for the available slot. This is why families should not rely on an estimated number of months or years as a promise. Instead, they should keep the person’s information accurate and promptly report meaningful changes.
7 Things Families Can Do While Waiting
Waiting does not have to mean doing nothing. These steps can help a family protect accurate information, explore available resources, and prepare for future decisions.
1. Keep Contact Information Current
Make sure the CSB or Support Coordinator has the person’s current:
- Home and mailing address
- Phone number and email address
- Primary family or caregiver contacts
- Guardian or authorized representative information, when applicable
- Preferred communication method
Report a move promptly, even if it is within Virginia. A change of locality may affect which CSB is responsible for coordination, and outdated contact information could interfere with important notices.
2. Report Meaningful Changes as Soon as Possible
Do not wait for the next annual contact if the person’s circumstances change substantially. Contact the Support Coordinator when there is a change involving:
- Caregiver health, capacity, age, or availability
- The loss of an unpaid caregiver or backup caregiver
- Housing stability or risk of displacement
- Health, mobility, communication, behavior, or personal safety
- Daily living skills or the amount of assistance required
- School, employment, transportation, or other funded supports
- Hospitalization, institutional placement, or discharge planning
- Abuse, neglect, exploitation, or another urgent safety concern
Ask whether the change should lead to a review of the Priority Checklist or other records. Provide clear, factual documentation when requested. A provider or family cannot assign a new priority level on their own; the responsible public agency must complete that process.
3. Review the Priority Status and Documentation
Families should understand the person’s current priority level and the information supporting it. Useful questions include:
- What priority level is currently recorded?
- When was the Priority Checklist last reviewed?
- Does the record accurately describe the person’s current needs?
- Are caregiver limitations and backup plans documented?
- What records should be submitted after a major change?
- Who should the family contact if something is missing or incorrect?
Keep copies of evaluations, eligibility notices, plans, correspondence, and records sent to the CSB. A simple dated log of calls, meetings, changes, and follow-up actions can make future conversations easier.
4. Build a Person-Centered Picture of Needed Support
A waiver is a funding pathway, not the person’s life plan. While waiting, families can develop a clearer picture of the adult’s preferences, strengths, routines, risks, and goals. Consider areas such as:
- Where and with whom the person wants to live
- Preferred daytime activities and community participation
- Friendships and social connection
- Communication style and decision-making support
- Personal care and health routines
- Transportation needs
- Employment, volunteering, or continued learning
- Sensory preferences and accessibility
- Safety needs and the least restrictive ways to address them
- Skills the person wants to develop
This information can make later service planning more specific and help families compare programs based on fit rather than availability alone.
5. Ask About Resources Available Before a Waiver Slot
Some resources are separate from DD Waiver enrollment. Availability and eligibility vary, so families should ask the Support Coordinator or CSB what applies to the individual. One resource to research is Virginia’s Individual and Family Support Program. DBHDS explains that the IFSP primarily serves people on the DD Waiver waitlist and includes community coordination and a funding program for eligible costs that support continued community living. Application periods, covered expenses, funding, and program rules can change, so families should use the official page and sign up for current announcements. Families may also ask about:
- Support coordination while on the waitlist
- Medicaid State Plan services, if eligible
- Local recreation and community programs
- Employment and vocational resources
- Transportation options
- School transition resources for eligible students
- Benefits counseling
- Private-pay services, when financially possible
- Caregiver and family support organizations
Being on the DD Waiver waitlist does not automatically authorize or pay for these options. Each program has its own eligibility, funding, availability, and application requirements.
6. Research Providers and Service Models Early
Families do not need to wait until a crisis to learn what different supports look like. Researching services early can clarify preferences and reveal questions that should be addressed in future planning. Depending on the person’s goals and eventual waiver assignment, options may include adult day support, community engagement, supported living, group home services, employment support, in-home support, assistive technology, and other authorized services. When exploring a provider, ask:
- Which services does the organization currently offer?
- Which locations and service areas are available?
- What waiver or private-pay arrangements does it accept?
- Is the program appropriate for the person’s support needs?
- What does a typical day or week look like?
- How are choice, communication, dignity, and community access supported?
- Is transportation included or coordinated?
- Is there a provider-level waitlist or current opening?
- What referral, assessment, and authorization steps are required?
A tour can be educational, but it does not reserve a state waiver slot or guarantee future admission. Provider openings, service authorization, funding, transportation, and individual fit must all be confirmed.
7. Prepare for the Steps That Follow a Waiver Offer
If a slot is offered, families may need to make several decisions and complete time-sensitive steps. Preparation can reduce confusion. Ask the Support Coordinator what to expect regarding:
- Medicaid eligibility and required applications
- The waiver being offered
- Person-centered planning and the Individual Support Plan
- Available service choices
- Qualified providers and settings
- Assessments and supporting records
- Service authorization
- Expected start dates
- What to do if the preferred provider is unavailable
Virginia’s waiver guide states that, after accepting a slot, the individual and Support Coordinator work together to select appropriate services and connect with providers. A waiver slot does not automatically activate every possible service. Services must be appropriate, included in the plan, and authorized under applicable requirements.
Questions to Ask the Support Coordinator
The Smiles Like Yours guide to working with a developmental disability Support Coordinator in Virginia explains that role in more detail. Bring a written list to the next conversation:
- Is the person officially on the statewide DD Waiver waitlist?
- What priority level is recorded, and when was it last reviewed?
- Does the current record reflect our actual caregiver and safety situation?
- Which changes should we report immediately?
- What documentation would help explain a change in need?
- How often should we expect contact while waiting?
- Are support coordination services available now?
- Which non-waiver resources may apply to this person?
- Where can we find current IFSP announcements?
- What should we prepare in case a waiver slot is offered?
Record the answers, the name of the person providing them, the date, and any agreed follow-up.
Exploring Smiles Like Yours While Waiting
Smiles Like Yours provides services for adults with developmental disabilities in Richmond and surrounding Central Virginia communities. Current offerings include Adult Day Support, Community Engagement, Supported Living and Group Home Services, along with other community-based support options described by SLY. Families can schedule a tour with Smiles Like Yours before a formal referral. A tour can help the individual and family understand the environment, activities, locations, and differences between available service models. If the family decides to continue, the SLY process generally includes a referral from the Support Coordinator, an initial assessment, and admissions and intake when the person, program, funding arrangement, authorization, and availability are a match. SLY does not assign DD Waiver priority levels or state waiver slots. A tour, referral, or assessment does not guarantee Medicaid eligibility, waiver assignment, authorization, admission, transportation, funding, or an immediate opening. Families who do not yet have an active waiver can contact SLY to ask whether an applicable private-pay or non-center option is currently available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Virginia DD Waiver waitlist first come, first served?
No. Time on the list is not the only factor. Virginia uses priority and urgency criteria, and available slots are assigned through the applicable state and local process.
Do I need Medicaid before joining the waitlist?
The current Virginia Medicaid application fact sheet states that Medicaid enrollment is not required to be placed on the DD Waiver waitlist. However, the person must apply and be found eligible for a compatible Medicaid covered group before waiver services can begin when a slot becomes available.
What should I do if the caregiver’s health gets worse?
Contact the assigned Support Coordinator or CSB promptly. Explain what changed, how it affects the person’s support and safety, whether another unpaid caregiver is available, and what documentation can be provided. Ask whether the Priority Checklist should be reviewed.
Does Priority 1 guarantee an immediate waiver?
No. Priority 1 identifies urgent need, but it does not guarantee an immediate slot or a specific waiting period. Slot availability and the assignment process still apply.
Can someone receive help while on the waitlist?
Possibly. Support coordination, IFSP resources, Medicaid State Plan services, local programs, private-pay services, and other options may be available depending on the person’s circumstances. None should be assumed to be automatic; confirm eligibility, funding, and availability for each resource.
Can Smiles Like Yours put someone on the DD Waiver waitlist?
No. The local CSB or BHA handles screening, eligibility, waitlist placement, and priority documentation. Smiles Like Yours is a service provider that families can explore as part of future or privately funded support planning when appropriate.
Turn Waiting Into Informed Preparation
The Virginia DD Waiver waitlist can be difficult for families because there is no universal timeline. The most useful response is to stay connected, keep the record accurate, report important changes, explore resources that may be available now, and prepare for the decisions that follow a waiver offer. Begin with the assigned Support Coordinator or local CSB. Ask direct questions, document the answers, and keep the individual’s goals at the center of every plan. If your family is researching adult day support, community engagement, supported living, or group home services in Central Virginia, schedule a tour with Smiles Like Yours to learn about current programs and the referral process. This article provides general educational information and is not legal, medical, financial, eligibility, or case-specific advice. Virginia policies, priority criteria, funding programs, service authorization requirements, provider availability, and application periods may change. Confirm current information with the person’s Support Coordinator, local CSB or BHA, DBHDS, DMAS, and any provider being considered.
