Pennsylvania’s Bureau of Autism Services (in the PA Dept. of Public Welfare’s Office of Developmental Program) has officially announced (see the message that appears below my email) the federal government’s approval of the Adult Autism Medicaid Waiver for autistic adults living in Pennsylvania who are aged 21 and older (i.e. those persons who have aged out of supports through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)).
The waiver is the first autistic adult-specific Medicaid waiver in the U.S. It will enable autistic adults living in Pennsylvania who are not currently receiving services to receive funding for needed supports and services for daily living, housing, employment, and other ADL (activities of daily living) and integration in the community.
Note that although autistic adults do not need a diagnosis of mental retardation (intellectual disability) to be eligible for the Medicaid waiver, they must still meet a federal level of care requirement through the ICF/ORC requirement (Intermediate Care Facility for Persons with Other Related Conditions) or ICF/MR requirement (Intermediate Care Facility for Persons with Mental Retardation). This is because the waiver was designed in part to get autistic folks out of institutional and developmental center settings and into community living.
As an autistic self-advocate who participated in the process of developing this Medicaid waiver, it’s very exciting to see it come to fruition. I served on the external advisory committee that helped inform the development of the waiver for the Bureau of Autism Services during 2007. Our development process involved numerous discussions and writing/editing sessions over email, telephone, and in-person meetings in Harrisburg over a period of several months.
Thank you.
Regards,
Scott Michael Robertson
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Vice President
——– Original Message ——–
Subject: DPW Announces Adult Autism Waiver
Date: Mon, 9 Jun 2008 14:37:00 -0400
From: DPW-Autism Office
To: DPW-Autism Office
*The Department of Public Welfare, Bureau of Autism Services is pleased to announce the approval of the Adult Autism Medicaid Waiver to serve individuals ages 21 and older.*
*Please share the attached handouts with anyone who may be interested (i.e., potential consumers and/or providers). These handouts are also available online at* *_www.autisminpa.org_* *. *
*Please note that the “Provider Packets” mentioned in the “Provider FAQ” document will become available on June 16, 2008. Please email* *_DPW-AutismOffice@state.pa.us_* * or call 1-866-539-7689 on or after this date for a copy. The Provider Packet will include handouts entitled, “Autism Waiver Service Descriptions” and “BAS Adult Autism Waiver Provider Qualification Requirements,” as well as additional provider information.***