Why Georgia Needs a New Waiver...

The waiver is ready to be sent by DCH for approval by CMS, but has not been sent yet. However, we have learned that the Governor's office continues to be committed to the principles of the new waiver and is working with CMS (the federal department that oversees the approval process of our new waiver) and other entities to determine how to move forward. To see what the Governor said recently about the waiver and our recent success - read his letter that was published recently in Making a Difference Magazine in the post below.

Also, the memo below is from the Director for the Office of Developmental Disabilities and explains the potential changes that could come from this new waiver...

July 18, 2006

M E M O R A N D U M

TO: People with Developmental Disabilities, Their Providers, and Those That Care So Much About What Happens

FROM: Stephen R. Hall, Director - Office of Developmental Disabilities

SUBJECT: New Waivers for Georgia

For too long Georgians with disabilities have had to fit into an old vehicle knows as the original Medicaid Mental Retardation Waiver Program (MRWP). This vehicle has been modified, patched up, amended, and made more reasonable over the years. Over these same years other states have abandoned their old original waivers, stopped amending them, and have written new Medicaid Waivers for their citizens with developmental disabilities. It is now Georgia’s long overdue turn to send the New Options Waiver and the new Comprehensive Supports Waiver on to Baltimore, Maryland for federal approval.

1. A first ever Community Supports Waiver, called NOW, that will ensure real self-determination through individual budgets.
2. Fair funding with the statewide Supports Intensity Scale Assessment ensuring that the funding is determined based on the person’s exact need.
3. Transportation, dental, behavior, and support coordination services will all be within the new waiver so families can decide, based on their son or daughter’s individual budget, just how much of these new services they want and can afford.
4. Community Guide Services are in the new waivers. These Community Guides will work for and be employed by persons with disabilities and their families.

We have spent eight long months building a new efficient customer-driven system through two new Medicaid Waivers. It is time to say the last rights on the old MRWP and CHSS waivers and welcome the new NOW and COMP waivers. It is time for people with disabilities and their families to live in The New Georgia.