Michigan currently has four waivers that are open to children. One is a TEFRA program and the others are HCBS 1915(c) Medicaid waivers. While the TEFRA program and two of the HCBS 1915(c) waivers waive parental income, one HCBS waiver does not. For more information on Michigan Medicaid, see its Health Care Programs page.

Michigan also has a 1915(i)/1115 program that provides home and community based services to children with severe behavioral or mental health conditions.

Advocacy Organizations in Michigan:

Last updated 3/3/2025

Programs in Michigan

  • Target Population: Children who would otherwise require care in an institution with any type of disability, including medical, developmental, intellectual, or psychiatric conditions. Initially, the program was only offered to children with trachs/vents, but children with other disabilities are now being accepted as per federal law. However, the program is not advertised and is very small.
  • Ages: 0-18
  • Levels of Care: Intermediate Care Facility, Nursing Facility, Hospital
  • Income Waiver: Yes, the program is based on the child’s income only. Parent income is not counted.
  • Waiver Type: TEFRA
  • Spots: unlimited
  • Expiration Date: NA
  • Description: Provides Medicaid coverage only.
  • Online State Information: Program overview
  • How to Apply: For more information, contact Children’s Special Health Care Services or follow the instructions on this page.
  • Waiting List: none
  • Target Population: Children with severe emotional disturbance or mental illness in certain counties.
  • Ages: 0-21
  • Levels of Care: Hospital
  • Income Waiver: Yes, the waiver is based on the child’s income only. Parent income is not counted.
  • Waiver Type: 1915(c) concurrent with 1115 Behavioral health waiver
  • Spots: 969
  • Expiration Date: 9/30/2029
  • Description from medicaid.gov: Provides respite, financial management services, children’s therapeutic family care, community living supports, home care training (family), home care training (non-family), overnight health and safety support, therapeutic activities, and therapeutic overnight camp services to individuals with serious emotional disturbances ages 0-21 years who meet a hospital level of care.  This waiver operates with a concurrent 1115 authority.
  • Online State Information: SED Waiver page
  • Official Federal Information: 1915(c) and 1115
  • How to Apply: Contact the Access Center in your county or contact 517-241-9069.
  • Waiting List: none
  • Target Population: Children with intellectual or developmental disabilities, including autism.
  • Ages: 0-17
  • Levels of Care: Intermediate Care Facility
  • Income Waiver: Yes, the waiver is based on the child’s income only. Parent income is not counted.
  • Waiver Type: 1915(c) concurrent with 1115 Behavioral health waiver
  • Spots: 669
  • Expiration Date: 9/30/2029
  • Description from medicaid.gov: Provides respite, financial management services, community living supports, environmental accessibility adaptations, home care training (family), home care training (non-family), overnight health and safety support, specialized medical equipment & supplies, therapeutic activities, and vehicle modifications to individuals with autism, developmental disabilities, or intellectual disabilities ages 0-17 years who meet an ICF/IID level of care.  This waiver operates with a concurrent 1115 authority.
  • Online State Information: Children’s Waiver Program
  • Official Federal Information: 1915(c) and 1115
  • How to Apply: Contact the Access Center in your county or contact 517-241-9069
  • Waiting List: Waitlist length is unknown, but program is generally full. Children are awarded program slots based on severity of their conditions. There are 107 individuals with ID/DD on an interest list for services.
  • Target Population: Children and adults with developmental disabilities.
  • Ages: all ages
  • Levels of Care: Intermediate Care Facility
  • Income Waiver: No
  • Waiver Type: 1915(c) and concurrent with 1115 Behavioral health waiver
  • Spots: 8268
  • Expiration Date: 9/30/2029
  • Description from medicaid.gov: Provides out-of-home non-vocational habilitation, respite, supported employment-individual supported employment, enhanced medical equipment and supplies, enhanced pharmacy, vehicle modification, financial management services, goods and services, community living supports, environmental modifications, family training, non-family training, overnight health and safety support, personal emergency response system, private duty nursing, and supported employment-small group employment services to individuals with developmental disabilities or intellectual disabilities ages 0 or older who meet an ICF/IID level of care.  This waiver operates with a concurrent 1115 authority.
  • Online State Information: Overview of Habilitation Supports from Community Health
  • Official Federal Information: 1915(c) and 1115
  • How to Apply: Contact Community Mental Health Services.
  • Waiting List: There is a waiting list but the length is unknown. There are 107 individuals with ID/DD on an interest list for services.

Additional Information

  • Children’s Waiver and Waiver for Children with SED: “Michigan does not allow payments to legal guardians or to relatives who are legally responsible for providing services to the beneficiary. Subject to this qualification relatives may be paid if they meet all provider qualifications. Services provided by relatives meeting these criteria are subject to the same claim processing edits (including quantity parameters) as services provided by non-relatives. Whenever a legally responsible individual or relative/legal guardian is paid for the provision of a waiver service, the person must meet the provider qualifications that apply to a service and there must be a properly executed provider agreement. In addition, other requirements such as the proper documentation and monitoring of the provision of services also apply. The number of hours a relative may be authorized to provide would be the same level as hired staff. A relative that would not otherwise provide service without payment can provide CLS or respite. Michigan does not pay guardians to provide services.”
  • Habilitation Supports Waiver: Some services may be provided by a legally responsible individual. “If a relative who is not the legally responsible individual, i.e., parent of minor child, spouse, or legal guardian, meets the provider qualifications, he or she may be paid for provision of that service FOLLOWING THE PARAMETERS OF ANY LIMITS SET WITHIN THE DEFINITION OF EACH SERVICE AND AS SPECIFIED IN THE IPOS. The services that may be provided by a relative are: out-of-home nonvocational habilitation, respite, supported employment, community living supports, overnight health and safety support, and private duty nursing. The HSW service descriptions include language that prohibits payment to legally responsible individuals. The PIHPs are responsible for assuring that all providers meet the provider qualifications as specified in the Medicaid Provider Manual Behavioral Health Code Charts and Provider Qualifications for HSW services. The supports coordinator or other provider selected by the beneficiary reviews service logs against planned hours, makes home visits and discusses service provision with the beneficiary and others involved in his/her IPOS to help evaluate congruence between planned and billed hours and the documentation of the types of services delivered as specified in the IPOS.”