Wisconsin currently has two Medicaid waivers/programs that can serve children, including a TEFRA program and a home and community based 1915(c) waiver. All programs are based only on child income without regard to parent income. For more information, see Wisconsin’s page on Services for Children with Delays or Disabilities.

Wisconsin charges a Parental Payment for children who participate in the Children’s Long Term Support waiver. This payment is only charged for families with children between 0 and 18 years of age. The payment is a percentage of the costs of the program, ranging from 0-41%, depending on family income. Children in the TEFRA Katie Beckett program have no parental payments. More information on Parental Payments can be found on the What Does It Cost? page.

Advocacy Organizations in Wisconsin:

Last updated 11/7/23

Programs in Wisconsin

  • Target Population: Children who would otherwise require care in an institution with any type of disability, including medical, developmental, intellectual, or psychiatric conditions.
  • 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: Katie Beckett Program
  • How to Apply: Call 888-786-3246 or follow the instructions on this page.
  • Waiting List: none
  • Target Population: Children with physical disabilities, serious emotional disturbance, or developmental or intellectual disabilities, including autism.
  • Ages: 0-21
  • Levels of Care: Hospital, Nursing Facility, Intermediate Care Facility
  • Income Waiver: This waiver waives parent income for eligibility, but a parental payment may apply. See What Does It Cost? for more information.
  • Waiver Type: 1915(c)
  • Spots: 32,892
  • Expiration Date: 12/31/2026
  • Description from medicaid.gov: Provides community/competitive integrated employment – individual, day services, discovery and career planning, respite, support and service coordination, financial management services, participant and family-direction broker services, adult family home, assistive technology, child care services, children’s foster care, communication assistance for community inclusion, community integration services, community/competitive integrated employment – small group, counseling and therapeutic services, daily living skills training, empowerment and self-determination supports, family/unpaid caregiver supports and services, grief and bereavement counseling, health and wellness, home modifications, housing support services, mentoring, participant and family-directed goods and services, personal emergency response system (PERS), personal supports, relocation services, safety planning and prevention, specialized medical and therapeutic supplies, transportation, vehicle modifications, and virtual equipment and supports for individuals with physical disabilities, other- disabled, serious emotional disturbance, autism, intellectual disabilities, and developmental disabilities, ages 0-21 years.
  • Online State Information: Children’s Long Term Supports Waiver
  • Official Federal Information
  • How to Apply: Contact your local Waiver Agency and follow these instructions.
  • Waiting List: There are 5836 people with developmental disabilities on Wisconsin’s waiting list.

Additional Information

  • Parents/guardians of adult participants over age 18 may be paid for some personal care and respite services.
  • Parents/guardians of minors may be paid for transportation only through the Children’s Waiver, and only when there are extraordinary circumstances.