The IDD Community Support Program (1915i) offers support and services for people with IDD and autism spectrum disorders. The first step to determine eligibility is to schedule an evaluation at your local regional IDD program. If you are determined eligible, you will be assigned a targeted case manager to assist you with access to available services. The IDD Community Support Program offers four services.

Day Services Adult

This service assists individuals in gaining the greatest level of independence while supporting them in meaningful activities of their choice throughout the day.

Pre-Vocational Services

This service teaches pre-employment skills and assists in exploring job opportunities in the community.

Supported Employment

Supported employment provides a job coach to assist in finding a job and training a person to work independently.

Supported Living

Supported living provides limited support of up to four hours per day for persons who can live independently in their own home or apartment. The support helps provide access to the community, pay bills, shop for groceries, access medical care, and other personal assistance as needed.

Mississippi’s ID/DD Waiver provides individualized supports and services to assist people in living successfully at home and in the community and is an alternative to care in institutional settings. These Medicaid-funded supports and services are available as long as the cost of supporting individuals in the home or community does not exceed the cost of caring for individuals in institutional settings. The ID/DD Waiver includes an array of services aimed at assisting people to live as independently as possible in their home and community.

To access ID/DD Waiver services, contact the appropriate ID/DD Regional Centers to arrange for an evaluation. When a person is determined to meet the same level of care criteria as someone applying for admission to an institution, he/she has the option to have his/her name placed on the ID/DD Waiver Planning List. Before the individual can be enrolled from the Planning List, he/she must be determined eligible for Medicaid. If a person meets the requirements for enrollment in the ID/DD Waiver, his/her Support Coordinator from the ID/DD Regional Center will assist in developing a Plan of Care for the individual. The Plan of Care will outline the type and amount of ID/DD Waiver services a person is requesting. The individual must also indicate his/her choice of a provider for each service. The request must be approved by the Bureau of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (BIDD). At that point, the Support Coordinator will notify the chosen agency that the person has been approved to receive services and services will begin.

Services Available Through The ID/DD Waiver Include:

• Support Coordination: Coordinates and monitors all services an individual on the ID/DD Waiver receives—regardless of funding source—to ensure services are adequate, appropriate, and meet the individual’s needs. Support Coordinators are also responsible for performing an annual re-evaluation of the individual’s level of care to ensure ongoing eligibility.
• Home And Community Supports: Generally provided a few hours per day to assist with activities such as bathing, meal preparation, eating, dressing, shopping, leisure activities, community integration, and light housekeeping.
• Respite: Provides the primary caregiver(s) with periodic breaks from the demands of caring for a family member with a disability. Respite can be provided at home or in a certified community setting. In-home respite is provided by a nurse if needed, and typical activities include assisting with personal hygiene, meal preparation, and leisure activities. Respite care is also available in ICF/MR settings on a limited basis.
• Day Services-Adult (DSA): Designed to support individuals in retaining or improving skills for greater independence. Programs provide numerous opportunities for community activities, and transportation is provided.
• Prevocational Services: Promote vocational skill development with the eventual goal of employment in the community. These services focus on broader skills—such as increasing attention span or improving motor skills—and can be provided in both center-based and community-based settings with transportation provided.
• Supervised Residential Habilitation: Involves on-site support by a staff member 24/7, with response times of five minutes or less. Typically, no more than six individuals live together in a home, with transportation provided for day programs and community activities as well as assistance with shopping and managing finances.
• Supported Employment: Helps individuals find and maintain employment in the community. Services include job exploration, assistance with applications, on-the-job support, building natural workplace supports, and learning job routines. Supported employment may be phased out as the individual becomes more independent or may continue as needed.
• Behavior Support/Intervention: Designed for individuals whose behavior challenges prevent them from benefiting from other services. The provider works directly with the individual and trains staff and family members to implement specific support/intervention programs.
• Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, And Speech/Language Therapy: Focus on the maintenance of skills and range of motion rather than rehabilitation, differing from therapies provided through the regular Medicaid State Plan.
• Specialized Medical Equipment and Supplies: Covers items such as disposable briefs, under pads, and catheters for people over the age of 21.