How does the Colorado Home and Community-Based Services (HCS) Program work?
Colorado’s HCBS program provides Medicaid-funded support that allows individuals with disabilities to receive care at home or in the community instead of institutional settings. Services are delivered through waiver programs under Health First Colorado, and eligibility depends on Medicaid enrollment and functional need.
Colorado’s Home and Community-Based Services program is a group of Medicaid waivers designed to support individuals who would otherwise require institutional care. Each waiver serves a specific population, including programs like the Elderly, Blind, and Disabled (EBD) waiver, the Children’s Extensive Support (CES) waiver, and the Community Mental Health Supports (CMHS) waiver.
Services vary by waiver but commonly include personal care, respite, behavioral supports, homemaker services, and case management. Families may receive services through agency-based care or consumer-directed models, where they manage their own caregivers.
To apply, families typically confirm enrollment in Health First Colorado, connect with a local case management agency, complete a functional assessment, and, if eligible, develop a care plan.
HCBS and ABA therapy are separate benefits, but many families use both. For example, a child may receive daily living support through HCBS and behavioral therapy through Medicaid. If you are navigating both, Alpaca’s guide to Colorado Medicaid coverage for ABA therapy and Medicaid waivers in Colorado can help connect the pieces.
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