Help for My Adult Child with a Disability in Idaho — Start Here

If your son or daughter has a developmental disability and you're trying to figure out what help exists in Idaho, this page walks through the whole system in order: Medicaid, DD eligibility, the assessment, the waiver, choosing services, and choosing an agency. It's written for families starting from zero — no jargon assumed.

Step 1 — Medicaid first

Nearly all adult disability services in Idaho (job support, residential support, respite, developmental therapy) run through Medicaid, specifically the Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) DD waiver. So the first door is Medicaid: apply at idalink.idaho.gov or call 877-456-1233. Adults with disabilities frequently qualify even when family income is higher than usual cutoffs, because eligibility rules differ for waiver programs — apply and let the state determine it.

Step 2 — The determination: DD waiver or A&D waiver

Idaho runs two waivers for adults, and which one applies depends on the disability:

• DD waiver — for developmental disabilities beginning before age 22 (intellectual disability, or conditions like cerebral palsy, autism, or epilepsy with similar support needs). Apply to the Department of Health and Welfare with records (psychological evaluation, school records, medical records). Region 7 (Idaho Falls area): 208-528-5750.
• Aged & Disabled (A&D) waiver — for physical or other disabilities at any adult age (18–64), and for adults 65+, where the person needs a nursing-facility level of care. Start with the ADRC at 1-866-886-8876 for the assessment, then Medicaid long-term-care via idalink.idaho.gov or 877-456-1233. Many of EHS's participants are on this waiver.

Step 3 — The independent assessment

If the application is complete, an independent assessor contacts you to schedule a functional assessment (the SIS — Supports Intensity Scale — for the DD path, or a nursing-facility-level assessment for the A&D path). This determines two things: whether the person meets the waiver's level-of-care bar, and the annual support budget. Don't be intimidated — it's a structured interview, and families can prepare by thinking through what a typical day, week, and risky moment looks like without help.

Step 4 — The plan, and choosing traditional vs. self-directed

Once eligible, you choose how to use the waiver:

Many families start traditional and stay there; others self-direct the parts they want to control. Both are legitimate.

• Traditional — you hire an agency (a ResHab agency like EHS for residential support, a DDA for developmental therapy, etc.) that employs and trains the staff. The agency handles hiring, scheduling, backup staff, and compliance.
• Self-directed (My Voice, My Choice) — you are the employer: you recruit, hire, and schedule your own support staff with a support broker and fiscal agent. Maximum control, maximum responsibility.

Step 5 — Choosing services

The plan can include residential habilitation / supported living (in-home staff), developmental therapy, respite (a break for you), supported employment, and more. What goes in the plan comes from the assessment and the planning meeting — you, your family member, and the plan developer write it together.

Step 6 — Choosing an agency (if you went traditional)

You can interview agencies, and you can switch later. Questions worth asking: who will actually be in your home, how staff are trained and retained, how incidents are handled, how behavioral challenges are approached, and whether you can speak to a current family. Our honest answer to all five is on the ResHab page.

Who we are

Empowering Human Services, LLC is a certified Residential Habilitation agency based in Idaho Falls, serving all nine counties of Idaho Region 7. We were founded by two leaders with 32 combined years in the field — Angel Fell (agency administrator, 18+ years, started as a direct support professional) and Julie Virgin (QIDP, MSW, trauma-informed care certificate, 14+ years).

We built this guide because most families arrive at our door exhausted and confused by the system. You don't have to become our client for it to be useful — but if you want to talk, we answer within one business day: (208) 537-1463.

Frequently asked questions