Maryland Autism Waiver Program
The Maryland Autism Waiver Program provides service support to families who do not choose institutionalization for their autistic child. Home and community waiver services available for autistic children up to the age of 21 include:
- Adult Life Planning
- Environmental Accessibility Adaptations
- Family Consultation
- Intensive Individual Support Services
- Residential Habilitation, Regular/Intensive
- Respite Care
- Therapeutic Integration, Regular/Intensive
- Each Autism Waiver participant also receives service coordination through their local school system.
The Bad News
Due to limited funding that supports waiver services for only 1,200 children a year (as of 2019), an 8 year waiting list exists for the Maryland Autism Waiver Program. Worse yet, neither homeschoolers, parochial, nor nonpublic school students can qualify for a Maryland Autism Waiver, should they make it off the list.
The Good News
Current school choice does not impact a family’s right to be placed on the waiting list for the Maryland Autism Waiver Program. Many family and school changes can happen over the course of 8 years, so all Maryland families are encouraged to register for the waiver program as soon as they have a diagnosis.
Families should contact the Autism Waiver Registry at 866-417-3480 to be eligible to apply to the Autism Waiver when a vacancy occurs. Once a family makes it off the waiting list, they will officially apply for the waiver program. Eligibility criteria at the time of application includes, among other things, the child having an IEP and income guidelines.
Last modified on September 13, 2019
