Long-Term Services & Supports
LTSS Services for Intellectually Disabled Individuals
LTSS provides long term care services for individuals with intellectual disabilities through Intermediate Care Facilities for Persons with Mental Retardation (ICFs/MR) or home and community based settings.
What is an ICF/MR?
Intermediate care facilities for persons with mental retardation (ICFs/MR) are an optional Medicaid benefit. Part of the Social Security Act created this benefit to fund residences (four or more beds) for persons with intellectual disabilities or other related conditions. It is specified that these facilities must provide active treatment. The primary purpose of the ICF/MR is to provide health and rehabilitative services.
All persons receiving ICF/MR services must financially qualify for Medicaid assistance. Many of the individuals who receive care have other disabilities as well as intellectual challenges. Usually persons who reside at the facilities are "medically fragile:" Have physical challenges, seizure disorders, behavior problems, mental illness, are visually or hearing impaired, have eating or feeding disorders, and/or have a combination of these conditions.
Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waiver Programs
TennCare Long-Term Service & Supports is responsible for the three HCBS waiver programs for persons with intellectual disabilities that provide home and community based alternatives to institutional care. The Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities is the state agency contracted by the Division of Healthcare Finance and Administration, Bureau of TennCare, to operate the state's HCBS waiver programs.
Arlington Waiver Program (Control #0357.R02)
Self Determination Waiver Program (Control #0427.R01)
Statewide Waiver Program (Control #0128.R04)
