Waiting on the Virginia DD Waiver in Fairfax County: How to Get Help at Home Before a Slot Opens

Your daughter turned 22 last spring and aged out of her school program. She has an intellectual disability, and she’s been on the waitlist for a Virginia DD Waiver since she was 14. You and your husband both still work, and the hours she used to spend at school now fall on you. Hearing “keep waiting” is exhausting when she needs the help now.

How the Virginia DD Waiver Waitlist Works

Virginia has three developmental disability waivers: Community Living, Family and Individual Supports, and Building Independence. All three share one statewide waiting list. According to the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, a waiver slot pays for services like in-home help, day programs, and job coaching once it’s awarded. Getting on the list takes a developmental disability diagnosis and a screening that shows she needs the level of care the waivers provide.

Until a slot comes through, the household covers whatever she needs. Some parents start with companion care a few afternoons a week, so she has company and structure while they’re at work. A companion can take her to the library, help her cook lunch, or keep a weekly outing going. Those hours don’t have to wait for a slot.

Priority One, Two, and Three

Everyone on the list sits in one of three tiers. In Priority One, she’ll likely need waiver services within a year. A person in Priority Two may need them in one to five years. For Priority Three, her needs are met for now and won’t likely change for more than five years.

Slots go to Priority One first. People in Priority Two and Three only get slots once everyone in Priority One has an offer. A daughter who sits in Priority Two can wait a long time, even if the household is struggling.

How Slots Get Awarded

When new slots open, a local Waiver Slot Allocation Committee reviews the people in Priority One. The committee awards slots based on a Critical Needs Score, which reflects how urgent each person’s situation is. Virginia’s 2024 to 2026 budget put $247 million toward 3,440 Priority One slots, according to the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board. Those slots went to Priority One, so people in Priority Two kept waiting. Slots also open when someone already on a waiver moves away or no longer needs services, so awards can happen between budget years.

Moving Up the Virginia DD Waiver List When Needs Change

The tiers aren’t permanent. As needs change, a person can move from Priority Two into Priority One. A parent’s own illness, a new behavior that puts her at risk, or a caregiver who can no longer lift her can all count as a change. A short, dated log of incidents, like falls, missed meals, or nights she wanders, makes that case stronger.

Her coordinator at the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board is the person to call when something changes. The coordinator can then request a review of her priority. Waiting for the next annual check-in can cost months. If the family disagrees with the priority level she’s given, they can appeal that decision.

Help That Doesn’t Require a Waiver Slot

Some help is available to her right now. Virginians who qualify can get in-home personal care through the CCC Plus waiver, which doesn’t have a waiting list. A lot of people on the Virginia DD Waiver list use CCC Plus as a bridge. Using CCC Plus now doesn’t cost her a place in line.

Medicaid is the door to CCC Plus. Once she’s an adult, Medicaid eligibility looks at her own income and assets, so a young woman living on SSI can qualify even when her parents’ income is high. DBHDS also runs the Individual and Family Support Program, which offers a once-a-year chance to apply for funds while waiting. Those funds can pay for things like respite, a therapy session, or a piece of equipment.

Other state programs help too. The Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services offers job training and placement help to someone waiting on a Virginia DD Waiver. If a behavior crisis hits while she’s waiting, Virginia’s REACH crisis program for people with developmental disabilities can step in. She can also apply for the State Rental Assistance Program from the waitlist if she wants to live on her own someday.

Paying Privately for the Hours That Can’t Wait

Some households pay out of pocket for a few hours of help each week until a slot comes through. A caregiver providing personal care can cover a morning shower, getting dressed, and breakfast before a parent leaves for work. Even two or three mornings a week can keep a working parent from cutting back to part time.

A week in one Fairfax County household might look like this. CCC Plus covers weekday mornings, a private caregiver takes two afternoons, and family covers evenings and weekends. On a nice afternoon, that caregiver might take her for a walk around Burke Lake Park. The mix can move around as her needs and the family’s schedule do.

Keeping the Parent Caregiver Going

Years on a waitlist wear on parents. A mother in her late 50s who still lifts, bathes, and drives her daughter everywhere may not notice how tired she’s gotten until her own health slips. With respite care once or twice a month, she can take a full day off. That day can also show her daughter how to spend time with someone new, which can make the eventual move to waiver services easier.

Parents also think about the years after they’re gone. A letter that describes her routines, her fears, her favorite foods, and the people she trusts gives the next caregiver a head start. Brothers and sisters can help write it, so they know the plan too. Some parents also choose a backup guardian or update a special needs trust at the same time.

Virginia DD Waiver: Common Questions

How long is the wait for a Virginia DD Waiver?
It depends on her priority tier and her Critical Needs Score. People in Priority One may get a slot within a few years, while people in Priority Two or Three can wait much longer. In 2024, the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board reported 1,171 people in Priority One in its area alone.

Can she lose her spot on the list?
She comes off the list only if she or her family asks for removal. Missing calls from the coordinator after a move can still cause delays, so keeping contact information current helps.

What happens to CCC Plus when her Virginia DD Waiver slot comes through?
Her services move from CCC Plus to the DD waiver, which covers a wider set of services like day programs and job coaching. Her coordinator plans that switch so her care doesn’t stop in between.

Before the Next Call With Her Coordinator

A written list of every change in the past year, from health problems to new behaviors, gives the coordinator something to act on. That same call is a good time to ask whether she qualifies for CCC Plus. For the hours that can’t wait, a household can look into starting a care plan now, well before a slot arrives. A first visit can map out which mornings or afternoons need outside help the most.

Sources

• Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services. Developmental Disability Waivers 2026.
• Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board. Expanded Access to Services for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities.