Medicaid waivers for autism in Kansas
Kansans with intellectual and developmental disabilities, plus a separate autism program for children meeting its criteria.
- Main program
- IDD Waiver and the separate Autism (AU) Waiver
- Typical wait
- About nine years for the IDD waiver, with 4,320 waiting
- Administered by
- Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS), through 27 Community Developmental Disability Organizations (CDDOs)
- Phone
- 1-855-200-2372
How to get on the list
Contact your local CDDO — there are 27 across the state and they handle initial eligibility and referral — or call the statewide line on 1-855-200-2372. Once the CDDO has all your paperwork the eligibility process begins. Ask explicitly about the Autism waiver, the IDD waiver, and waiting list exceptions.
Open the official Kansas page →Does autism qualify?
Kansas is one of only a handful of states still running an autism-specific waiver. Under the Autism (AU) program, once an application is received and the child meets the criteria, the parent or guardian gets a letter from the Autism Program Manager confirming placement on the Proposed Recipient List. Ask about the AU waiver and the IDD waiver separately — they have different criteria, different queues, and you will not necessarily be told about both.
How the waiting list works
The IDD waiver serves 9,399 Kansans with 4,320 waiting, and the queue runs about nine years. What is worth knowing is that Kansas has formal waiting list exception routes — county CDDOs publish criteria for moving ahead of the queue — and that disability advocacy organizations in the state actively campaign on this and publish strategies for avoiding or shortening waits. If nine years is not survivable for your family, that is a conversation to have with your CDDO and with the Disability Rights Center of Kansas rather than a fact to accept. KDADS has also been working to launch a federally compliant Community Support Waiver, targeted for April 2026, intended to address gaps in the current system.
- IDD waiver enrollment9,399
- Waiting4,320
- Typical waitabout nine years
What it can pay for
- Personal care services
- Respite
- Supportive home care
- Day supports and supported employment
- Behaviour and intensive individual supports
- Assistive services and home modifications
Other programs worth knowing
Autism (AU) Waiver
A surviving autism-specific program with its own criteria and its own Proposed Recipient List. Name it when you call.
Waiting list exceptions
County CDDOs publish criteria under which someone can move ahead of the queue. Ask what they are for your county rather than assuming nine years is fixed.
Community Support Waiver (CSW)
A new waiver KDADS has been working to launch, targeted for April 2026. Ask whether it is live and whether you qualify.
Kansasproviders & resources →
Local help you can access now, while you wait.
Waivers explained →
What to do while you're on the list, and what to ask.
Sources · last checked August 2026
- KDADS — Autism (AU) program
- Disability Rights Center of Kansas — End The Wait
- Sedgwick County — waiting list exceptions
Waiting lists and eligibility rules change. Always confirm current details with the agency before making decisions. If something here is out of date, tell us.