Medicaid waivers for autism in Minnesota
Minnesotans with a developmental disability or a related condition such as autism, cerebral palsy or a seizure disorder, with limitations in areas including self-care, communication, social skills, learning, mobility, self-direction and independent living.
- Main program
- Developmental Disabilities (DD) Waiver and Community Access for Disability Inclusion (CADI)
- Typical wait
- No statewide queue, but county allocations create local delays
- Administered by
- Department of Human Services, administered by county and tribal lead agencies
How to get on the list
Contact your county or tribal human services office and request a MnCHOICES assessment. Ask which waiver you are being assessed for and what your lead agency's current allocation position is. Disability Hub MN can walk you through it if the county process stalls.
Open the official Minnesota page →Does autism qualify?
Autism is explicitly named as a qualifying related condition for the DD waiver. Which waiver you land on depends on the level of care you are assessed as needing: the DD waiver is the alternative to an ICF/DD placement, while CADI is the alternative to a nursing facility.
How the waiting list works
Minnesota does not run a single statewide queue you can join and watch. Instead, county and tribal lead agencies each manage budget allocations, and how quickly you are served depends on your county's allocation, your program, and whether you fall into a priority group such as someone currently living in an institution. The DD waiver serves roughly 14,000 people a year. The practical consequence is that the decisive event is your MnCHOICES assessment rather than the date you first rang the county — so the useful urgency in Minnesota is getting assessed, not getting listed. Two families in identical circumstances in neighbouring counties can genuinely have different timelines, which is worth knowing before you conclude you were treated unfairly.
What it can pay for
- In-home and community support services
- Respite
- Independent living skills
- Adult day services
- Supported employment
- Homemaker services
- Home-delivered meals (CADI)
- Assistive technology and home modifications
Other programs worth knowing
Waiver Reimagine
Minnesota is consolidating its four disability waivers (DD, CADI, CAC and BI) into a single Disability Waiver Program, with legislative changes running through 2026. If you read older guidance describing four separate programs, check what has changed before acting on it.
CAC and BI waivers
Community Alternative Care and Brain Injury waivers serve narrower groups. Your assessment determines which of the four you are routed to — it is not a choice you make.
Minnesotaproviders & 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
- Minnesota DHS — Developmental Disabilities waiver
- Minnesota DHS — CADI waiver
- Minnesota DHS — Waiver Reimagine, July 2026 update
- Disability Hub MN — waivers, common questions
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.