Medicaid waivers for autism in New Hampshire
New Hampshire residents with developmental disabilities, intellectual disabilities or autism, from birth with no upper age limit.
- Main program
- NH Developmental Disabilities Waiver (with the Acquired Brain Disorder waiver)
- Typical wait
- No waitlist reported
- Administered by
- NH Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Developmental Services, through 10 regional Area Agencies
- Phone
- 603-271-5034 (Medicaid: 1-844-275-3447)
- Age rules
- From age 0 with no maximum age.
How to get on the list
Apply for NH Medicaid at nheasy.nh.gov or on 1-844-275-3447 — do this even if SSI has already been approved. Then call the Bureau of Developmental Services on 603-271-5034 and ask for your local Area Agency, which is the gateway to all the DD waivers.
Open the official New Hampshire page →Does autism qualify?
Autism is explicitly served, and the waiver includes specialty services for autistic people specifically rather than folding them silently into general developmental disability provision.
How the waiting list works
New Hampshire reports nobody waiting, which puts it among the best states in the country on access. The obstacle here is administrative rather than a queue, and it catches families out badly. New Hampshire is a 209(b) state: being approved for SSI does not automatically enrol your child in NH Medicaid the way it does in most states. You have to submit a separate Medicaid application to DHHS. Families who assume the SSI approval did the job can lose months believing they are covered when they are not — and Medicaid is the precondition for waiver services. Do that application first, then approach your Area Agency.
- People waitingzero reported
- Medicaid enrollmentseparate application required, even after SSI approval
What it can pay for
- Service coordination
- Day services
- Residential habilitation and personal care
- Respite
- Supported employment
- Community support
- Crisis response
- Assistive technology support
- Environmental and vehicle modifications
- Participant-directed and managed services
- Specialty services for autistic people
Other programs worth knowing
Acquired Brain Disorder waiver
Renewed alongside the DD waiver for 2026–2031. A separate route with different criteria.
New Hampshireproviders & 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
- NH DHHS — developmental services
- NH DHHS — DD and Acquired Brain Disorder waiver renewal 2026–2031
- Medicaid.gov — NH Developmental Disabilities Waiver
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.