Medicaid waivers for autism in South Dakota
South Dakotans with developmental disabilities, including conditions closely resembling an intellectual disability.
- Main program
- CHOICES and Family Support 360 waivers
- Typical wait
- Generally served without a long queue; risk-based priority if a list forms
- Administered by
- South Dakota Department of Human Services, Division of Developmental Disabilities, delivered through about 19 Community Support Providers
- Phone
- 605-773-3438 or 800-265-9684
How to get on the list
Call 605-773-3438 or 800-265-9684, or apply through Dakota at Home. Complete the Division of Developmental Disabilities application, then choose a Community Support Provider through the Freedom of Choice process.
Open the official South Dakota page →Does autism qualify?
Autism spectrum disorder is treated as a developmental disability closely resembling an intellectual disability, which is the framing that brings it inside eligibility. If you are told autism alone does not qualify, that phrase is the one to ask about.
How the waiting list works
South Dakota does not carry the large standing queue most states do, and its rules describe waiting list priority as contingent rather than permanent — if a waiting list develops, first-level priority goes to people at significant risk, meaning those whose health, welfare or safety is in jeopardy, who are at imminent risk of institutionalisation, or who are already institutionalised. The distinctive feature here is Freedom of Choice: every waiver participant selects their own Community Support Provider from around 19 across the state. That is a genuine decision rather than a formality, and in a rural state the practical question is which providers actually serve your area and have capacity — ask that before you choose, not after.
What it can pay for
- Community support services
- Respite
- Supported employment
- Residential supports
- Family support (Family Support 360)
- Assistive technology and adaptations
Other programs worth knowing
Family Support 360
Tailored support built around the needs of the person and their family, rather than a fixed service package.
CHOICES waiver
The broader of the two DDD waivers. Ask which you are being considered for and why.
South Dakotaproviders & 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
- South Dakota DHS — apply for services
- South Dakota DHS — Division of Developmental Disabilities application (PDF)
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.