What is the Kansas Autism Waiver Program?
The Kansas Autism Waiver is a Medicaid support program for children ages 0 to 5 with autism. The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) runs it. It pays for family supports like respite and parent training. It does not pay for ABA therapy, and the waiting list is long.
Kansas Autism Waiver at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who is it for? | Children ages 0 to 5 with autism who meet a hospital level of care |
| What does it fund? | Respite care, financial management services, family adjustment counseling, parent support and training |
| Does it pay for ABA? | No |
| Who runs it? | KDADS |
| How long is the waitlist? | About 60 children served and about 797 waiting, by the state's December 2024 figures |
| What pays for ABA instead? | KanCare, the Kansas Medicaid program. No waiver slot is needed |
Who is eligible for the Kansas Autism Waiver?
A child has to be age 0 to 5, have an autism diagnosis, live in Kansas, be financially eligible for Medicaid, and meet a hospital level of care.
Hospital level of care sounds scarier than it is. Your child does not have to be in a hospital. It means the support needs are heavy enough that, without help at home, a hospital stay could be the alternative. A functional assessment decides it.
How long is the Kansas Autism Waiver waitlist?
Long. Kansas reported about 60 children on the waiver and about 797 more on the proposed recipient list. Those are December 2024 figures, so ask KDADS for the current count.
Do not wait on the waiver to start ABA. The waiver would not have paid for ABA anyway. KanCare covers ABA for children under its children's benefit, and KanCare has no waiver queue. Apply for both at the same time. Neither one blocks the other.
How to apply for the Kansas Autism Waiver
1. Contact KDADS and ask for the Autism Waiver application.
2. If your child meets the criteria, you get a letter with a numbered place on the proposed recipient list.
3. When a slot opens, the program manager contacts you and a functional assessment is scheduled.
The respite and parent training are worth having, and applying costs nothing but paperwork. Step by step: how to apply for the Kansas Autism Waiver.
What happens when my child turns 6?
The Autism Waiver ends at 5. A child does not move onto the I/DD Waiver automatically, and that waiver has its own long list. See Kansas Autism Waiver vs I/DD Waiver.
Where Achieving Stars Therapy fits
Achieving Stars Therapy does not run the waiver and cannot move a child up the list. What it does is in-home ABA therapy across Kansas for children ages 18 months to 15, paid through KanCare or private insurance. The intake team runs a free benefits check at (833) 666-3115.
Next: in-home ABA therapy in Kansas, KanCare and ABA therapy, and early intervention ABA in Kansas.
Waiver details come from the federal Medicaid waiver record for the Kansas Autism Waiver and from KDADS testimony to the Kansas Legislature. Enrollment changes, so confirm current figures with KDADS. General information, not legal advice.