Families often ask us, "Where do I sign up for the waiver?" The honest answer is that there is no one form called "the waiver application." Getting on a Minnesota disability waiver is a short chain of steps, and most of the delay people run into comes from not knowing the order. This guide walks through the sequence as it generally works, so you can start the slow parts first.
This is general information, not legal or eligibility advice. Each county ("lead agency") runs its own intake, so confirm the details with yours.
Step 1: Contact your county or Tribal Nation
In Minnesota, waiver services are administered locally. Your county human services office, or a Tribal Nation, is the "lead agency" that arranges assessments and approves services. You do not need a provider, a diagnosis letter or a referral to make the first call.
When you call, say plainly: "I would like to request a MnCHOICES assessment for [name] and ask about disability waiver services." If you are asked to go through a "front door," "intake" or "adult services" line, that is normal. Write down the date, the name of the person you spoke with and what they told you to do next.
The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) publishes a directory of county and Tribal Nation offices so you can find the right phone number for the county where the person lives.
Step 2: Get Medical Assistance and a disability certification in place
Disability waivers are paid through Medical Assistance (MA), Minnesota's Medicaid program. For the disability waivers, the person generally needs to be certified as disabled. There are two usual routes:
- A disability decision from Social Security. If the person already receives SSI or SSDI because of a disability, that decision usually serves as the certification.
- The State Medical Review Team (SMRT). For people who do not have a Social Security disability decision, DHS's State Medical Review Team makes the determination using the same disability criteria Social Security uses. The county submits the referral, and the person (or family) is responsible for supplying medical records showing the impairment and how severe it is. A diagnosis by itself is generally not enough.
Because these decisions can take time, ask your county at the first call whether the disability referral can start right away, in parallel with the next step, rather than waiting its turn. Income and asset rules also apply to MA; DHS keeps current limits on its income and asset limits page, and we deliberately do not print figures here because they change.
Step 3: Complete the MnCHOICES assessment
Under Minnesota law, a certified assessor works with the person to decide which long-term services and supports they may be eligible for, including waiver programs. After the assessment visit, the assessor and the person responsible for the support plan must complete the assessment summary and support plan within 60 calendar days (Minn. Stat. § 256B.0911). That is a maximum, not a promise of speed, so ask when you should expect to see the paperwork.
We have a full guide on what happens at a MnCHOICES assessment. The short version: keep a list of every daily task the person needs help with on a bad day, not a good day, and have the people who know them best in the room.
Step 4: Find out which waiver fits
Minnesota's four disability waivers are:
- CADI (Community Access for Disability Inclusion), see who qualifies for CADI
- BI (Brain Injury)
- CAC (Community Alternative Care)
- DD (Developmental Disabilities)
You and the assessor do not "pick" a waiver freely: the assessment results and the person's circumstances point to the one(s) they are eligible for. DHS's own pages describe how each program works. Ask the assessor to explain in plain language why a particular waiver was or was not recommended.
Waiting lists. Older articles online still talk about long waiver waiting lists. According to DHS, Minnesota eliminated its disability waiver waitlists in 2016: the CADI, BI and CAC waivers no longer have one, and for the DD waiver, funding must be approved within set timelines for people found to need it. If something seems stalled, ask your county what step the application is on.
A change on the way. DHS plans to replace the four disability waivers with two under a project called Waiver Reimagine. In a March 2026 update, DHS said it cannot launch the new program by the January 1, 2027 date set by the Legislature and will share a new timeline. Until then, the four waivers above are the ones in use.
Step 5: Meet your case manager and build the plan
Once a waiver is approved, a case manager (sometimes called a care coordinator) helps write the support plan and gets services authorised. Our guide to what a CADI case manager does explains the role. This is the stage where you choose services and a provider.
Step 6: Choose a provider, and know you can change
You choose the provider. Ask several the same questions; we list 15 questions to ask a 245D provider before anyone moves in. If it later is not working, you are allowed to switch, and we explain how to do it without a gap in care.
Services are reviewed at least yearly. State law requires reassessment annually or as required by federal and state law, and in some cases a reassessment can be done remotely, but only if the person is offered the choice and consents (Minn. Stat. § 256B.0911).
Common mistakes that slow people down
- Waiting for a provider before starting. Providers generally cannot be paid until the county has authorised services. Start with the county.
- Letting the disability certification wait. Ask about SMRT or Social Security status at your first call.
- Not keeping records. Save letters, dates, names and the notice that tells you your appeal rights. Appeal deadlines are short; if services are denied or cut, see what to do in the first 10 days.
- Describing the person on their best day. Describe the typical hard day.
Where Midway Homes fits
Midway Homes Adult Care LLC is a Minnesota 245D-licensed provider in St. Paul. We cannot approve a waiver, because only the county can, but we are glad to talk through the process with you before you apply, and to answer questions about housing and daily supports once a plan is in place. Call 612-416-8555.
We serve adults in Ramsey, Hennepin, Dakota, Scott, Washington, Chisago and Pine counties.