Which Virginia DD waiver pays for a group home?
A plain-language answer for families and support coordinators in Virginia, with the official sources it is based on.
The short answer
In Virginia, the Community Living (CL) waiver is the DD waiver that pays for group home residential services. The state’s waiver rules say group home residential service is covered in the CL waiver, and it is not on the list of services in the Family and Individual Supports (FIS) or Building Independence (BI) waivers. The CL waiver is designed for people who need some form of residential service 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The three DD waivers at a glance
- Building Independence (BI): for adults 18 and older who can live mostly independently and do not need supports all the time. People on this waiver usually own, lease or control their own living arrangements, and its residential services are shared living and independent living.
- Family and Individual Supports (FIS): for children and adults who live with family, friends or in their own homes. Its residential services are shared living, in-home supports and supported living.
- Community Living (CL): for children and adults who usually need supports in their homes all the time. Its residential services include group home residential and sponsored residential.
How a CL slot is assigned
Slots are assigned by urgency of need, not by date of application. DBHDS makes the final decision about which waiver best fits a person’s assessed needs. Under the state rules, FIS slots are offered unless the person shows an immediate need for a residential service such as group home residential or sponsored residential, which are only offered in the CL waiver.
Someone already on another DD waiver whose assessed needs change, for example because they now need group home residential, can be moved to the CL waiver through a reserve slot instead of going back on the waiting list.
What this means at At Home Family Services
At Home Family Services does not decide waiver eligibility. Your Community Services Board and support coordinator handle waiver screening and slot assignment. Coverage for placement at our North Chesterfield home, whether Medicaid waiver, private pay or another arrangement, is reviewed on the screening call.
Sources
- 12VAC30-122-390, Group home residential service (Virginia Administrative Code)
- 12VAC30-122-250, Services covered in the Community Living Waiver
- 12VAC30-122-90, Waiting list, criteria and slot assignment
- Virginia DMAS: Developmental Disability (DD) Waivers
- Virginia DMAS: Community Living (CL) Waiver Fact Sheet 2025
- Virginia DMAS: Family and Individual Supports (FIS) Waiver Fact Sheet 2025
- Virginia DMAS: Building Independence (BI) Waiver Fact Sheet 2025
Sources reviewed November 2, 2026. Rules and programs change, so confirm current details with your Community Services Board or support coordinator. This page is general information, not legal or benefits advice.