Disability services in Georgia are delivered mainly through the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD), which runs the state’s Medicaid waiver programs for people with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities; the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (GVRA), which handles employment services and Social Security disability determinations; and the Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC), a statewide help line that routes people to the right program. Which door you use depends on what you need: long-term community supports, basic Medicaid, a job, or legal advocacy.
What DBHDD Provides
DBHDD is the state agency for Georgians with mental health challenges, substance use disorders, or intellectual and developmental disabilities. It operates state hospitals, funds community providers, and administers the Medicaid waivers that let people with disabilities live at home instead of in an institution.1Georgia.gov. Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities The agency acts as a safety net, prioritizing uninsured Georgians while also serving people on Medicaid and others with limited resources.2Georgia Courts. Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities
Access is organized through six regional field offices spread across the state. Each has intake and evaluation teams that process applications and connect people to providers.3DBHDD. Leadership Team4GCDD. Developmental Disabilities Services and Supports For most families, the field office is the right first stop.
The IDD Waivers: NOW and COMP
The two Medicaid waivers that fund home and community-based services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are the New Options Waiver (NOW) and the Comprehensive Supports Waiver (COMP).
NOW supports people who can live in their own or a family home with moderate assistance. It covers therapies, community access, supported employment, respite care, and specialized equipment. COMP is for people with more intensive needs, including those who require residential care or are moving out of an institution. COMP covers everything NOW does, plus community residential alternatives.5GCDD. NOW and COMP Fact Sheet
Who Qualifies
To be eligible, you need an intellectual disability diagnosed before age 18, or a closely related developmental disability such as autism, cerebral palsy, or epilepsy diagnosed before age 22 that substantially impairs adaptive functioning. You must also be Medicaid-eligible and require the level of care provided in an intermediate-care facility for people with intellectual disabilities.6Georgia.gov. Apply for NOW and COMP
How to Apply
Applications go through a DBHDD regional field office. The preferred method is the online IDD Connects portal, though paper applications are accepted by fax or mail. After you submit, a DBHDD staff member schedules a screening assessment within 14 business days. You’ll need proof of citizenship, Social Security and Medicaid cards, and supporting records such as school files or psychological evaluations. A DBHDD psychologist conducts a pre-eligibility review, and final eligibility is determined by Alliant-Georgia Medical Care Foundation.7DBHDD. How Do I Apply for DD Services6Georgia.gov. Apply for NOW and COMP
Expect a Wait
Demand exceeds supply, and the wait is long. As of February 2026, about 4,505 people were enrolled in NOW, 9,789 in COMP, and 7,891 remained on the planning list waiting for a funded slot. The list has not dropped below 6,000 people in over a decade.8Georgia Budget and Policy Institute. Overview FY 2027 Budget for DBHDD9GCDD. Legislative History of Waivers
Placement is not first-come, first-served. DBHDD prioritizes people based on unmet need, weighing health and safety concerns and the strength of your existing support system. While you wait, the regional office can refer you to other state-funded and community-based supports.7DBHDD. How Do I Apply for DD Services
In December 2025, DBHDD’s Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Advisory Council proposed restructuring the list into three tiers (urgent, one-to-five-year, and long-term needs), creating a new waiver category for people who don’t qualify for existing programs, and deploying a new assessment tool. As of early 2026, these are recommendations with no set implementation timeline.10Georgia Recorder. Georgia Agency Proposes Changes to Waiting List for Services for People With Disabilities
Other Medicaid Waivers
NOW and COMP aren’t the only waivers. Georgia runs several programs for populations they don’t cover.
- Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP): for adults ages 21 to 64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injuries. Services include personal support, home health, specialized equipment, counseling, and home modifications. Apply through Alliant Health Solutions at 888-669-7195.11Georgia.gov. Apply for ICWP
- TEFRA/Katie Beckett: Medicaid coverage for children 18 and under with disabilities, enabling home-based care. Applications go to the Katie Beckett Medicaid Team in Norcross.12Georgia Medicaid. TEFRA/Katie Beckett
- Georgia Pediatric Program (GAPP): for medically complex children under 21 who need skilled nursing or personal care support.
- Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program and SOURCE: community-based alternatives to nursing home care for older adults and people with disabilities.4GCDD. Developmental Disabilities Services and Supports
Applying for Disability-Based Medicaid
If you need basic Medicaid coverage rather than a waiver, there are several paths. Georgians who qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) get Medicaid automatically. Otherwise, you can apply online through Georgia Gateway at gateway.ga.gov, in person at a local Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) office, or by submitting a completed Form 297 by fax or mail.13DB101 Georgia. Disability-Based Medicaid in Georgia
You can request retroactive coverage for up to three months before your application date if you were eligible during that period. Eligibility is typically reviewed every 12 months.13DB101 Georgia. Disability-Based Medicaid in Georgia
Employment Services Through GVRA
The Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency helps Georgians with disabilities find and keep work. Its core Vocational Rehabilitation program provides individualized job training and placement. Specialized tracks include Supported Employment (with traditional, customized, and IPS models for people with significant disabilities or mental illness) and a Sensory Services program for people who are blind, deaf, or hard of hearing. The Business Enterprise Program offers vending management opportunities for the blind, and GVRA operates training campuses at Roosevelt Warm Springs and Cave Spring.14GVRA. About Us
GVRA also handles Social Security disability benefit determinations for the state through its Disability Adjudication Services division. Reach the agency at 844-367-4872.14GVRA. About Us
Where to Start If You’re Not Sure
The Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) is designed as a single point of entry. Managed by the Georgia Department of Human Services Division of Aging Services, the ADRC covers all 159 counties across 12 regions and connects older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers to public and private support options, from Medicaid waivers to personal assistance services. Call 866-552-4464.15Georgia Division of Aging Services. Aging and Disability Resource Connection
DBHDD’s regional field offices serve the same first-contact role for behavioral health and developmental disability services.7DBHDD. How Do I Apply for DD Services
Advocacy and Rights
Two organizations focus on rights and advocacy rather than direct services.
The Georgia Advocacy Office (GAO) is the state’s federally designated protection and advocacy organization for people with disabilities. It is a private, independent nonprofit designated by the Governor under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act, the PAIMI Act, and the Rehabilitation Act. The GAO’s attorneys handle systemic legal issues statewide, including investigating abuse and neglect, enforcing ADA rights, and promoting access to community-based services and assistive technology. It also runs programs on self-advocacy, supported decision-making, and the Children’s Freedom Initiative, which works to help children in institutions transition to permanent homes. Reach the GAO at 800-537-2329 or thegao.org.16Georgia Advocacy Office. Georgia Advocacy Office17Harvard Law School. Pro Bono Project With the Georgia Advocacy Office
The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is a 28-member council appointed by the Governor, with at least 60% of its seats held by people with developmental disabilities or their family members. Authorized under the federal Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act, GCDD focuses on policy research, advocacy, and funding projects that promote independence and community inclusion. It publishes Making a Difference Magazine.18GCDD. The Council19GCDD. Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities
New in Georgia Law: The Dignity in Pay Act
If you or a family member works through a community rehabilitation provider, a change in state law affects your pay. The Dignity in Pay Act, signed in May 2025 and effective July 1, 2025, phases out the federal 14(c) practice of paying workers with disabilities less than the minimum wage. Before the law, eight Georgia providers used 14(c) certificates to pay some workers as little as $0.22 an hour.20GCDD. Making a Difference Magazine, April 2025
The phase-out runs on a set timeline. Employers with existing certificates can continue using them under new restrictions starting July 1, 2025. From July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, they must pay at least 50% of the minimum wage. After July 1, 2027, they must pay the full federal minimum wage.21ADA Southeast. Georgia Passes Law Phasing Out Subminimum Wages for People With Disabilities