State plans $37.6 million to reduce DDS waiver waitlist by roughly 3,200 people

DHS officials and program staff told the committee they plan to use $37.6 million in trust‑fund dollars to serve roughly 3,204 people from the community and employment supports waiver waitlist over the next three years. The funds are intended to shorten wait times for those who have waited years for waiver services.

Melissa Weatherton said there was an estimated waitlist of about 3,204 people on Dec. 1, 2021, and that the announced trust‑fund allocation will be used to bring those individuals onto services. DHS acknowledged the list will continue to grow (new diagnoses, births, people newly eligible), so they will request ongoing funding in the 2022 fiscal session to sustain and expand capacity beyond this initial effort.

"We are utilizing dollars 37,600,000 that we have available in the trust fund," Weatherton told the committee, and she said more people typically come forward when slots become available.