Georgia Medicaid can pay for help at home (bathing, dressing, meals, and supervision) for older adults and people with disabilities who would otherwise need a nursing home. The program is called the Elderly & Disabled Waiver Program (EDWP). You may also hear its two service options named: CCSP (Community Care Services Program) and SOURCE.
Who usually qualifies
- Care needs: the person needs the level of help a nursing facility would provide, such as hands-on help with several daily activities or supervision because of memory loss.
- Financial: the person is eligible for Georgia Medicaid, or would be under the waiver's income and asset rules. Limits change each year, so ask the intake team for current numbers.
- Setting: the person wants to live at home or with family, and care at home can be done safely.
Step 1: Call Georgia's ADRC
New EDWP applications start with Georgia's Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) at 1-866-552-4464. Have ready the person's name, date of birth, address, Medicaid number if they have one, doctor's name, and a short description of what help they need day to day.
Step 2: Screening and assessment
The ADRC does a phone screening. If the person appears eligible, a care coordinator or nurse completes a fuller assessment, often in the home. Be honest about the hard days, not just the good ones. If Mom needs help showering three days out of seven, say so.
Step 3: Medicaid financial eligibility
If the person isn't already on Medicaid, they will apply through the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS). Gather bank statements, income letters (Social Security, pension), and proof of assets early. This is often the slowest step.
Step 4: Waiting list (sometimes)
EDWP can have a waiting list depending on funding. Ask where the person is on the list and whether anything about their situation (a recent hospital stay, a caregiver who can no longer help) could change their priority.
Step 5: Care plan and provider
Once approved, a care coordinator builds a care plan with approved services and hours. You can tell your coordinator which home care agency you'd like to work with. Above All Community Health can help coordinate the start of care.
While you wait
- Many families start with a few hours of private-pay care so the person is safe now.
- Keep a simple log of falls, missed medications, and hospital visits. It helps the assessment reflect real needs.
- Ask the person's doctor to note functional limits in their chart.
Not sure where to start? Call us. We'll walk you through it in plain language, at no cost.