Intake for DDA Programs

Intellectual & Developmental Disability Service Intake

The Department of Disability and Aging conducts intake activities for various programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including the Employment and Community First CHOICES Program, Katie Beckett, and MAPs.  These intake activities may include:

• Helping people apply for IDD programs;
• Conducting assessments and collecting documentation to determine if a person is eligible for programs;
• Enrolling into IDD programs;
• Making periodic contact via phone or email with people who are waiting for services;

Help with Services

If you need help with the Katie Beckett application, the MAPs application or the self-referral form for Employment and Community First CHOICES, you can contact the regional office in your area.  If you have Medicaid (Tenncare) and, and have Wellpoint, UnitedHealthcare, or BlueCare as your TennCare Provider/Managed Care Organization (MCO), please call the number on the back of your card for assistance for the Employment and Community First CHOICES application.

Employment and Community First CHOICES

MAPS Self-Referral Form

Apply for Katie Beckett at TennCare Connect

Aging Programs Intake

Local Area Agencies on Aging and Disability provide intake for many of the home and community based services programs for older adults and adults with physical disabilities.  You can either call the TENNOPT line at 1-866-836-6678 or find the AAAD in your area at this link: AAAD locator

Case Management for IDD Programs

The Department of Disability and Aging provides Case Management Services in the Self-Determination Waiver and the Katie Beckett Part B Program.

Case Managers

• Assist the person with annual redeterminations
• Assist the individual and family with services planning
• Assist the individual in accessing needed services
• Monitor the delivery of services to ensure they meet the needs and expectations of the person
• Assist the person in resolving issues of concern including filing appeals, accessing complaint resolution processes, etc.
• Maintain regular contact with the individual and/or family and involved service providers

Self-Determination Waiver Case Management

Services include ongoing assessment, development, evaluation and revision of the plan of care, assistance with the selection of service providers, provision of general education about the waiver program, including individual rights and responsibilities and monitoring implementation of the plan of care and initiating individualized corrective actions as necessary (e.g. reporting, referring or appealing to appropriate entities). The Self-Determination Waiver is currently closed and is no longer taking new enrollments. 

Katie Beckett Case Management

People supported in the Katie Beckett Part B program may have a case manager employed with DDA or an Independent Support Coordinator assigned to support them.  Case Managers and ISCs will perform the same role to their assigned families, including developing the person-centered support plan, helping with services and service reimbursement where necessary, and conducting regular updates via phone or in person as needed and requested.

MAPs Case Management

Innovation Coordinator services are provided through the Charles Lea Center.  You can find out more about innovation coordinators at this link: insert link.

Independent Support Coordination

DDA contracts with multiple agencies to provide Case Management services to individuals enrolled in the Statewide, Comprehensive Aggregate Capped Waiver, the Tennessee Strong Families HRA Program and to some families in Katie Beckett Part B. These case managers are called Independent Support Coordinators and do the same kind of job that state case managers perform.

Requirements for Independent Support Coordination agencies and Independent Support Coordinators can be found in our Provider Manual.

Person-Centered Support Plan

A plan of care is required for all Medicaid waiver participants. The Person-Centered Support Plan (PCSP) is Tennessee’s format for the federally required plan of care. The PCSP is the roadmap for implementing services that meet a person supported ’s unique needs. The PCSP also serves as the vehicle for justifying the person supported’s need for services so that services can be authorized by DDA Regional Offices. The PCSP is designed to clearly describe needs and the services and supports required to meet those needs.

Each PCSP must be submitted for review by DDA staff prior to its effective date. This review process ensures that the plan meets basic requirement, addresses the person’s needs, and supports the need for the services being requested.

Once this review process is completed, DDA staff will authorize services. They may authorize all services requested, some of the services requested, or none of the services requested. Some services may be partially approved. That means that they may be approved but for fewer hours than requested. If any service is denied or only partially approved, the person has the right to appeal this decision and have a hearing with an Administrative Law Judge.

Independent Support Coordination Agencies

Below you will find a listing of all the Independent Support Coordination Agencies. Simply click on the Region to expand the listing.