Private pay
Paying directly from income, savings or family support. Private pay gives the most choice of homes and no waiting list, but costs vary widely. Ask each provider for a written breakdown of what the monthly rate includes.
Medicaid developmental disability waivers
Virginia has three Medicaid waivers for people with developmental disabilities, including intellectual disability and autism:
- Community Living (CL): the broadest support, including residential services such as group homes and sponsored residential.
- Family & Individual Supports (FIS): supports for people living with family or on their own.
- Building Independence (BI): supports for adults who live independently and need less help.
Waivers generally pay for services (staff support, respite, day programs and more), not rent or food. A resident usually pays the home’s room and board charge from their own income, often SSI or SSDI.
Where to start: contact your local Community Services Board (CSB). They complete an eligibility screening and assessment and manage the waiting list, which is prioritized by need. If someone already has a waiver, their support coordinator can help find homes that accept it. More information is on the DBHDS website.
Auxiliary Grant
The Auxiliary Grant is a Virginia program that supplements the income of eligible older adults and people with disabilities so they can pay for care in a licensed assisted living facility or an approved adult foster care home. It generally requires receiving SSI, or having similarly limited income and resources.
Where to start: apply through your local department of social services. Not every assisted living facility accepts the Auxiliary Grant, so ask each provider. Program details are on the Virginia Department of Social Services website.
Other sources
- Long-term care insurance: many policies cover assisted living or in-home care after a waiting period. Check what settings and daily amounts the policy covers.
- Veterans benefits: eligible veterans and surviving spouses may qualify for pension benefits with additional help for care needs. Learn more at VA.gov or from an accredited veterans service officer.
- Other Medicaid programs: people who need a nursing-facility level of care may qualify for other Virginia Medicaid long-term services and supports. Your local department of social services can explain the options.
- ABLE accounts and special needs trusts: these can help families save for a person with a disability without affecting their benefits. A benefits planner or attorney can advise.
Where to get help
- Community Services Board (CSB): developmental disability and behavioral health services, waiver screening and support coordination.
- Local department of social services: Medicaid and Auxiliary Grant applications.
- Area Agency on Aging: help for older adults and family caregivers, including respite options.
- A benefits planner or elder law / special needs attorney: for questions about eligibility, trusts and protecting benefits.
When you contact a home on HavenMatch, ask which funding they accept. Many listings show this under “At a glance,” and you can filter Browse Providers by funding.
Ready to look at homes?
Search HavenMatch by city, ZIP code, care type, funding and support needs, then save the homes you like to compare them side by side.