When your child needs therapies, medical equipment, specialized care, or supports that insurance won’t fully cover, Medicaid is often one of the most important programs available to families. For California families, Medi-Cal (California’s version of Medicaid) can connect families to programs like IHSS, while Medicaid waiver programs across the country help many children with disabilities access coverage and services beyond what families might expect.
The challenge? Many families don’t find out about these programs until years after they’re eligible. That’s why this week we’re unpacking some of the programs, benefits, and policy updates that matter most to families of kids with disabilities — including current legislation updates to keep on your radar.
Medicaid
Medicaid is one of those programs that comes up a lot when families start navigating care. It’s a public health insurance program that helps cover services for people with low income, seniors, and individuals with disabilities. Every state has Medicaid, even if it sounds and looks a little different depending on where you live. Learn all about Medicaid here and how to find the name of the Medicaid program in your state.
Paid family caregiving through Medicaid waivers
Are you a paid parent caregiver? On average, parents like you provide 57 hours of care per week — and 40% provide more than 80 hours weekly!
Historically, Medicaid generally didn’t allow parents of minor children to be paid caregivers. While that’s changed in most states, we’re currently seeing a resurgence of government officials calling Medicaid home-care programs that pay family members to care for disabled relatives “rife with fraud” — because they pay parents for services they “used to do for free.”
We dug into it. Our latest update walks through the realities of HCBS programs and what’s at stake: what the fraud claims actually hold up to, how home care keeps people out of institutions and saves money in the long run, what life really looks like for paid parent caregivers, and how to find out about HCBS in your state.
Medicaid for California kids with disabilities
Is your child a California Regional Center client? Medi-Cal’s institutional deeming waiver — also known as the HCBS-DD waiver — is designed to help individuals with developmental disabilities who are Regional Center clients access full-scope Medi-Cal, even when parental income would normally be too high, as long as the child’s own income and resources fall within program limits.
Not a Regional Center client? The HCBA waiver is a smaller program that helps children with complex medical needs qualify for Medi-Cal so they can access in-home nursing and other supports, even if their family’s income is over the usual limit. It’s designed for children who need a high level of medical care at home but don’t qualify for Regional Center services.
In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS)
Think you know how IHSS works? You might be surprised. Many California families don’t realize that children under 5 can qualify for IHSS, or that services like protective supervision and paramedical care aren’t automatically assessed during the application process. The right information can be tricky to pin down, so we’ve debunked 13 of the biggest IHSS myths we hear from families.
Undivided IHSS Training Series
Drowning in IHSS paperwork? Not sure what half the acronyms even mean? We called in the expert. Undivided Public Benefits Specialist Lisa Concoff Kronbeck is breaking it all down across four video training sessions — from applying and becoming a paid provider, to decoding your NOA, appealing hours, and everything in between. Consider it everything you wished someone had told you sooner, finally in one place. Catch all four training sessions here.
Undivided Updates
There are some proposed changes to IHSS and other public benefits that California lawmakers are currently considering to save costs in the 2026-27 budget. Read our update on what’s at stake→
Office hours → Wednesday, June 10, 12:00 p.m. PT
Do you have more questions about IHSS or other public benefits programs in California, like Regional Center, Medi-Cal, or SSI? Join us for office hours with Lisa Concoff Kronbeck, Undivided’s public benefits specialist, for a live Q&A. Office hours Zoom sessions are open to Undivided members only, so if you’re not a member yet, get started here to join us for office hours every week. If you’re not a member, sign up here to participate→
Undivided Conversations → Streaming on Facebook and YouTube
- IHSS Under Age 18 → Saturday, June 6, 10:00 a.m. PT. Revisit our conversation with Undivided Public Benefits Specialist Lisa Concoff Kronbeck as she answers some of the most common questions families have about IHSS for kids under 18.
- IHSS for Ages 0-5 → Sunday, June 7, 10:00 a.m. PT. Revisit our Q&A with Undivided Public Benefits Specialist Lisa Concoff Kronbeck as she breaks down one of the biggest IHSS myths — that children under 5 don’t qualify.
What are the top 3 things to know if you’re applying for IHSS protective supervision hours? Hear from Public Benefits Specialist Lisa Concoff Kronbeck on our YouTube channel→
What changes could be coming to IHSS because of the 2026-27 state budget? Check out this Instagram post and be sure to contact your representative about the programs that are important to your family→
Hear about upcoming webinars, recommendations, surveys, and other ways for our community to connect in our private group for parents! Join the discussion on Facebook→
IHSS is such an important resource for many families in California. Help spread the word to other families and providers! Share Undivided articles on LinkedIn→
