If your child has an intellectual or developmental disability and lives at home with you, Nebraska’s Family Support Waiver may help cover the everyday support your family needs. Alora Supports is an approved provider for the waiver, working directly with Nebraska families to put those benefits to use.
Every service under the waiver is built around one goal. It helps children stay connected to family and community life instead of moving into a more restrictive care setting.
The Family Support Waiver (FSW) is a home and community-based services Medicaid waiver for Nebraska children with intellectual or developmental disabilities, from birth through age 21, who live with a family caregiver at home.
Unlike Nebraska’s other developmental disability waivers, the FSW uses a fixed annual budget of $10,000 per participant instead of a needs-based amount.
That budget supports Alora’s broader commitment to family-centered disability services: care shaped around each child’s daily routine and each family’s goals, not a standard plan.
To qualify for the Family Support Waiver in Nebraska, a child generally needs to meet each of the following:
Nebraska eliminated its developmental disabilities waitlist in 2025, so families no longer wait years on a registry before applying. If you’re unsure whether your child qualifies, Alora can walk through the requirements with you before you apply.
Be between birth and 21 years old
Live in Nebraska with a family caregiver
Have a diagnosed intellectual or developmental disability
Qualify for Nebraska Medicaid, or apply for it at the same time as the waiver
Meet the level of care required for an Intermediate Care Facility for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/IID)
The Family Support Waiver in Nebraska covers a defined list of services through its $10,000 annual budget, each meant to support daily life at home.
Respite care
Family caregiver training
Family and peer mentoring
LRI personal care
Supported family living
Independent living skills
Day supports and child day habilitation
Community integration
Transportation
Assistive technology
Home and vehicle modifications
Homemaker services
Personal Emergency Response System (PERS)
Environmental modification assessment
Because the FSW is not a residential waiver, it does not cover 24-hour care or shared living placements. It’s built to support everyday routines at home instead.
Alora Supports is a clinician-owned provider offering family-centered disability services built around what the FSW covers.
Through Direct Support Services, Alora provides supported family living, independent living skill-building, respite, and family caregiver training funded by the waiver. Plans are shaped around each child’s goals and each family’s routine, with the same team staying involved as needs change over time.
Families can apply for the Family Support Waiver in Nebraska online through iServe, or by phone or mail through the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
After you apply, DHHS confirms Medicaid eligibility and schedules a level of care assessment before services begin.
For a closer look at what to expect during the process, see Alora’s in-depth guide to the FSW.
No. Nebraska eliminated its developmental disabilities waitlist in 2025. Families can apply directly instead of waiting years for an opening.
The FSW serves children from birth through age 21 who live at home, with a fixed $10,000 budget. Nebraska’s CDD and DDAD waivers generally serve adults, with needs-based budgets.
No. The FSW is designed for children living with their family, not for 24-hour residential placements. Families exploring residential support once a child reaches adulthood can ask Alora about Shared Living.
Reach out to Alora Supports. The team can help you review the Family Support Waiver in Nebraska eligibility requirements and walk through next steps together.
