Eligibility

An intellectual disability is a disorder in which a person’s overall intellectual functioning is well below average – generally an intelligence quotient (IQ) of 70 or less; however, IQ is not central to diagnosis. Intellectual disability diagnosis is largely based on severity of limitation in social, conceptual, and practical skills (such as language, reasoning, problem solving, communication, self-regulation, personal care, behavior, etc.) expected of people in their age group and culture.

To be eligible for services, the person must have a diagnosed intellectual disability that results in a substantial functional limitation in three or more of the following areas of major life activity:

• Self-care
• Receptive and expressive language
• Learning
• Mobility
• Self-direction
• Capacity to live independently
• Capacity to become economically self-sufficient (age 18 and over)

A physical disability is characterized by a physical impairment resulting in the functional loss of two or more limbs, which a physician expects will last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months. A person must be capable of supervising, training, and managing his/her attendant, as well as managing his or her own financial and legal matters. The illness or injury could have occurred at any age but the applicant must be over age 18 to be eligible for services.

An acquired brain injury is the result of a traumatic injury to the brain that occurred after birth. An acquired brain injury may be the result of physical trauma to the brain or non-traumatic injury resulting from an external source such as a stroke, brain tumor, infection, hypoxia, toxic exposure, or substance abuse.

A person may be eligible to receive services if the acquired brain injury results in substantial functional limitation in three or more cognitive abilities or physical functioning:

• Memory or cognition
• Activities of daily life
• Judgement and self-protection
• Control of emotion
• Communication
• Physical health
• Employment