The Children’s Habilitation Residential Program (CHRP) Waiver is part of Health First Colorado and is meant for children and youth who need intensive supports to remain safe and successful at home. CHRP is typically used when a child’s needs are complex and the family requires additional Medicaid-funded structure and services to prevent a move to a higher level of care.
Eligibility is decided through required assessments and program criteria. CHRP may apply to children with intellectual/developmental disabilities or developmental delay in early childhood. It may also apply to youth with significant mental/behavioral health needs when they meet the program’s requirements. Once a child is approved, services are delivered according to an individualized plan coordinated through case management.
ANIMO HomeCare supports families with the services we provide when they are included in the approved plan. This includes PASA services such as respite, community connector, and extraordinary homemaker. If the child also qualifies for Community First Choice (CFC), ANIMO can support IHSS under CFC. IHSS is a flexible model that can allow more choice in who provides care and how support is scheduled, when permitted by program rules and authorized in the plan.
In general, CHRP eligibility is based on a combination of Medicaid eligibility, age, assessed needs, and program-specific criteria. Common requirements include:
Child or youth falls within the CHRP age range used by the program
Has Health First Colorado (Colorado Medicaid) eligibility
Meets the CHRP clinical/targeting criteria based on disability and support needs (determined through required assessments)
Meets the required level of care that indicates a need for intensive supports
Can receive services safely in the home and community with a planned set of supports
Enrollment depends on program availability and may involve a waitlist in some situations
Community Connector is a Medicaid service that helps children increase inclusion in everyday community life. The focus is on building relationships, confidence, and “natural supports” by participating in typical activities in the community, with support tailored to the child’s needs and goals.
What is approved depends on the child’s assessment and service plan, but Community Connector commonly supports:
Participating in everyday community activities that encourage social connection and independence
Practicing skills during real-life activities, such as communication, routines, safety awareness, and participation skills
Strengthening natural supports, such as connections with community groups, programs, and people who can become part of long-term support
Community Connector is not meant to replace personal care or daily-living supports. It also is not intended to pay for activities that are purely recreational without a clear purpose tied to inclusion, skill-building, or community participation goals.
Confirm the child has Health First Colorado (Medicaid).
Work with the child’s Case Management Agency (CMA) to see whether Community Connector fits the child’s needs and waiver pathway.
Complete required assessments and service planning.
If approved, Community Connector is added to the authorized service plan with an approved amount of service.
Choose a Program Approved Service Agency (PASA) that provides Community Connector and begin services under the plan.
ANIMO HomeCare provides Community Connector as a PASA service when it is authorized in the child’s service plan.
In-Home Support Services (IHSS) is an option within Community First Choice (CFC) that gives members more control over how in-home support is delivered. In this model, the member helps guide day-to-day care, including choosing and overseeing attendants, while an IHSS-approved agency supports the service plan and coordination.
IHSS under CFC is used to deliver core in-home supports based on the member’s assessed needs and approved service plan. These commonly include:
Personal care support: hands-on assistance, supervision, or cueing for daily personal needs.
Homemaker support: help with essential household tasks tied to health and safety.
Health Maintenance Activities (HMA): routine health-related tasks that are allowed under Medicaid rules when the member cannot complete them independently.
Independent living core supports: the IHSS model includes required elements intended to support stable, safe services in the home.
What is approved depends on the assessment results and the authorized plan. Not every member receives every type of support.
IHSS is designed to offer more choice in who provides care. In many situations, members can select attendants who are relatives. Some circumstances may also allow a “legally responsible person” to provide certain services when permitted by program rules and specifically authorized in the service plan.
Even though IHSS is member-directed, an IHSS-approved agency plays a supporting role. This can include items such as backup coverage planning, access to nursing oversight when required by the model, and required program supports that help services run safely and consistently.
Confirm you have Health First Colorado with full benefits.
Connect with your local Case Management Agency (CMA). This is the starting point for CFC and IHSS planning.
Complete required assessments to determine:
Whether you meet the CFC level-of-care requirement, and
Whether you have an assessed need for personal care, homemaker, and/or approved health maintenance activities.
Work with your CMA to build an approved service plan that lists the supports you can receive and the amount authorized.
Choose an IHSS-approved agency and set up services (attendants, scheduling, oversight, and backup plans).
Services begin once the plan and provider setup are complete. Ongoing reviews happen at least annually, and sooner if there is a significant change in needs.
A waiver is not required to access CFC; meeting the level-of-care criteria is what matters. However, people enrolled in HCBS waivers generally already meet level-of-care requirements and may be able to use CFC and IHSS alongside their waiver services, depending on their plan and eligibility.
In-Home Respite is short-term care that gives a break to the person who usually provides most of the day-to-day support (often a parent, spouse, or other unpaid caregiver). The goal is to help families maintain stability at home by providing temporary coverage when the primary caregiver needs relief or is unavailable.
Respite is authorized based on the member’s needs and the approved plan, but commonly includes:
Supervision and safety monitoring
Help with daily routines and basic personal needs during the respite shift
Support provided in the home or another approved setting, depending on what the plan allows
What tasks are covered, where respite can be provided, and how it is billed depends on the member’s authorized plan and the program rules connected to that plan.
The member/family works with their case manager to identify the need for caregiver relief.
Respite is added to the approved service plan with the authorized amount.
The family chooses an approved provider/agency, and respite is scheduled according to the plan.
Respite limits vary by program and service plan. The service plan will list the maximum amount allowed for the plan year.
In some cases, a case manager can request approval for respite above the standard cap when the situation supports it and required documentation is completed.
Respite is intended for caregiver relief. Your approved service plan will show exactly how much respite is authorized and any limits that apply.
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