Colorado's Joint Budget Committee voted on March 27, 2026, to cut developmental disability services to close a state budget shortfall. The current seven-year wait for comprehensive Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver support could double to 14 years if the budget is approved. About 2,800 people are currently on the waitlist. The final vote happens before the May 2026 legislative session ends.

Three budget reductions are driving the waitlist extension: a 1-for-2 enrollment ratio, income-based contributions for adults, and elimination of automatic enrollment for children aging into adult programs. The changes would save the state approximately $35 million in year one and $88 million in year two. The developmental disability waiver program now costs over $1 billion annually, with enrollment climbing to 9,451 people, up 843 from the previous year.

For families already waiting, this is a decision point. The budget isn't final. You have a narrow window to contact state legislators before they vote.

What the JBC Voted to Do

The Joint Budget Committee approved three specific reductions to developmental disability waiver services.

1. Enrollment cap: 1-for-2 ratio

Starting with the next fiscal year, only one new person can enroll in the waiver for every two people who exit the program. People exit when they die, move out of state, or transition to other programs. This saves $6.5 million in year one and $18.7 million in year two.

The math on this is direct. In 2021, enrollment sat at 6,700. It's now 9,451. That's an increase of 2,751 people in five years, or about 550 new enrollees per year. A 1-for-2 ratio means approximately 275 people can enroll annually if exits remain steady. The waitlist currently has 2,800 names. At 275 enrollments per year, you're looking at 10 years just to clear the existing backlog, assuming no new additions. But new names are added every month. That's how a 7-year wait becomes 14.

2. Income-based contributions

Adults enrolled in the waiver will be required to contribute financially based on their income. This is a cost-sharing mechanism aimed at reducing state expenditure without cutting services. The projected savings are $12.6 million in year one and $26.3 million in year two. Details about income thresholds and contribution calculations weren't specified in the JBC vote, so families already enrolled should expect guidance from the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) before implementation.

3. Elimination of automatic enrollment for children

Currently, children receiving services under the developmental disability waiver automatically transition to adult programs when they age out. Starting July 1, that automatic transition ends. Approximately 363 children age out each year. They'll join the standard waitlist instead. Youth from the child welfare system keep automatic enrollment. This provision saves $15.3 million in year one and $43.7 million in year two.

Senator Judy Amabile noted during the vote that families are "worried they are going to die before their kid gets a placement." The comment didn't stop the budget reduction from moving forward.

Why Colorado Is Cutting Now

The waiver program's growth trajectory collided with a state budget shortfall. Enrollment climbed from 6,700 people in 2020 to 9,451 in 2026, while program costs pushed past $1 billion this fiscal year. State officials at HCPF say that spending rate isn't sustainable.

This isn't a result of the federal Medicaid cuts that take effect later. It's a state budget decision driven by Colorado's own revenue constraints. The enhanced federal matching funds (FMAP) that helped states expand HCBS services expired on January 1, 2026, which reduced the federal share of costs. That left states covering more of the bill with less flexibility.

In 2021, when post-pandemic forecasts looked optimistic, Colorado budgeted $15.5 million to move 667 people off the waitlist. The current cuts reverse that progress. If the JBC budget is approved, the waitlist could return to its 2014 length, when families waited an average of 15 years for services.

What You Can Do Before the Final Vote

The budget requires full legislative approval before the May session ends. That means you have time to reach your state legislators and make the case for reconsideration.

Contact your state representative and senator.

Find your legislators at leg.colorado.gov/find-my-legislator. Call their offices directly: phone calls get logged and counted, and legislative staff track constituent volume on specific issues. Email works too, but calls are harder to ignore.

When you contact them, be specific:

• State your name, address, and that you're a constituent
• Reference the JBC vote on March 27 to cut developmental disability waiver services
• Explain how the 1-for-2 enrollment cap and elimination of automatic enrollment for children will extend your family's wait
• Ask them to vote against the budget reductions or to restore funding for DD waivers before final approval

If your child is currently on the waitlist, say how long you've been waiting and what services you need. If your child is approaching the age-out transition, state that explicitly. Legislative staff are looking for constituents who will be directly affected. You are one of them.

Coordinate with advocacy organizations.

The Arc of Colorado, Developmental Disabilities Resource Center (DDRC), and disability advocacy groups are tracking this budget closely. They often organize coordinated advocacy campaigns, provide sample scripts for calls, and can connect you with other families pushing for the same changes. Contact them for current action alerts and testimony opportunities.

What to Do If Your Child Is on a Medicaid Waiver Waiting List covers additional steps for families navigating the wait.

What's Available While You Wait

If you're on the waitlist and the budget passes, you're looking at a longer timeline before comprehensive services start. In the meantime, several bridging options exist.

Single Entry Point (SEP) agencies in Colorado provide case management for people on DD waiver waitlists. They can connect you to limited support services while you wait, including respite care vouchers, family support stipends, and access to emergency funding for immediate needs. SEP agencies are county-specific. Contact your local Community Centered Board (CCB) to find yours.

Medicaid State Plan services are separate from waivers and don't have waiting lists. Your child may already qualify for personal care services, home health, or durable medical equipment through standard Medicaid if they meet medical necessity criteria. These don't replace waiver services, but they can fill gaps.

Respite care programs funded by the Colorado Department of Human Services offer temporary relief for family caregivers. Some are income-based, others are need-based. The Lifespan Respite Program, administered through local Area Agencies on Aging, provides vouchers for families caring for individuals with disabilities across all age groups.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) are federal programs independent of state Medicaid waivers. If your child or adult family member qualifies, these provide monthly cash assistance that can be used for private-pay services. Processing times for SSI applications average 3–6 months for initial decisions, longer if appeals are needed.

Private grants and charitable programs sometimes fund specific equipment, therapies, or respite care that Medicaid doesn't cover. Organizations like The Adaptive Sports Grant from Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF), United Healthcare Children's Foundation, and local community foundations periodically open application windows.

You won't find a substitute for comprehensive waiver services, but layering these programs together can reduce the immediate burden while you're waiting.

What This Signals for Families in Other States

Colorado is not unique. States facing budget shortfalls look at HCBS waivers first because federal law doesn't require them. Nursing home care is mandatory. HCBS is optional. When federal matching funds shrink and state revenues tighten, optional programs get cut.

Maryland recently passed $250 million in disability services cuts. Idaho passed $22 million in Medicaid disability reductions. Both followed the same pattern: waitlist extensions, income-based cost-sharing, and reduced eligibility.

If you're in a state with an HCBS waiver waitlist, expect similar proposals in the next budget cycle. Watch your state's Joint Budget Committee or equivalent body. When cuts are proposed, the window to respond is short, typically 30 to 60 days between committee vote and final legislative approval.

Document your child's current waitlist status in writing now. If your state implements a 1-for-2 enrollment cap or other restriction, you'll need proof of when you joined the list and what you were promised. Administrative errors happen when systems change quickly, and having your own records protects your position.

The families advocating in Colorado right now are doing it for themselves, but they're also setting the pattern for how other states will respond. If constituent pressure works here, other advocacy groups will replicate the strategy. If it doesn't, expect the Colorado model to spread.

Final Vote Timeline

The Colorado legislative session ends in May 2026. The exact date for the final budget vote hasn't been set, but it will happen before adjournment. If you're going to act, the time is now, not after the vote when the decision is locked.

Track the bill's progress at leg.colorado.gov. Sign up for bill tracking alerts so you're notified when committee hearings or floor votes are scheduled. If public testimony is allowed, register to testify. Legislative committees are required to hear from constituents before voting.

Families on the waitlist have already been waiting years. The JBC vote extends that wait indefinitely for some. The question is whether the full legislature will approve it or whether constituent pressure forces a revision before final passage.