Iowa HHS posts Public Notice on HCBS Waivers

On behalf of the DD Council, Disability Rights Iowa, and Wartburg College Slife Social Work Institute, you are invited to a Disability Policy Issues Forum. The Disability Policy Issues Forum is a non-partisan, voter education event to provide Iowans with disabilities and members of their support team an opportunity to engage candidates directly about issues that impact their daily lives within the 2nd Congressional District. Prior to the main forum, Wartburg is hosting a networking and tabling event from 5:30 to 6:00 pm. This session will allow attendees to connect, enjoy refreshments, and learn about local resources, agencies, and organizations they can engage with. The Issues Forum will take place from 6:00 to 7:30 pm. The event will be held on Tuesday, September 29th at the Heritage and St. Elizabeth Ballrooms at the Saemann Student Center at Wartburg College in Waverly. For more information, please see the Disability Policy Issues Forum flyer. For a map of the 2nd Congressional District, please see the Iowa Congressional Districts map.

Some Iowans may lose Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program coverage starting November 1. If this affects you, here are some resources to help: Visit the Iowa HHS Emergency Food Assistance page and use the Food Bank Service Area map and resources to find food banks and mobile pantries in your county.

Visit 2-1-1 Iowa to search for local food pantries or mobile food pantries by entering your ZIP code.

DoorDash Emergency Food Response Program is waiving delivery and service fees for eligible SNAP customers from participating grocery stores.

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released the updated Iowa Olmstead Plan, which provides a strategic framework to expand opportunities, improve service access, and enhance the quality of life for Iowans with disabilities.

The updated plan outlines how state agencies, local governments, and community organizations can work together to build a more coordinated and inclusive system of support. Through an emphasis on collaboration, the Olmstead Plan reaffirms Iowa’s commitment to ensuring that individuals with disabilities have the ability to live, work, and participate fully in their communities.

The plan identifies several Olmstead Progress Areas that guide this work, including strengthening community-based services, expanding independent living opportunities, improving access to housing and transportation, and supporting employment and wellness initiatives. These priorities reinforce Iowa’s dedication to advancing integration and promoting meaningful choice for individuals with disabilities.

You may access the plan and related materials using the links below:

2026 Iowa Olmstead Full Plan   

2026 Olmstead Plan Summary & Resource Documents

Olmstead Plan and Stakeholder Engagement | Health & Human Services

Several code changes took place on January 1, 2026 related to HCBS Waiver. Please see the Desk Resource HCBS Waiver Service code updates for more information.

The agenda for the October 15th mini summit can be found here! Please register for the entire afternoon and feel free to choose when to log off or on based on the session you wish to attend, or plan to attend all of them! The summit will run from 12:00 until approximately 4:30 PM. The agenda is tight, so be aware the times are precise! Registration is here. Please allow the ADRC TTA team some grace as we ‘navigate’ this type of training set up!

There will be no more “self-employed” CDAC providers registering with HHS as of December 31, 2025. CDAC is Consumer Directed Attendant Care and is the service of in-home Personal Care. CDAC is a service covered by all HCBS waivers except the Children’s Mental Health waiver. CCO will remain an option as will “agency” CDAC for the waivers that currently offer CDAC.

For more information, visit Individual Consumer Directed Attendant Care (ICDAC) Transition | Health & Human Services