Georgia CCSP vs SOURCE Waiver: Which Home Care Program Should You Choose?

If your parent needs Medicaid-funded home care in Georgia, you'll choose between two programs: CCSP (Community Care Services Program) and SOURCE (Service Options Using Resources in a Community Environment). They both cover in-home support under the Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program, but they work differently and have different eligibility rules. Choosing wrong means reapplying — potentially adding months to a process that already takes 60–120 days.

Here's the direct comparison, followed by a decision framework.

Side-by-Side Comparison

The Decision Framework

Choose CCSP if:

• Your parent's monthly income is between $994 and $2,982. CCSP accommodates this higher income range.
• Your parent already has a primary care doctor they want to keep who is not SOURCE-enrolled. CCSP doesn't require changing physicians.
• You want traditional case management through the AAA rather than a physician-led managed care model.
• Your parent lives in a rural area where SOURCE physician practices may not be available.

Choose SOURCE if:

• Your parent's monthly income is under $994 and you want integrated medical and home care coordination.
• Your parent's primary care physician is already SOURCE-enrolled (or they're open to switching).
• You value having one care team that manages both medical appointments and waiver services — particularly useful for parents with complex chronic conditions who see multiple specialists.

Default to CCSP if you're unsure. It has the higher income threshold, broader geographic availability, and doesn't require your parent to change doctors. Most Georgia families end up on CCSP.

What Both Programs Require

Regardless of which waiver you choose, your parent must:

1. Meet the nursing facility level of care standard — determined by the DON-R (Determination of Need-Revised) in-home assessment. A state nurse evaluates 15 functional domains. A triage score of 7.0+ earns Tier 1 waitlist priority.
2. Be 65 or older (or have a qualifying disability).
3. Be a Georgia resident living in a community setting (not currently in a nursing facility).
4. Meet Medicaid financial eligibility — countable assets under $2,000 (with standard exemptions for primary home, one vehicle, prepaid funeral up to $10,000).

Common Mistakes Families Make

Applying for SOURCE when CCSP was the right fit. If your parent's income is above $994/month, SOURCE will deny them. But families sometimes apply for SOURCE first because they like the integrated care model, wasting weeks on a denial before starting the CCSP application.

Not checking SOURCE physician availability. SOURCE only works if there's a SOURCE-enrolled physician practice in your parent's area. In parts of rural Georgia, there may not be one. Check with your AAA before choosing SOURCE.

Assuming the waivers are identical. The covered services overlap substantially, but the care delivery model is different. CCSP uses an AAA case manager who visits periodically and coordinates services. SOURCE uses a physician-led team that integrates medical and waiver care. For parents with complex medication regimens or multiple chronic conditions, SOURCE's integrated model can reduce hospital readmissions — but only if a SOURCE practice is accessible.

The Miller Trust Question

If your parent's income exceeds $2,982/month, neither CCSP nor SOURCE will accept them without a Qualified Income Trust (Miller Trust). This is a legal document that routes excess income through a trust to meet the eligibility threshold. You'll need an elder law attorney to draft it — this is one of the situations where legal help is genuinely required.

If your parent's income is under $2,982/month, no Miller Trust is needed, and the application is administrative.

Who This Is For

• Georgia families trying to decide between CCSP and SOURCE before starting the application process
• Adult children who've heard about both programs but can't find a clear comparison
• Caregivers who want to choose correctly the first time and avoid reapplying

Who This Is NOT For

• Families whose parent needs residential nursing facility care (waivers are for home-based care)
• Families whose parent's income exceeds $2,982/month without a Miller Trust in place
• Families outside Georgia (every state has different waiver programs)

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my parent switch from CCSP to SOURCE (or vice versa)?

Yes, but it requires a new application process. You can't simply transfer between programs. If your parent is already enrolled in CCSP and wants to move to SOURCE (or the reverse), they'll need to go through intake again with the AAA.

Does choosing one waiver over the other affect the waitlist?

Both waivers draw from the same pool of DON-R assessments, but waitlist lengths can differ by region. Ask your AAA about current wait times for both CCSP and SOURCE in your parent's county before choosing.

Can family members get paid to provide care under both waivers?

Yes. Structured Family Caregiving is available through both CCSP and SOURCE. The program pays family caregivers approximately $80/day (tax-free under IRS Notice 2014-7). Eligibility requirements are the same under both waivers: the caregiver must be a non-spouse, non-guardian family member living in the same household.

What if my parent doesn't qualify for either waiver?

If your parent doesn't meet Medicaid financial eligibility or the nursing facility level of care standard, they may still qualify for OAA-funded services through the AAA — including home-delivered meals, transportation, housekeeping, and telephone reassurance. These programs don't require Medicaid and typically have shorter or no waitlists.

The Aging in Place in Georgia guide includes a side-by-side CCSP vs. SOURCE decision map, DON-R assessment preparation instructions, and the complete filing sequence for both waivers. Download the free checklist to see the full framework.

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