Hart-Supported Living Program Kentucky: Home Modification Grants for Seniors

Your parent needs a wheelchair ramp, grab bars in the bathroom, or a walk-in shower — but Medicare doesn't cover home modifications, and you can't afford a $5,000 renovation. Kentucky's Hart-Supported Living Program is a state-funded grant that pays for exactly these changes. The catch: there's a strict annual deadline that most families miss.

What the Program Covers

The Hart-Supported Living Program funds home modifications, assistive technology, and adaptive equipment for Kentuckians with disabilities — including age-related physical limitations. Covered modifications include:

• Wheelchair ramps and accessible entryways
• Grab bars in bathrooms and hallways
• Walk-in showers or tub-to-shower conversions
• Widened doorways for wheelchair or walker access
• Stair lifts and portable ramps
• Assistive technology like medical alert systems, specialized phones, or adaptive kitchen tools
• Vehicle modifications for wheelchair transport

The program caps rental home modifications at $3,500 per application. For homeowners, the cap is higher and depends on the scope of work approved by the review committee.

Who Qualifies

Eligibility is broader than most Kentucky senior programs:

• Any age — unlike the state Homecare Program (age 60+), the Hart program serves adults and children with disabilities
• Kentucky resident with a documented disability affecting daily living
• Income at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level — for a single person in 2026, that's roughly $3,795/month
• Not currently receiving the same modification through another program (no duplication of benefits)

The disability doesn't need to be Medicaid-certified. A letter from your parent's physician documenting functional limitations — difficulty with mobility, balance, or daily activities — is sufficient for the application.

The April 1 Deadline You Can't Miss

This is where families get tripped up. The Hart-Supported Living Program operates on an annual application cycle with a firm April 1 deadline. Applications submitted after April 1 are not considered until the following year.

Given the review process, submit your application to the regional coordinator by early March at the latest. This allows time for corrections, missing documentation, and follow-up questions from the state evaluation team before the final deadline.

Applications are reviewed by a statewide evaluation panel that prioritizes based on clinical need and urgency. Not every application is funded — demand typically exceeds the annual budget allocation.

How to Apply

1. Contact your regional Hart-Supported Living coordinator. Each of Kentucky's 15 Area Development Districts has a coordinator who manages applications for their region.
2. Schedule a home assessment. The coordinator or a designee visits your parent's home to document the physical barriers and recommend specific modifications.
3. Gather supporting documentation. You'll need a physician's letter confirming the disability, proof of income, and proof of residency. For rental properties, you'll need written landlord approval for any structural modifications.
4. Submit the completed application before April 1.
5. Wait for the evaluation panel's decision. Notifications typically arrive within 60 to 90 days after the deadline.

Combining Hart Grants With Other Programs

The Hart program can be combined with other home modification funding sources:

• Medicaid HCB waiver covers minor home modifications up to $3,025 per level-of-care year — but only after waiver enrollment, which can take months
• USDA Rural Development offers home repair loans and grants for rural homeowners aged 62+
• VA Specially Adapted Housing grants for veterans with service-connected disabilities
• Local Habitat for Humanity chapters sometimes fund aging-in-place renovations

If your parent qualifies for both the Hart grant and Medicaid waiver modifications, you can use them for different projects — the Hart grant for a ramp now, the waiver funds for bathroom modifications after enrollment.

Don't Wait for the Deadline to Start Planning

The biggest mistake families make is discovering the Hart program in May — one month after the deadline closed. If your parent is having trouble with stairs, bathroom safety, or getting in and out of the house, start the application process in January or February.

The Kentucky Home Care Guide includes the full timeline for coordinating Hart applications with Medicaid waiver enrollment and other home modification funding sources, so nothing falls through the cracks.

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