How to Apply for SOURCE Waiver Georgia: Step-by-Step

What SOURCE Is and Who It's For

SOURCE — Service Options Using Resources in a Community Environment — is one of two Medicaid waiver programs operating under Georgia's Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program (EDWP). It provides home and community-based services that let eligible seniors stay in their own homes instead of entering a nursing facility.

SOURCE is specifically designed for low-income seniors with complex chronic medical conditions. Unlike the companion CCSP program (which uses a social model managed through Area Agencies on Aging), SOURCE operates through an integrated medical home model. A dedicated care coordinator works within the participant's primary care physician's practice, linking clinical treatments directly to home care services.

The practical difference: CCSP manages personal support separately from medical care. SOURCE puts the care coordinator inside the doctor's office, so medication changes, therapy adjustments, and home support modifications happen in one coordinated loop.

SOURCE Eligibility Requirements

Income: Gross monthly income must be at or below $994 (tied to the federal SSI rate, 2026). This is significantly lower than the CCSP income cap of $2,982. SOURCE is targeted at the lowest-income seniors.

Assets: Countable assets capped at $2,000 for an individual, $3,000 for a married couple. Exempt assets include the primary home (up to $752,000 equity), one vehicle, personal effects, and term life insurance.

Clinical need: The applicant must meet a Nursing Facility Level of Care (NFLOC) standard, verified through the Determination of Need-Revised (DON-R) assessment. This means demonstrating significant functional dependency — needing regular help with activities of daily living or having cognitive impairment that requires supervised care.

Residency: Must be a Georgia resident.

Cost share: Generally $0 for SOURCE participants, since their income is at or below the SSI threshold. This contrasts with CCSP, where participants with income above $994 pay a sliding-scale monthly cost share.

Step-by-Step Application Process

1. Contact the ADRC or a SOURCE Provider

Start by calling the Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) at 1-866-552-4464. The ADRC operates as Georgia's "No Wrong Door" intake system — they triage your call, assess which program fits, and route you to the right screening.

Alternatively, you can contact an approved SOURCE provider site directly. SOURCE operates through a network of primary care medical homes across the state. The provider's enrollment coordinator can initiate the screening process.

2. Preliminary Financial Screening

The intake worker will gather basic financial information: Social Security income, any pension or retirement income, bank account balances, property ownership, and insurance coverage. This preliminary screen determines whether the applicant likely meets the $994 income threshold and $2,000 asset limit.

If income exceeds the SOURCE limit but falls below $2,982, the intake worker will redirect the application to CCSP instead.

3. Clinical Assessment (DON-R)

A care coordinator from the regional AAA or SOURCE site conducts an in-home assessment using the Determination of Need-Revised (DON-R) tool. This standardized evaluation covers:

• Cognitive function (memory, orientation, judgment)
• Physical function (mobility, transfers, balance)
• ADL capabilities (bathing, dressing, toileting, eating, continence)
• IADL capabilities (cooking, housekeeping, managing medications, finances)
• Behavioral health concerns
• Current living environment safety

The DON-R score determines whether the applicant meets the nursing facility level of care threshold. Meeting this threshold is required for both SOURCE and CCSP — it establishes that the person needs a level of care typically provided in a nursing home, which justifies the waiver funding to serve them at home instead.

4. Formal Medicaid Application Through DFCS

Once clinical eligibility is established, the financial application goes through the Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS). You can apply through Georgia Gateway (the state's online benefits portal) or at a local DFCS office.

Required documentation:

• Proof of identity and citizenship
• Social Security card
• Proof of Georgia residency
• Income verification (Social Security award letter, pension statements)
• 60 months of bank statements for all accounts
• Property deeds, vehicle titles
• Life insurance policies
• Most recent tax returns

5. Enrollment with a SOURCE Provider

After Medicaid eligibility is confirmed, the participant enrolls with an approved SOURCE site and is assigned a primary care physician within the SOURCE network. A dedicated care coordinator develops the individualized service plan, which specifies exactly which home and community-based services the participant will receive.

Services Covered Under SOURCE

• Personal care assistance (help with bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting)
• Home-delivered meals
• Adult day health care
• Respite care for family caregivers
• Emergency response systems (medical alert devices)
• Home modifications for safety and accessibility
• Skilled nursing visits (intermittent, as part of the care plan)
• Care coordination integrated with the primary care physician

The Waitlist Reality

Both SOURCE and CCSP are cap-allocated, not entitlement programs. Georgia sets a maximum number of waiver slots, and when they're full, eligible applicants go on a waitlist prioritized by clinical urgency. Wait times vary by region — metro Atlanta and other high-demand areas tend to have longer waits.

Applying early matters. A parent who is currently managing at home but declining should start the screening process now, not when the situation becomes urgent. Being on the waitlist doesn't obligate the family to accept services immediately — it secures a place in line.

SOURCE vs. CCSP: Which One?

The program choice isn't always the family's to make — it depends primarily on income. Applicants at or below $994/month are typically channeled into SOURCE. Applicants between $994 and $2,982 generally go into CCSP.

For families navigating these programs alongside care-level decisions and legal authority planning, the Georgia Care Decision Guide covers both waiver pathways, the application timeline, and how to coordinate waiver services with other elements of a care transition plan.

See more Georgia guides →