Frequently Asked Questions

Case management is a person-centered service that helps individuals and families identify, coordinate, and access the supports they need to live full lives in their communities. A case manager helps develop an Individual Support Plan (ISP), connects families to services such as housing supports, employment, day programs, and healthcare, and advocates for the goals of the person being served. In North Carolina, IDD case management is coordinated through Tailored Plans managed by LME/MCOs.

Covenant provides comprehensive case management across 56 North Carolina counties, including Individual Support Plan development and monitoring, coordination of Medicaid and waiver services, advocacy and rights protection, referral coordination, crisis support planning, school-to-adult transition support, and connection to community resources. We support families on the NC Innovations Waiver and those receiving NC Medicaid 1915(i) services.

The NC Innovations Waiver is a 1915(c) Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Medicaid waiver for individuals of all ages with intellectual or developmental disabilities who would otherwise require care in an Intermediate Care Facility (ICF-IID). It provides habilitative and long-term supports that allow individuals to live in their homes and communities rather than in institutional settings, and is administered through NC Medicaid Tailored Plans.

To qualify, an individual must have a diagnosis of intellectual disability or a closely related condition such as autism, cerebral palsy, or epilepsy with related functional limitations; be enrolled in NC Medicaid; meet the ICF-IID level of care criteria; and be enrolled with an NC Medicaid Tailored Plan in their county. A waitlist currently exists for available waiver slots.

The NC Innovations Waiver has a limited number of enrollment slots. When slots are filled, eligible individuals are placed on a county-level waitlist, and those waiting the longest are generally served first when a slot opens. Slots open when a current enrollee no longer needs services or when the state allocates new funding. While waiting, individuals with NC Medicaid may access similar services through NC Medicaid 1915(i), and receiving 1915(i) services does not change a person's position on the Innovations Waiver waitlist.

NC Medicaid 1915(i) services are home and community-based Medicaid services for individuals with IDD, behavioral health needs, or traumatic brain injury who have NC Medicaid. Unlike the Innovations Waiver, 1915(i) services do not require meeting ICF-IID level of care criteria and have no waitlist. Services are delivered through NC Medicaid Tailored Plans and include community living support, day supports, respite, supported employment, and other habilitative services.

The NC Innovations Waiver is a 1915(c) waiver that requires ICF-IID level of care and has a waitlist, offering a comprehensive range of long-term supports. NC Medicaid 1915(i) services do not require institutional level of care and have no waitlist. Both are administered through NC Medicaid Tailored Plans. Being on the Innovations Waiver waitlist does not affect access to 1915(i) services, and receiving 1915(i) services does not change your waitlist position.

Confirm the individual has NC Medicaid and a qualifying IDD, behavioral health, or TBI diagnosis. Contact your Tailored Care Manager or LME/MCO care coordinator and request a 1915(i) independent assessment. Complete the in-person assessment, which confirms eligibility and identifies needed services. NC DHHS or its review contractor reviews the assessment, and if eligible, your care manager helps develop an Individual Support Plan or Person-Centered Plan.

Covenant partners with physicians, rehabilitation specialists, hospital discharge planners, and MCO care coordinators to ensure seamless, coordinated care. Referral partners can connect families directly to our intake team. We provide timely communication on enrollment status, coordinate with medical providers on support plans, and serve as a consistent point of contact for ongoing care coordination. Reach our team at 704-780-4552 or info@covenantcms.com.

Contact our intake team by phone at 704-780-4552 or by email at info@covenantcms.com. Be prepared to share the individual's current Medicaid status, diagnosis, county of residence, and current service needs. Our team will guide you through the enrollment process and coordinate with the appropriate Tailored Plan or LME/MCO.