Innovations Waiver Services

Available in Gaston, Lincoln, Cleveland, Caldwell, Burke, Alexander, McDowell and Catawba Counties.

NC Innovations is a Medicaid community care funding source for persons with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities.  The program offers specific services in the community for individuals of all ages that require ICF-MR level of care and met additional eligibility criteria for this waiver.  It is designed to provide an array of community-based services and supports to promote choice, control, and community membership.  These services provide an alternative to institutional care.

Goals of the NC Innovations Waiver Services:

  • To value and support waiver participants to be fully functioning members of their community and to promote Promising Practices that result in real life outcomes for participants;

  • To offer service options that will facilitate each participant's ability to live in homes of their choice, have employment or engage in a purposeful day of their choice and achieve their life goals;

  • To provide the opportunity for all participants to direct their services to the extent that they choose;

  • To provide educational opportunities and support to foster the development of stronger natural support networks and enable participants to be less reliant on formal support systems.

ComServ, Inc. provides the following NC Innovations Waiver Services:

Day Supports

Day Supports is primarily a group service for adults ages 18 and over; however one-to-one services are available if the individualneeds extra support. Day support servicesprovides assistance to the individual with acquisition, retention, or improvement in self-help, socialization and adaptive skills. Emphasis is on inclusion and independance of the individual. Day Supports are furnished in a non-residential setting, separate from the home or facility where the participant resides.Day supports focus on enabling the participant to attain or maintain his or her maximum functional level is coordinated with any physical, occupational, or speech therapies listed in the Individual Support Plan. 

Community Living and Supports

Community living and supports provides habilitation and skill building to enable the participant to acquire and maintain skills, which support more independence. Community living and supports augments the family and natural supports of the participant and consists of an array of services that are required to maintain and assist the participant to live in the community settings.

Community living and supports consists of:

  • Training in interpersonal skills and development and maintenance of personal relationships.

  • Skill building to support the participant in increasing community living skills, such as shopping, recreation, personal banking, grocery shopping and other community activities.

  • Training with supervision of self-administration of medication and other services essential to healthcare at home, including transferring, ambulation and use of special mobility devices.

  • Transportation to support implementation of in-home skill building.

Residential Supports

Residential Supports include:

  • 1. Habilitation Services aimed at assisting the participant to acquire, improve, and retain skills in self-help, general household management and meal preparation, personal finance management, socialization and other adaptive areas. Training outcomes focus on allowing the participant to improve his/her ability to reside as independently as possible in the community.

  • 2. Assistance in activities of daily living when the participant is dependent on others to ensure health and safety.

  • 3. Habilitation services that allow the participant to participate in home life or community activities. Transportation to and from the residence and points of travel in the community is included to the degree that they are not reimbursed by another funding source.

  • Transportation to and from the residence and points of travel in the community is included to the degree that they are not reimbursed by another funding source.

Respite Services

Respite services provide periodic support and relief to the primary caregiver(s) from the responsibility and stress of caring for the participant, both children and adults. This service enables the primary caregiver to meet or participate in planned or emergency events, and to have planned time for him/her and/or family members. Respite may include in and out-of-home services, inclusive of overnight, weekend care, emergency care (family emergency based, not to include out of home crisis) or continuous care up to ten consecutive (10) days. The primary caregiver is the person principally responsible for the care and supervision of the participant and must maintain his/her primary residence at the same address as the participant. This service includes transportation from the participant’s residence to points of travel in the community.

Supported Employment Services

Supported Employment Services provide assistance with choosing, acquiring, and maintaining a job for participants ages 16 and older for whom competitive employment has not been achieved; or it has been interrupted, or intermittent in nature.

Initial Supported Employment services include:

1. Pre-job training/education and development activities to prepare a person to engage in meaningful work-related activities which may include career/educational counseling, job shadowing, assistance in the use of educational resources, training in resume preparation, job interview skills, study skills, assistance in learning skills necessary for job retention.

2. Assisting a participant to develop and operate a micro-enterprise. This assistance consists of:

a. Aiding the participant to identify potential business opportunities;

b. Assistance in the development of a business plan, including potential sources of business financing and other assistance;

c. Identification of the supports that is necessary in order for the participant to operate the business.

3. Coaching and employment support activities that enable a participant to complete initial job training or maintain employment such as monitoring, supervision, assistance in job task, work adjustment training and counseling.

Long term follow-up supports include:

Supported Employment Services provide assistance with choosing, acquiring, and maintaining a job for participants ages 16 and older for whom competitive employment has not been achieved and /or has been interrupted or intermittent. Initial Supported Employment services include:

1. Pre-job training/education and development activities to prepare a person to engage in meaningful work-related activities which may include career/educational counseling, job shadowing, assistance in the use of educational resources, training in resume preparation, job interview skills, study skills, assistance in learning skills necessary for job retention.

2. Assisting a participant to develop and operate a micro-enterprise. This assistance consists of:

a. Aiding the participant to identify potential business opportunities;

b. Assistance in the development of a business plan, including potential sources of business financing and other assistance;

c. Identification of the supports that is necessary in order for the participant to operate the business.

3. Coaching and employment support activities that enable a participant to complete initial job training or maintain employment such as monitoring, supervision, assistance in job task, work adjustment training and counseling.

Crisis Services

Crisis Services is a tiered approach to support waiver participant’s when crisis situations occur that present a threat to the participant’s health and safety or the health and safety of others. These behaviors may result in the participant losing his or her home, job, or access to activities and community involvement. Crisis Services is an immediate intervention available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week to support the person who is primarily responsible for the care of the participant. Crisis Services is provided as an alternative to institutional placement or psychiatric hospitalization. The service allows for the prevention of a crisis developing through Crisis Consultation.

Crisis Consultation includes:

− Facilitation of up to monthly team meetings,

− Training and education for Natural Supports,

− Development and implementation of strategies

Service authorization can be accessed by telephone or planned through the Individual Support Plan (ISP) to meet the needs of the participant. Following service authorization, any needed modifications to the Individual Support Plan and Individual Budget will occur within five working days of the date of verbal service authorization.

Community Networking Services

Community Networking Services provide individualized day activities that support the participant’s definition of a meaningful day in an integrated community setting, with persons who are not disabled. This service is provided separate and apart from the participant’s private residence, other residential living arrangement, and/or the home of a service provider. These services do not take place in licensed facilities and are intended to offer the participant the opportunity to develop meaningful community relationships with non-disabled individuals. Services are designed to promote maximum participation in community life while developing natural supports within integrated settings. Community Networking services enable the participant to increase or maintain their capacity for independence and develop social roles valued by non-disabled members of the community. As participants gain skills and increase community connections, service hours should fade; however a formal fading plan is not required.ditional information on Innovation Waiver Services contact:

Intake and Admissions:
PH: 828-438-6026
TTY - 823-430-7194

Jlaughrun@comserve.org