The Disabled Child Living at Home (DCLH) or “Katie Beckett” group is a special eligibility category that allows certain disabled children who are residents of Mississippi with long-term disabilities or complex medical needs, living at home with their families, to obtain Mississippi Medicaid eligibility.
General Information
- Qualification is not based on a diagnosis or disability alone, but the child’s medically documented institutional level of care needs from the preceding 12 months.
- Benefits cannot be provided to a child whose need is shared by all children of the same age.
- A parent or legal guardian may reapply at any time, if the child’s medical condition changes significantly.
Who is Eligible for DCLH?
Children who are not eligible for other Medicaid programs because the income or assets of their parents are too high may be eligible for Medicaid through the Disabled Children Living at Home category of eligibility. A child must meet all of the following eligibility criteria:
- The child is under 19 years of age and determined to be disabled using Social Security disability rules.
- Requires a level of care at home that is typically provided in a hospital or nursing facility or intermediate care facility for the intellectually disabled.
- Can be provided safe and appropriate care in the family home.
- As an individual, does not have income or assets in his or her name in excess of the current standards for a child living in an institution.
- Does not incur a cost at home to the Medicaid Program that exceeds the cost Medicaid would pay if the child were in an institution.
This program is in compliance with federal regulations: 42 CFR §§435.225, 409.31-409.34, 440.10, 440.150, and 483.440.
Disabled Child Living at Home Resources
To learn more about coverage of disabled children living at-home and how to apply, view the Medicaid Eligibility Guidelines for a Disabled Child Living At-Home brochure.
