Person and Family Directed Support and Community Living Waivers in Berks County
The Berks County Mental Health/Developmental Disabilities office oversees two Medicaid waivers, the Person/Family Directed Support Waiver and the Community Living Waiver, that pay for supports so a person with an intellectual disability or autism can live in their own home and take part in the community. Both are state and federally funded, both are available to individuals age 3 and over, and both have a financial cap, meaning a limit on how much funding one person can use.
Intellectual Disability and Autism Spectrum Disorder services in Berks County are funded by Federal Medicaid dollars and base funding. Individuals living with an intellectual disability or autism may have access to Supports Coordination as well as additional funding for supports and services.
Services that waiver funding can cover include:
- In-home and Community Support
- Community Participation Support (CPS)
- Companion
- Respite
- Residential Habilitation
- Life Sharing and Supported Living
- Employment Support and Benefits Counseling
- Person-Directed Supports
- Remote Support and Assistive Technology
- Environment Accessibility Adaptations
- Transportation
- Specialized Therapies and Nursing not covered by insurance
- Behavioral Support
- Homemaker and Chore Services
- Participant Good and Services
- Educational Supports
To start, call Service Access and Management at 610-236-0530 and ask to speak with an Intake Manager for ID/Autism Services. That is how a person or family requests Intellectual Disabilities and Autism services in Berks County.
Once you are determined eligible for services, a supports coordinator will help you work out how your services will be funded. Funding for waiver services depends on the type of service you need and on the amount of money provided by the Office of Developmental Programs, which is given to counties based on the Human Services Block Grant Plan that the county submits to the state office.
Berks County also administers the Consolidated Waiver, which is for individuals age 3 and over and has no financial cap.
For general questions about the county's Mental Health/Developmental Disabilities office, it is on the 8th floor of the Berks County Services Center, 633 Court Street, Reading, PA 19601, and its general number is 610-478-3271. That office is open Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. The hours of the Service Access and Management intake line are not given.
The page does not say what waiver services cost a participant, what the financial cap amounts are, what income or financial rules apply, or how long eligibility determination takes, so ask when you call.
Source: berkspa.gov/departments/mental-health-developmental-disab…, read October 28, 2026.
The details
In Berks County Mental Health / Developmental Disabilities Program’s words
Intellectual Disability / Autism Spectrum Disorder Services are funded by Federal Medicaid dollars and base funding. These services allow individuals with intellectual disabilities and/or autism to successfully be supported in their homes and communities. Person/Family Directed Support Waiver and Community Living Waiver – state and federally funded program that provides support for individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism. These waivers are available to individuals age 3 and over…
Organization
Berks County Mental Health / Developmental Disabilities Program
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This listing summarizes publicly available information from berkspa.gov/departments/mental-health-developmental-disab…. Last recorded review: October 28, 2026. Contact the provider to confirm eligibility, hours and availability before you go. If something here is wrong, tell us.