• This page, Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Waivers, is   offered by
  • MassHealth

Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Waivers

MassHealth has two ABI waivers.

Table of Contents

About the Program

These two home- and community-based services (HCBS) waivers are designed to help MassHealth-eligible persons with an acquired brain injury (ABI) move from a nursing facility or chronic disease or rehabilitation hospital back to their community. The ABI waivers help by making the move from the facility to the community easier and by providing community-based services.

The two ABI waivers are

  • ABI–Residential Habilitation (ABI-RH) – for people who need supervision and staffing 24 hours a day, seven days a week in a provider-operated residence
  • ABI–Non-residential Habilitation (ABI-N) – for people who can move to their own home or apartment or to the home of someone else and receive services in the community.

ABI applications may be submitted at any time.

Eligibility Criteria for ABI Waivers

MassHealth applicants or members who live in a nursing facility or a chronic or rehabilitation hospital and have an ABI may apply for one of these waivers, which would support these persons to move into the community and offer resources to provide ongoing services in the community. An individual may not participate in more than one waiver at a time.

To qualify for one of the ABI waivers, an individual must

  • Be living in a nursing facility or in a chronic or rehabilitation hospital for at least 90 days
  • Meet clinical eligibility requirements
  • Have experienced an acquired brain injury at age 22 or older. An acquired brain injury can result from a stroke, brain trauma, infection of the brain (such as encephalitis), brain tumor, or anoxia (lack of oxygen)
  • Need ABI waiver services
  • Be able to be safely served in the community within the terms of the ABI waivers and
  • Meet the financial requirements to qualify for MassHealth Standard in the community.

Special financial rules exist for waiver applicants and participants.

Also, for the ABI-RH waiver, the person must need residential support services with staff supervision 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Services Offered to ABI Waiver Participants

All waiver participants will work with a case manager/service coordinator to develop their individual service plan that will include their goals and the waiver services and supports the participant needs in the community.

ABI Waiver services include the following:

Yes means the service is available
No means it’s not available

Service

ABI-RH

ABI-N

Adult Companion

No

Yes

Assisted Living Services

Yes

No

Chore Services

No

Yes

Community Based Day Supports

Yes

Yes

Community Support and Navigation

No

No

Day Services

Yes

Yes

Family Training

No

No

Home Accessibility Adaptations

No

Yes

Home Health Aide

No

No

Homemaker

No

Yes

Independent Living Supports

No

No

Individual Support and Community Habilitation 

No

Yes

Occupational, physical, or speech therapy

Yes

Yes

Orientation and Mobility Services

No

No

Peer Support

No

No

Personal Care

No

Yes

Prevocational Services

Yes

No

Residential Habilitation (group home)

Yes

No

Respite

No

Yes

Shared Home Supports

No

No

Shared Living – 24-Hour Supports

Yes

No

Skilled Nursing

No

No

Specialized Medical Equipment

Yes

Yes

Supported Employment

Yes

No

Supportive Home Care Aide

No

No

Transitional Assistance Services

Yes

Yes

Transportation

Yes

Yes

Vehicle Modification

No

No

ABI Waiver Application Process and Applications

You may submit an application to participate in the ABI waiver at any time. See links to the application below.

Send the completed application to

UMass ABI Waiver Unit
333 South Street
Shrewsbury, MA 01545-2732

For more information contact

UMass ABI Waiver Unit

Phone: (866) 281-5602

Email: ABIinfo@umassmed.edu

ABI Applications for HCBS Waiver

Additional Resources

Participant Handbook

The cover of the participant handbook
Click on the links below to get the participant handbook.

Additional Resources

ABI Waiver Brochures

The following are ABI waiver brochures. 

Additional Resources

Contact   for Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Waivers

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