Written by Lauren Wille, Legal Director of Disability Rights Maine
Next year, DHHS will launch a new home- and community-based services waiver called the Lifespan Waiver for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Lifespan is a foundational reform that has extraordinary potential to support people with IDD to thrive in their homes and communities.
HCBS waivers are services designed to serve people with disabilities, including IDD, in their homes and communities instead of in institutions. (They are called “waivers” because certain Medicaid funding rules regarding institutional care are not enforced, or waived, so that people can be supported outside of institutions.)
Although Lifespan will continue to provide many of the supports that are currently offered under existing waivers, it will expand the types of services it offers. The most exciting part of Lifespan is the premise on which is it based—that people with IDD have value, that they are not simply people to be cared for, but that they are people who have something to contribute to our society. The expanded scope of services offered under Lifespan recognizes this underlying truth.
Residential supports will continue to provide options like group homes and shared living (where a person lives with their provider). However, there will be a wider scope of services to support people who want to live more independently, including both in-person and remote support in the person’s own home, independent living skills training, and even housing start-up assistance, which can help people with things like security deposits and even with furniture. Community supports will still include the center-based supports offered now but will also emphasize more individualized supports in the community, as well as supports designed to help people build relationships and connect with their communities. Lifespan will also offer an incredible array of employment supports. Too often, people with IDD are steered away from employment. Lifespan can help ensure that people have the opportunity to explore employment by offering benefits and work incentives counseling, services to build skills to pursue competitive integrated employment, support in gaining and maintaining employment, and even self-employment assistance for entrepreneurs.
Lifespan is also designed to evolve as people grow older. Unlike the current system, which serves only people age 18 or older, Lifespan begins at age 14, and the available services will depend in part on the age of the recipient. People will no longer face an abrupt service cliff as they age out of children’s services and into adult services; instead, the transition is designed to be gradual, and people remain on the same waiver.
Issues will no doubt arise as the Lifespan Waiver is implemented over the next year and beyond. DRM shares the concerns others have raised about the shortage of service providers in Maine, and we have questions about how some of the specifics of the waiver will operate. These are not problems specific to the Lifespan Waiver, and they require long-term solutions.
The Lifespan Waiver recognizes the inherent value people with IDD have, and its goals are laudable in presenting services that aim to help people live their lives with self-determination and dignity. People with IDD have waited long enough for this kind of opportunity. The time for change is now.
NET brokers such as Modivcare Solutions LLC provide non-emergency rides to MaineCare-covered appointments.
Beginning July 1, 2026, Modivcare will expand services to schedule NET rides for the midcoast region which includes Waldo, Knox, Lincoln, and Sagadahoc counties, as well as the towns of Brunswick and Harpswell in Cumberland County. See the full list of NET brokers, by county that the member lives.
Providers can now schedule rides with Modivcare for members who have appointments on or after July 1, 2026. You can schedule rides online using the TripCare platform or by calling the dedicated provider line at: 1-877-659-1305.
See the Modivcare flyer for more information about how to schedule rides for members in the midcoast region.
Please join the Office of Aging and Disability Services (OADS) and the Office of MaineCare Services (OMS) during the week of July 20 to 24 as they offer five days of in-person presentations with discussion on the proposed Lifespan Waiver. The presentations will be held in five different Maine cities with sessions geared toward Providers in the morning and Individuals with IDD/Autism and their families in the afternoon.
Initial enrollment in the Lifespan Waiver is open to youth ages 14–17 and adults who are not already enrolled in the Section 21 or Section 29 waivers. Therefore, OADS particularly encourages attendance by these individuals and their families.
Each session will begin with a brief high-level review of the Lifespan design and updates based on feedback from the comment period that ended in May 2026.
In-Person Meetings:
OADS is offering a series of in-person events across the state with Providers, Individuals with IDD/Autism and their Families, and other interested parties such as:
Those on the waitlists for Sections 21 or 29
Families of youth and young adults, ages 14-21, who anticipate applying for adult MaineCare IDD/Autism services
Self-Advocates, advocates, and advocacy groups
Current waiver participants and families
Legislators interested in the progress of Lifespan
General Public
Providers should plan to attend the location of their choice in the morning from 9:00 to noon. The time slot for Individuals with IDD/Autism and Families will be from 1:30 to 3:30 at each location. The meeting spaces have a person limit, so we need to know how many people to expect. Please click the link below to register and indicate which session you will be able to attend and how many people will be in your party. Meeting locations may change based on the level of interest and anticipated attendance for each session. If that happens, registrants will be notified.
This summer, Telling Our Power will bring together disabled youth in Maine to explore self-advocacy, storytelling, and the arts. Through creative writing, visual art, dance, and digital storytelling, participants will learn to share their experiences, build confidence, and develop skills to advocate for themselves and their communities.
The program, supported by a Projects for Peace grant, includes workshops led by disability advocates and inclusive artists, time to create personal art and stories, and a closing celebration event.
📍 Location: Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME
📅 Dates: July 7th-10th
💲 Cost: Free
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Apply by June 19, 2026 — the sooner the better, as space is limited to 10 participants. We will notify applicants regarding participation after reviewing submissions.
Want to learn more? Review the program information sheet, which includes a sample schedule and what to expect during the week.
A Note About Staffing and Support: This program is volunteer-led. We’ll have volunteers available throughout the day to support participants, and we’ll do our best to meet your needs — though we may not be able to provide intensive one-on-one personal care support. If you have questions about whether this program is the right fit, please feel free to reach out.
State and federal investments in home- and community-based services (HCBS), transportation, housing, assistive technology, employment, public accommodations, and self-advocacy are critical to ensuring that people with disabilities are not only included, but also empowered to speak up, make choices, and fully participate in their communities.
