The Children’s Long-Term Support (CLTS) Program provides funding and support for families who have children with disabilities so they can care for their children at home and fully participate in their communities.

As a Medicaid-connected program, it’s jointly funded by the federal and state governments but administered at the county level. Families typically work directly with a county agency (or their designated program administrator) to apply for and receive CLTS services.

Get Started with Eligibility for the CLTS Program

A child may be eligible for CLTS if they have a significant disability that is expected to last more than one year, and is living at home or in a foster care setting.  Eligibility is based on a child’s functional limitations which can be physical, developmental, or emotional, and restricts their ability to carry out daily living activities like dressing or eating, or may impact their learning, communicating, or mobility. In some cases, a medical diagnosis from a health care provider may not be necessary, however, this may vary by county.

To participate in CLTS, a child must be:

• under the age of 22
• a United States citizen
• a Wisconsin resident
• eligible for Medicaid
• have significant care needs

The CLTS Program defines this as an institutional level of care like the care typically provided in a hospital, nursing home or facility for people with developmental disabilities.

Wisconsin Medicaid Coverage and the CLTS Program

Your child must be eligible and meet all the requirements for Medicaid to be eligible for CLTS. Typically, children with a level of care needed to qualify for CLTS also qualify for Medicaid through the Katie Beckett Medicaid Program. Eligibility for Katie Beckett Medicaid is based on the child’s level of care needs or disability and the child’s, not parent’s, income. If your child is not currently enrolled, signing up for Medicaid will be part of the process of enrolling in the CLTS Program.

Eligibility Process for the CLTS Program

Step 1: Contact your county agency at dhs.wisconsin.gov/clts/contact.htm.                              

Step 2: Review the eligibility requirements (listed above) with agency staff.

Step 3: Set up a call or visit to talk more about the long-term support programs, including CLTS and the Children’s Community Options Program (CCOP). Someone at your child’s school, Birth to 3 Program staff, doctor’s office, or a grandparent or other relative can also contact the agency to start this process.

Step 4: If your family decides to move forward with exploring your child’s eligibility, you will be contacted to schedule a meeting. You will also need to sign some paperwork, including Release of Information forms to allow your child’s medical providers, school and other professionals to discuss your child’s information with CLTS agency staff. 

 Step 5: CLTS staff will set up a home visit to get to know your child and family to make an eligibility determination. This must be done within 45 days of the initial application. During that visit, a screening tool called the Functional Screen will be used to assess your child’s level of care needs and functional limitations.

The Functional Screen is a tool that collects information on your child’s health, need for support and how they play and interact with others. The screener will rely heavily on your input to fully understand your child’s limitations, care needs and challenges. This is the time to be realistic about the things that your child can do and the areas where more support is needed compared to other children their own age.