DC Department on Disability Services (DDS)
Receives letters of intent and provider applications at dds@dc.gov, and runs Provider Certification Review.
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District of Columbia provider enrollment
How to Become a Medicaid Waiver Provider in District of Columbia
What District of Columbia requires before you can deliver home and community-based waiver services, in the order the state actually requires it. Every claim links to the official page it came from.
Last reviewed July 2026. Provider rules change often — confirm fees and deadlines against the linked sources before you rely on them.
Overview
Becoming a waiver provider in District of Columbia
The District asks for a letter of intent before it will take an application, and the letter is doing more work than it looks like. DDS wants to know what you already do, how many years of I/DD experience you bring, which waiver services you want, and what you intend to offer later. That is a screening conversation about whether you belong in the system, held before you spend money on a formal application. Agencies that treat the letter as a formality tend to get a slower and more skeptical review than those that use it to make an honest case.
Who certifies you
The agencies that decide
Before you apply
What has to be true first
Compliance with 29 DCMR Chapter 19, Section 1900
Your policies, procedures, and licensure or certification have to demonstrate compliance with the District's HCBS waiver service rules under Title 29 of the DC Municipal Regulations. Those rules, not the application form, define what you are being measured against.
SourceThe DDS Provider Certification Review Policy applies
New agencies must comply with the Provider Certification Review (PCR) policy alongside the Title 29 requirements. PCR is the ongoing review mechanism, so it shapes how you should build your documentation from the start.
SourceExisting providers adding services face a track record test
A current provider seeking to add services must show at least six months of consecutive service provision, passing PCR results where applicable, and good standing with DDS/DDA and other governing entities.
SourceEnrollment
How to enroll in District of Columbia
Send a letter of intent to dds@dc.gov, then submit the DDA Medicaid Waiver Provider Application with supporting documentation.
- Send a letter of intent before applying
Email dds@dc.gov with the subject line "[Company Name] Letter of Intent." This precedes the application — you cannot skip to the form.
Source - Make the letter substantive
DDS asks the letter to introduce your company with contact details, describe the services you currently provide, the waiver services you want to deliver, your years of I/DD experience, and the services you intend to offer in future.
Source - Submit the DDA Medicaid Waiver Provider Application
All new providers must submit a completed application with supporting documentation, sent as a Microsoft Word attachment.
Source - Document your compliance
Provide policies and procedures plus licensure and/or certification demonstrating compliance with the specific HCBS waiver service rules for what you intend to deliver.
Source
Confirm by phone
What the state does not publish
District of Columbia does not publish these in a form we could verify, so we have not guessed at them. Ask directly — and if an answer here would help other providers, tell us and we will add it with its source.
- How long does DDS take to respond to a letter of intent, and to decide an application?
Ask: DDS, 202-730-1700 or dds@dc.gov
- What background screening and staff training does DDA require, and on what cycle?
Ask: DDS, 202-730-1700 or dds@dc.gov
- Is DDA currently accepting new providers for the service you want to deliver, or is that service area saturated?
Ask: DDS, 202-730-1700 or dds@dc.gov
- Is there an application fee, and what are the separate DC Medicaid enrollment steps and revalidation interval?
Ask: DDS, 202-730-1700 or dds@dc.gov
Key contacts
District of Columbia provider contacts
DC Department on Disability Services
250 E Street SW, Washington DC 20024. Monday–Friday, 8:30am–5:00pm. dds@dc.gov.
202-730-1700Visit siteFAQ
District of Columbia provider questions
Can I just submit the application?
No. DDS requires a letter of intent to dds@dc.gov first, subject line "[Company Name] Letter of Intent." The application comes after.
What should the letter of intent actually say?
More than a request for information. DDS asks for your company introduction and contacts, the services you provide today, the waiver services you want to add, your years of I/DD experience, and where you intend to go next. It is your first substantive impression, so write it that way.
I already provide DDA services. Is adding a service easier?
Somewhat, but it has its own bar: at least six months of consecutive service provision, passing Provider Certification Review results where applicable, and good standing with DDS/DDA and other governing entities.
Looking for the family-facing guide? Browse state waiver guides