The wait for Oklahoma's developmental disability services fell from 13 years to two, the state's Developmental Disabilities Services (DDS) division said, as reported by KOSU on Nov. 14, 2024. The Legislature appropriated $32.5 million in 2022 to end a waitlist of more than 5,000 applicants that dated back 13 years.
How the backlog came down
According to DDS figures reported by KOSU, 40% of applicants, or 2,036 families, were approved for or receiving services. Services include caregivers, transportation and job coaches for Medicaid-eligible Oklahomans with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
For fiscal 2025, the Legislature added $3 million to help process 1,328 applications received between May 2, 2022, and Oct. 31, 2023, KOSU reported. DDS Director Beth Scrutchins said she hoped Oklahoma could become a state with no wait for services.
Why this mattered for providers and DSPs
Clearing a waitlist quickly creates a surge in demand for provider agencies and DSPs. Oklahoma paired its waitlist push with two rounds of rate increases, including one in October 2024, to help agencies hire the workers needed to serve new people.