Pennsylvania's adult emergency waiting list for intellectual disability and autism (ID/A) services has fallen 31% since the 2024-25 budget, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services announced on March 23, 2026.
Where the numbers come from
The 2024-25 budget included $354.8 million in state and federal funding to launch a multi-year growth strategy for ID/A services. As of March 2026, about 42,000 Pennsylvanians received ID/A services at home and in the community, the department said.
Under the strategy, the department stopped setting program capacity by a fixed number of waiver slots and moved to a budget-based system. The department said that gives counties flexibility to decide based on local needs.
The workforce piece
The department said rate increases have let providers raise wages and recruit, bringing the DSP job vacancy rate to its lowest level since 2015. It pointed to investments in both the 2024-25 and 2025-26 budgets.
What the 2026-27 proposal adds
Gov. Josh Shapiro's proposed 2026-27 budget would add $30 million in state funding and $36.2 million in federal funding to expand home and community-based capacity for adults with ID/A, enough to enroll up to 1,625 more people in Medicaid waiver services. Human Services Secretary Val Arkoosh said the goal remains eliminating the adult emergency waiting list.
The figures are the administration's own. The department's announcement did not give the number of people remaining on the emergency list, and a 2025 state study found DSP turnover still near 41%.
Why this matters for providers and DSPs
New enrollees need staff, so waiting list progress depends on providers being able to hire. Agencies should watch whether rates keep pace as enrollment grows.