If your autistic child is on the Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) pre-enrollment list for the iBudget waiver, the wait can be very long. APD's August 2026 report shows that, of the interest letters it sent in fiscal year 2025-26, 6,248 went to people who had been on the list for more than 10 years. Over that much time, families move, change phone numbers and email addresses, and children grow into new life stages. This guide is a checklist for keeping your child's place and making sure APD has an accurate picture of their needs. It reflects Florida law and APD's pages as of October 2026.
Who is responsible for keeping our information current?
You are. Section 393.065(10), Florida Statutes, says "the client, the client's guardian, or the client's family must ensure that accurate, up-to-date contact information is provided to the agency at all times." The same subsection requires APD to "send an annual letter requesting updated information."
APD's pre-enrollment page explains why that letter matters: "It is important to respond to the letter, as it provides a point of contact and reminder for you to let APD know if something has changed in your life (i.e. new mailing address, phone number, email address, change in caregiver or guardian, etc.)." It also says that if your circumstances change or you need services right away, you should "contact your local APD office right away."
The statute does not spell out what happens if a family never answers, and APD's page does not say either. What is clear is the practical risk: if APD cannot reach you when a waiver offer comes, you may miss it. Treat every APD letter as important.
What does APD send, and when?
| What | When | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Letter with your child's pre-enrollment category | After APD finds your child eligible | Check that the category fits your child. Keep the letter with the eligibility date. |
| Support plan contact | APD's page says it will help you develop a support plan within 60 days of the eligibility determination | List current needs and goals. Ask about Hope Florida navigators and other resources. |
| Annual check-in letter | Every year (s. 393.065(10)) | Answer it, even if nothing has changed. Update address, phone, email and caregiver details. |
| Annual information packet | Every year (s. 393.065(11)(c)) | Overviews of vocational rehabilitation, ABLE accounts, SSI, school transition services, guardianship alternatives and more. Read it with your child's age in mind. |
| Interest letter (waiver enrollment offer) | When funding reaches your child's place on the list | Respond by the deadline in the letter. Ask questions before you decline. |
Our annual checklist
Pick one date each year, such as your child's birthday or the day the APD letter arrives, and run through this list.
- Answer the annual letter the way it asks (mail, phone or email), and keep a copy or a screenshot.
- Confirm your mailing address, phone and email. If you moved within Florida, tell APD and ask whether your file moves to a different regional office. The regional office page lists offices by county.
- Update caregivers and legal status. A new guardian, guardian advocate, divorce, custody change or a caregiver who has turned 60 can all matter.
- Add a second contact who can reach you if APD cannot, if APD allows it.
- Check the category. Has anything changed that could move your child to a higher category? See the next section.
- Review benefits. To receive waiver services, a person must be eligible for Florida Medicaid or SSI (s. 393.065(8)). If your child is not, read about SSI for children with autism so you know what to expect when an offer comes.
- File everything in one folder: the eligibility letter, category letter, each annual letter and your answer, and notes of every call (date, name, what was said).
When should we ask APD to change our category?
Section 393.065(5) sets seven categories. Within Categories 3 through 7, APD prioritizes "in the order of the date that the client is determined eligible for waiver services," so your child's original eligibility date stays important. APD's category sheet (revised July 1, 2025) lists the documentation needed to change categories. Common triggers for families of autistic children:
| Change | Possible category | Documentation APD lists |
|---|---|---|
| Behaviors or physical needs now put your child or caregiver at risk of serious harm, and other supports are not available | Category 3 | A description of the behaviors or needs, medical treatment provided because of them, and the frequency, intensity and duration of incidents with the interventions tried |
| A caregiver has a documented condition expected to leave them unable to provide care within 12 months, with no alternate caregiver | Category 3 | Evidence of the condition; a physician's statement if medical, or a signed caregiver statement if not |
| The primary caregiver is 60 or older and no alternate caregiver is available | Category 4 | The caregiver's proof of date of birth and verification that no alternate caregiver is available |
| Your teen is expected to graduate from high school within 12 months and needs support for work or an accepted postsecondary program | Category 5 | School documentation of the graduation date and that no resources other than the waiver can provide job support |
| A true crisis: homelessness, danger to self or others, or a caregiver who can no longer provide care | Category 1 | See APD crisis enrollment |
Children under 21 who do not meet Categories 1 to 4 are in Category 7. People 21 and older who do not meet Categories 1 to 5 are in Category 6. Our waitlist categories guide explains each one in detail.
How to ask for a category review
- Gather the documents in the table, current within the past year where possible.
- Call or write to your APD regional office. Say: "My child ___, date of birth ___, is in pre-enrollment Category __. Our situation has changed because ___. I would like APD to review the category. Where should I send the documents?"
- Send copies, never originals, and keep proof of when you sent them.
- Follow up in writing if you do not hear back.
What should we do when an offer letter comes?
When funding reaches your child, APD sends an interest letter. APD's August 2026 report shows 6,848 interest letters sent in fiscal year 2025-26 and 2,694 responses recorded, a 39.3 percent response rate. For Category 6, 26.8 percent of letters were accepted. Some families declined; the reasons APD lists include not being interested in the waiver and not being eligible for, or not wanting to apply for, Medicaid.
- Respond on time, even if you are unsure. Ask APD what the deadline is and what accepting involves.
- Know the next steps. APD's report says that after accepting, clients must be approved for Florida Medicaid or SSI, sign a form choosing home and community-based services instead of institutional placement, and take part in a needs assessment.
- Ask before you decline. Section 393.0662(12) requires APD to report the number of people who refused an offer "but who choose to remain on the list," so declining is not automatically the same as leaving the list. Confirm in writing what declining means for your child before you decide.
APD's selection of who gets an offer is not something you can challenge in an administrative hearing: section 393.065(9) says it "does not establish a right to a hearing" for people who remain in pre-enrollment. Eligibility denials and support plan decisions do have appeal rights.
Where can we track the list?
Section 393.065(12) requires APD to post, "in a conspicuous location," the total number of people in each priority category by county, updated at least every 5 days. APD also publishes monthly waiver enrollment reports on its agency reports page. The latest we found when writing (data as of August 3, 2026) showed 15,401 people in pre-enrollment and 37,812 enrolled in the iBudget waiver, and noted $10 million in recurring funds in the 2026-27 budget to move people from pre-enrollment to the waiver.
Your local family care council is another source of news and support from families who have been through the wait.
How can our child get help while waiting?
APD's own report notes that many people on the list can use other programs. For an autistic child, the usual routes are the family's health plan (many commercial plans and TRICARE cover ABA), school services under the IEP, CARD and community programs. See who pays first for autism services.
Hope Center for Behavior Change provides ABA in centers, homes, schools and daycares. We are a private provider, not an APD waiver provider, and we have no waitlist. We accept Florida Blue, Aetna, Cigna, UMR, Personify Health and TRICARE East, and offer self-pay with a sliding scale. If your child has Medicaid, center policy does not allow self-pay at Hope Center; you can add marketplace or employer insurance, which we accept, and the sliding scale can help with your share. Ask for a free consultation and benefits check or call 561-337-8865. New to ABA? Start with our new families page.