Children’s Long-Term Support Program
The Children’s Long-Term Support (CLTS) Program helps children with disabilities and their families through supports and services that help children grow and live their best lives. The goal is to keep kids at home instead of at an institution.
Kids who are eligible for the CLTS Program work with support and service coordinators. Support and service coordinators are from local county health and human services agencies. They help kids and families find CLTS services they need. Providers who register for the CLTS Program offer approved services for CLTS members.
How the program works
The program is a home and community-based service waiver. It uses a Medicaid waiver to fund services for kids with disabilities. A waiver lets states use Medicaid to fund additional non-medical services and supports not normally offered.
DHS has received federal approval for the 2027–2031 CLTS Program waiver renewal application. The renewed waiver application adds new services and makes changes that promote a high-quality and consistent CLTS Program experience across the state. Changes will be effective January 1, 2027.
For more information, please visit our waiver renewal web page.
For provider-specific information about the waiver renewal, including updated provider qualifications, and resources for provider transitions, see the Waiver Renewal Information and Supports for Providers web page.
Essential children's resources
Wisconsin Wayfinder supports families of children with delays, disabilities, special health care needs, and mental health conditions. Children’s resource guides are helpers who assist families, caregivers, professionals, and organizations in finding a wide array of supports and services available through the Children’s Resource Network.
Is the CLTS Program right for my family?
See who can join
Kids must meet certain requirements to join the CLTS Program.
Apply
Families need to fill out an application and help us learn about their child.
Know what's covered
CLTS Program supports and services help kids reach their goals.
How do I use CLTS Program supports and services?
Know how the program works
The CLTS Program helps your child get what they need to live their best life.
Know what you may need to pay for
Some families may have to pay part of the cost for a service, called a "parental payment."
Find a provider
CLTS Program providers work with your child and family to help you meet your goals.
Information for professionals
Enrolling kids faster
We want all kids who need long-term support services to get them. Since 2017, we’ve worked to help more families access the CLTS Program. A big step was ending the program waitlist.
With funding from the state budget, we created a new enrollment process. It’s called continuous enrollment. This enrolls kids in CLTS as soon as they are eligible. Take a look at the Enrollment Dashboard to see our progress.
You also can hear from two CLTS families. They share why getting the services they need right away is so important.
Know a provider?
We serve more kids and families in CLTS now than ever before. This means we need more providers to keep up with demand. Help us recruit by sharing our message.
Our media kit has free tools. It includes flyers, social media posts, and more. Please use these to get the word out. Thank you for your support.
