Eligibility Qualifications

If the person you are referring to Colorado Bluesky is under the age of three, please visit our Early Intervention page to learn more about getting started.

In order to qualify for Colorado Bluesky programs, an individual must first be determined to have a developmental delay or developmental disability.  This determination is made by Colorado Bluesky during the intake and eligibility process.

Before the age of five, and individual can have a determination of a developmental delay, meaning that a child meets one or more of the following:

1.)

• Chromosomal conditions associated with delays in development,
• Congenital syndromes and conditions associated with delay in development,
• Sensory impairments associated with delays in development,
• Metabolic disorders associated with delays in development,
• Prenatal and perinatal infections and significant medical problems associated with delays in development,
• Low birth weight infants weighing less than 1200 grams, or
• Postnatal acquired problems resulting in delays in development.

2.)

• Communication,
• Adaptive behavior,
• Social-emotional,
• Motor,
• Sensory, or
• Cognition.

3.)

• A child less than three (3) years of age who lives with one or both parents who has a developmental disability.

After the age of 5, a person must have a determination of a disability.

An intellectual disability is a disability that starts before the person  reaches the age of 22 that affects their ability to complete daily  tasks, their decision making and problem solving ability, and stems from  a diagnosis or neurological condition. Examples of these conditions are  cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, or other neurological conditions that  result in impairment of intellectual functioning or adaptive behavior.

The Colorado Rules effective 8/30/2019 (10 CCR 2505-10 Section 8.600) define Developmental Disability as a disability that:

     A. Is manifested before the person reaches twenty-two (22) years of age;

     B. Constitutes a substantial disability to the affected individual, as demonstrated by the         criteria below at C.1 and/or C.2; and

     C. Is attributable to an intellectual and developmental  disability or related conditions, which include Prader-Willi syndrome,  cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism or other neurological conditions, when  such conditions result in either impairment of general intellectual  functioning or adaptive behavior similar to that of a person with an  intellectual and developmental disability.

In order to access a medicaid funded waiver, and individual must become eligible to long term care medicaid. 

Medicaid waivers include: 

• HCBS-CHRP
• HCBS-CES
• HCBS-SLS
• HCBS-DD

The individual seeking services must enroll in and be approved for Medicaid.

Social Security

The individual seeking services must meet the federal Social Security  Administration’s definition of an individual with a disability (more  information on the SSA’s definition of disability is available here), and they are encouraged to apply for social security benefits.