Day habilitation is a daytime service for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities that helps them build everyday skills, friendships and a fuller life in the community. In Indiana it is funded through the Bureau of Disabilities Services (BDS, often still called BDDS) Medicaid waivers. If you are looking into day habilitation services in Indianapolis for your son, daughter or other family member, this guide explains what the service is, what a typical day looks like, and how to get started.
Key takeaways
- Day habilitation supports skill-building in areas like self-care, communication, socialization and community living, outside the person’s home.
- Indiana offers it in community-based and facility-based settings, individually or in small groups.
- It is a listed service on the Family Supports and CIH waivers; both waivers reached capacity in December 2025 and now use a waiting list.
- Goals come from the person’s own plan, so a good provider builds each day around what the participant wants.
What day habilitation means in Indiana
“Habilitation” means learning and keeping skills, as opposed to rehabilitation, which means getting skills back after an injury or illness. Indiana’s Day Habilitation service definition and standards describe the service as covering both community-based and facility-based habilitation, with activities intended to build relationships and natural supports.
According to that guidance, day habilitation focuses on learning and assistance in areas such as:
- Self-care and daily living skills
- Sensory and motor development
- Communication
- Socialization and social skills
- Community living skills
Importantly, day habilitation happens outside the participant’s own home. It is a non-residential service, which sets it apart from residential habilitation and support (help at home) and from participant assistance and care.
Community-based vs. facility-based day habilitation
Indiana distinguishes between two settings:
Community-based habilitation
Services take place out in the community: a library, a recreation center, a park, a grocery store, a volunteer site or a class. The aim is to help the person take part in ordinary community life alongside neighbors who do not have disabilities. In Indianapolis that might mean learning to order lunch at a cafe in Broad Ripple, volunteering at a food pantry, using IndyGo with support, or joining a fitness class.
Facility-based habilitation
Services take place in a facility owned or operated by an approved provider. Facility-based programs can offer structured routines, a consistent peer group and activities that are harder to arrange in the community. Many participants use a mix of both settings during a week.
Individual or group
The state guidance allows day habilitation to be delivered one-to-one or in groups of different sizes, with the largest groups limited to facility settings. Whether someone receives individual or group support is decided through person-centered planning and written into their plan.
What day habilitation services in Indianapolis can look like
There is no single schedule, because each person’s plan drives their day. A week of day habilitation services in Indianapolis might include:
- Morning: practicing a skill from the person’s plan, such as planning a simple meal, counting change, or using a phone to text a friend
- Midday: a community outing to shop for ingredients, visit the library or take part in a volunteer shift
- Afternoon: social time, a leisure activity or a community event, then reflection on progress toward goals
Indiana’s guidance names leisure activities, community and public events, and unpaid work experiences such as volunteering among the activities that can be part of day habilitation. Good staff turn these into real learning: who to ask for help, how to handle a change in plans, how to make and keep a friend.
Who is eligible and how families access it
Day habilitation is a listed service on Indiana’s Family Supports Waiver and the Community Integration and Habilitation (CIH) Waiver. To use it, a person generally needs to:
- Be found eligible for BDS services, based on a developmental disability that began before age 22
- Be approved for a waiver and meet Medicaid requirements
- Work with a case manager to build a person-centered plan that includes day habilitation
- Choose an approved day habilitation provider
Our article What Is BDDS and How Can It Help Your Family walks through the eligibility process in more detail.
2026 changes Indiana families should know about
Several changes this year affect families exploring day habilitation:
- Waiting lists. As The Arc of Indiana reports, the Family Supports and CIH waivers reached maximum capacity in December 2025, and since February 2026 people invited to begin the process are placed on a waiting list. If your family member is not yet on a waiver, apply now.
- New assessments. From January 1, 2026, Indiana began using interRAI assessments for people on or seeking these waivers. The assessment helps determine level of care and informs service planning.
- Clearer service definitions. The August 2026 waiver amendments clarified day habilitation’s purposes, reimbursable activities and standards, with documentation focused on outcomes.
- Provider moratorium. A six-month pause on new provider enrollment for several waiver services, including day habilitation, began August 1, 2026. Existing providers can continue serving participants, but new options may be limited for a while.
- Waiver redesign ahead. Indiana plans to replace its current waivers through a redesign, starting with a youth waiver targeted for July 2027. Your case manager can explain what this means for your family member over time.
How to choose a day habilitation provider
When you visit or call providers, ask:
- How do you turn goals in the person’s plan into daily activities?
- How much time is spent in the community versus in a facility?
- What are your typical group sizes?
- How do you support people with communication differences or behavioral needs?
- How do you share progress with families and case managers?
- Who are the staff, how are they trained, and how much turnover do you have?
Trust your instincts. The right program should feel like a place where your family member is known, not just supervised.
Day habilitation with Aken
Aken Home Health and Home Care provides day habilitation services in Indianapolis as part of our BDDS waiver services, alongside participant assistance and care, residential habilitation and support, and respite care. Families in Marion, Hamilton, Hendricks, Boone and Johnson counties can reach out to talk about goals, schedules and how day services fit with support at home.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between day habilitation and adult day services?
Adult day services offer supervision, activities and some health support in a group setting, often for older adults. Day habilitation is focused on building specific skills and community connections drawn from a person’s individual plan.
Can day habilitation happen at home?
No. In Indiana, day habilitation is delivered in settings separate from the participant’s private residence. Support at home is provided through other services such as residential habilitation and support.
How many hours of day habilitation can someone get?
Hours depend on the person’s plan, needs and waiver budget. Your case manager can explain what is available.
Is day habilitation the same as a job program?
No. Day habilitation can include volunteer and unpaid work experiences, but employment-focused services such as prevocational services or supported employment are separate.
Aken Home Health and Home Care serves Indianapolis and surrounding counties. Call our office at 317-734-3934 (Mon to Fri, 8am to 5pm) or our 24/7 line at 574-320-4705, or request a free consultation.
