Georgia SOURCE (Service Options Using Resources in a Community Environment)

SOURCE is the second way Georgia delivers its Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program (EDWP). It offers the same kinds of home and community services as CCSP, plus closer coordination with a primary care provider, for people with chronic health conditions who need a nursing home level of care. For the wider picture, see our Georgia Long-Term Care Medicaid guide.

Figures change periodically. Double-check current amounts before relying on them.

At a glance

Item	Details
Type of program	Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) waiver
Who runs it	Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH), through SOURCE case management providers
Age	Older adults and people with disabilities
Care need	Needs a nursing facility level of care
Georgia 2026 income rule (long-term care)	$2,982 a month. Higher income needs a Qualified Income Trust
Georgia 2026 asset limit (single applicant)	$2,000
Waiting list	Openings can be limited

SOURCE in brief

To sum up, Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH), through SOURCE case management providers oversees SOURCE. It serves older adults and people with disabilities, and the care requirement is: Needs a nursing facility level of care. Waiting list status in 2026: Openings can be limited. The sections below repeat these points with more detail, and our state guide covers the Georgia rules that apply to every long-term care program. If SOURCE is not the right fit, the related pages at the end point to other Georgia programs and general guides.

What the program is

In SOURCE, a SOURCE case management site enrolls the person, completes the assessment and assigns a case manager. The program links long-term care services with primary medical care, so the person’s doctor and case manager work together to manage chronic conditions and avoid hospital stays. SOURCE has historically been tied to people who qualify for Medicaid through SSI or the waiver’s financial rules.

A waiver is a program a state runs with federal permission to set aside some normal Medicaid rules so it can pay for long-term care outside a nursing home. Waivers usually have a fixed number of slots each year, a care plan written for each person, and a case manager or support coordinator who arranges services. Participants keep their regular Georgia Medicaid coverage for medical care; the waiver adds long-term care services to it. See our overview of HCBS waivers.

Who qualifies in 2026

To get SOURCE, a person generally has to meet each of these:

Needs a nursing facility level of care
Qualifies for full Medicaid under Georgia’s long-term care financial rules (see the money test below)
Has chronic health needs that benefit from coordination with primary care
Lives in Georgia and is a U.S. citizen or qualified non-citizen

Financial eligibility. Applicants for SOURCE must meet Georgia’s long-term care Medicaid financial rules. Figures shown above are the 2026 Georgia long-term care limits from our state guide. The home (up to the equity limit, when the person or a spouse lives there or plans to return), one vehicle, belongings and a small burial fund are generally not counted by Georgia Medicaid. If only one spouse needs SOURCE, spousal impoverishment rules protect assets and income for the other. See Spousal impoverishment rules.

About the level-of-care assessment. The care test looks at how much help a person needs with everyday activities such as bathing, dressing, eating, using the toilet, moving around and taking medicines, and at memory problems and supervision needs. The visit is normally face to face, at home or in a hospital or facility. Before a SOURCE assessment, it helps to line up a family member who can describe a typical bad day, and to have a list of diagnoses and medications ready. See Nursing home level of care and Activities of daily living.

What services it can pay for

Services depend on the person’s assessed needs and written care plan. Depending on the plan, they can include:

Enhanced case management with a link to primary care
Personal support services
Adult day health
Home-delivered meals
Respite
Emergency response systems
Alternative living services
Home health and nursing

Not every participant gets every service; the plan reflects assessed need and the help family already gives. A change in health is a reason to request a reassessment.

How to apply

There are two tracks, a financial one and a care one, and both must say yes. The usual path for SOURCE is:

Contact a SOURCE provider in your area, or your Area Agency on Aging, to request SOURCE.
Complete the level of care assessment.
Apply for Medicaid with DFCS if not already enrolled.
The SOURCE case manager writes the care plan with your primary care provider.

Our documents checklist and Applying for a waiver guide list the paperwork.

Waiting lists

SOURCE is part of EDWP, and openings can be limited.

General advice is in Waiver waiting lists.

How it relates to nursing home Medicaid

SOURCE uses the same nursing facility level of care and financial rules as nursing home Medicaid. It is designed to avoid nursing home and hospital stays for people with chronic conditions.

Rules shared with nursing home Medicaid. Most money rules carry over from nursing home Medicaid. The five-year look-back still matters: a transfer for less than fair value can delay payment for long-term care services. After death, estate recovery can reach services paid from age 55 on. Under SOURCE, income above an allowance may go toward the cost of care each month.

Income in a nursing home. In 2026, Georgia lets a nursing home resident keep $70 a month ($90 for some VA pensioners) for personal needs; the rest of their income mostly pays toward care. Details are in our state guide.

Tips for families

Do not wait for a crisis. Lists and assessments for SOURCE take time, and the start date is usually when you first request help.
Document everything, from forms and letters to who you spoke with at Georgia Medicaid and when.
Read every notice. If services are denied, cut or ended, the notice explains how to request a fair hearing and the deadline. Requesting one before the deadline often keeps services in place during the appeal.
Tell Georgia Medicaid about changes in money, address or household as they happen.
Mark renewal dates. Eligibility and the care plan are usually reviewed annually; see Renewals.
Get help with complex SOURCE cases, such as a spouse at home or past gifts. A certified Medicaid planner or a legal aid office can review how Georgia’s rules fit a family’s situation.

Common questions

Is SOURCE available everywhere? SOURCE is offered through local providers; coverage varies by area.

Will I have to change doctors? SOURCE works with a primary care provider, who may or may not be your current doctor.

Can I switch between CCSP and SOURCE? Both are part of EDWP, and switching between them may be possible.

Last updated for 2026. General information only, not legal or financial advice. Medicaid Answers is a free educational resource published by Medicaid Answers Foundation.