Policy
DODD Waiting List Assessment (Rule 5123-9-04): A Parent's Plain-English Walkthrough
The short answer
Ohio Administrative Code 5123-9-04 (effective July 2025) requires county DD boards to use a standardized assessment to confirm current need before someone comes off the IO waiver waitlist. The assessment looks at health and safety risk, caregiver capacity, and unmet needs. Documentation is the single biggest factor in how the assessment scores you. Appeals exist if the assessment outcome does not match the family's reality.
What to remember
- OAC Rule 5123-9-04 is the Ohio rule that governs DODD waitlist assessment.
- Three priority categories: immediate, current, and future need.
- Score is based on documented need, NOT date of request.
- Caregiver health and stability evidence moves families up the priority list.
Why this rule exists
Before July 2025, county DD boards in Ohio used different processes to decide who came off the IO waiver waitlist when slots opened. That meant inconsistent outcomes across counties. Two families with similar situations could see different decisions just because they lived in different parts of Ohio.
Rule 5123-9-04 standardized the assessment. The goal is that the same family in any Ohio county gets evaluated the same way. The tradeoff is more paperwork and an extra step in the process.
What the assessment looks at
Health and safety risk. Is the person at meaningful risk of harm in their current setting? Examples include unsafe wandering, untreated medical needs, abuse or neglect risk, behavioral incidents that have led to ER visits.
Caregiver capacity. Can the people currently providing care keep doing it? Caregiver age, health, employment situation, and other family responsibilities all matter here.
Current unmet need. What services should be in place that are not? Personal care, respite, day programming, behavioral support, medical supervision.
Whether existing services are working. If the person is on Level One or county-funded services, are those meeting the need? If yes, current need is lower. If no, current need is higher.
How to prepare for the assessment
Document hospital and ER visits over the past 12 to 24 months. Discharge summaries are gold.
Document behavioral incidents in writing, with dates. A simple notebook works. The board needs specifics, not impressions.
Document caregiver health. If the primary caregiver has medical conditions of their own, get a letter from their doctor.
Document what other services have been tried. Level One, county-funded services, family support, school programs. Show what is working and what is not.
Bring everything to the assessment. The assessor will base the score on what they can see, not on what you remember to tell them.
What happens after the assessment
If the assessment supports a current need finding and a slot is available, you move to enrollment. The Lucas County Board of DD then opens the IO authorization and you choose providers.
If the assessment finds future need rather than current need, you stay on the waitlist. You can request a re-assessment if the situation changes.
If you disagree with the outcome you have appeal rights under Ohio Administrative Code. We help families assemble the documentation for appeals.
What we tell Lucas County families
We tell families that documentation, not crisis, gets you across the line. Every hospital trip and behavioral incident is a record. Write it down the day it happens. By the time the assessment is scheduled you will have a real file, not a memory. That file is what the assessor uses.
Frequently asked
Does the assessment apply to Level One too?
Level One has its own enrollment process. The standardized assessment under 5123-9-04 is primarily about IO and other higher-funding waiver slots.
How long does the assessment take?
Usually a 60 to 90 minute home visit, plus document review. Total turnaround from scheduling to decision is typically four to eight weeks.
Can my SSA do the assessment?
Generally the assessment is done by a board staff person, not your SSA, to keep it independent. Your SSA helps assemble the documentation.
What if I think the assessor missed something?
Ask for a copy of the assessment report. Submit additional documentation. If the outcome still does not fit, file an administrative appeal.
Does the rule apply statewide?
Yes. All 88 Ohio county DD boards follow Rule 5123-9-04 as of July 2025.
Will Reliance help us prepare?
Yes, at no charge. We will look at what documentation you have, what gaps to fill, and how the existing care arrangement is going to score.
Sources we cite
Cite this page
Reliance Care coordinator team. (2026). DODD Waiting List Assessment (Rule 5123-9-04): A Parent's Plain-English Walkthrough. Reliance Care Solutions. https://www.reliancecaresolutions.com/resources/news/dodd-waitlist-assessment-rule-5123-9-04-plain-english
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