Missouri manual section 6.35
Transportation
Transportation is a Missouri DD waiver service for trips that are necessary to reach waiver services or other community services, activities, and resources identified in the person's person-centered service plan. It is separate from emergency transportation and Medicaid transportation to covered medical services.
What the manual describes
What this service can help with
- Travel to waiver services identified in the person-centered service plan
- Travel to other community services, activities, and resources identified in the plan
- A transportation mode matched to the person's needs and the services available
- Ambulatory or non-ambulatory trips within the mileage zones described by the manual
Source-backed working pathway
To establish you'll probably need:
These steps translate the cited manual section into a practical review sequence. Confirm the current local process before acting.
Identify the destination, purpose, and transportation barrier.
With the support coordinator, describe where the person needs to go, which waiver or community service, activity, or resource the trip supports, how often transportation is needed, and why an available unpaid option does not meet the need.
Confirm that waiver Transportation is the correct route.
Separate trips to waiver and community activities from transportation to covered medical services and from emergency transportation. Medical trips may belong to Medicaid non-emergency medical transportation, while emergencies require the appropriate emergency response.
Put the transportation need and special requirements in the plan.
The person-centered service plan should specify the trip purpose and needed support. Identify mobility, vehicle-access, transfer, communication, supervision, or other special needs so the regional office can provide that information to the authorized provider.
Identify a qualified transportation provider.
Confirm that the provider has the required Missouri driver or commercial licensing and a Department of Mental Health contract, serves the needed route, and can meet the person's accessibility and support needs.
Confirm authorization and the practical trip procedure.
Confirm the approved destinations, mileage zone, units, recurring or individual trip arrangement, reservation lead time, pickup process, cancellation rules, and who to contact if a ride fails. The manual defines coverage and documentation but does not publish one statewide consumer scheduling process.
Important boundaries
Limits that may affect fit or authorization
- Transportation is available through all four Missouri DD waivers, but each necessary trip purpose must be tied to the person-centered service plan.
- This guide covers the Missouri DD waiver service, not a general public-transit program. The manual says alternatives to formal paid support should be used whenever possible.
- Waiver Transportation cannot replace Medicaid non-emergency medical transportation to covered medical services.
- Waiver Transportation cannot replace emergency medical transportation.
- The manual describes separate per-trip and monthly billing components that must be billed separately.
- The manual limits the combined per-trip procedure codes to two units per participant per day; current authorization and billing rules must be confirmed before relying on that limit.
- Comprehensive and Community Support waivers remain under a temporary renewal extension through December 27, 2026, or until CMS grants final approval. Confirm the currently approved rules with the support coordinator; proposed renewal changes are not automatically active.
Do not assume this part
Questions to confirm locally
- Is each transportation purpose included in the current person-centered service plan?
- Does the trip belong to waiver Transportation, Medicaid non-emergency medical transportation, emergency transportation, public transit, or another available option?
- Which qualified providers currently serve the pickup and destination area and can meet the person's accessibility needs?
- What authorization, mileage zone, unit limit, and monthly component apply to the planned trips?
- How are recurring rides or individual trips scheduled, changed, canceled, and documented?
- Who gives the provider the person's special-needs information, and how are failed or unsafe rides addressed?