Frequently Asked Questions

Managed Long-Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) is a Medicaid program that offers comprehensive services for qualified individuals with disabilities. MLTSS is coordinated through Managed Care Organizations (MCOs). The goal of MLTSS is to help you live as independently as possible. The types of services MLTSS offers include:

• Personal care
• Respite care
• Care management
• Home and vehicle modifications
• Home delivered meals
• Personal emergency response systems
• Mental health and addiction services
• Assisted living
• Community residential services
• Nursing home care

Learn more about these services.

Managed Long-Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) benefits are for people who have Medicaid health coverage:

• If you already have Medicaid, you can start the MLTSS application process by calling the member services department of your Managed Care Organization (MCO) or by contacting your local county social services agency or Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) office.
• If you don’t have Medicaid coverage, you need to apply for Medicaid first, before you can apply for MLTSS. Learn more about applying for Medicaid.

Learn more about Medicaid in DB101’s How Health Benefits Work article.

To get Managed Long-Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) benefits, you must:

• Live in New Jersey
• Be a U.S. citizen or qualified alien
• Have a disability, be blind, or be 65 years old or older
• Be qualified to enter a nursing home based on a physical and cognitive assessment given by the New Jersey Office of Community Choice Options (OCCO)
  • Note: You must have an impairment that impacts your ability to be independent in the community and qualifies you to enter a nursing home. This does not mean you have to live in a nursing home.
• Have resources at or below $2,000 for individuals and $3,000 for couples
• Have gross income of $2,829 per month or less in 2024. If your income is higher, you may still qualify for MLTSS if you have a Qualified Income Trust (QIT). Learn more about QITs.

If you have any questions about MLTSS, call your local county social services agency office.

If you live in a nursing home, but want to live in the community instead, the I Choose Home NJ program can help you make that move without losing your Medicaid benefits or the care you need.

The services you might get depend on your situation and can include home health aides, adult day care, transportation, and meal delivery. You may get help identifying your exact needs and the services you can expect.

Learn more about I Choose Home NJ.

Tell a social worker in your facility that you’d like to explore options for living in your own place in the community. You can also call I Choose Home NJ at 1-855-466-3005 (1-855-HOME-005).

To qualify for I Choose Home NJ, you must:

• Live in a nursing home or developmental center and want to move into the community
• Have lived in the nursing home or developmental center for at least 90 days
• Qualify for Medicaid for at least one day before leaving the facility

Many people with disabilities worry that they will lose their Medicaid benefits if they work and earn more money. Medicaid's New Jersey WorkAbility program has a higher income limit, so you may be able to keep your Medicaid benefits while working.

To qualify for NJ WorkAbility, you must:

• Be 16 years old or older
• Live in New Jersey
• Be a U.S. citizen or a qualified immigrant
• Be working
• Have a disability that meets Social Security’s medical standards.
  • Note: For NJ WorkAbility, SSA’s disability rules related to income do not apply.

Note: NJ WorkAbility used to have an income limit and a resource limit. The rules have changed and since February 1, 2024, there are no more limits!

If your countable income is less than 250% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines ($3,138 per month), there is no monthly premium for NJ WorkAbility coverage. If your income is higher, there's a monthly premium based on how much income you have. Get more information about the premium.

Learn more about NJ WorkAbility in DB101’s How Health Benefits Work article.

Veterans in New Jersey may get long-term services and supports through the VA New Jersey Health Care System (VANJHCS), including community-based home care, both skilled and unskilled, and adult day health care. For more information, call the VANJHCS at 1-973-676-1000.

The New Jersey Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (DVRS) offers services and supports to people with disabilities, including:

• Vocational counseling and training
• Job search, application, and interviewing skills
• On-the-job coaching
• How to keep a job
• Job accommodations
• Medical or psychological testing
• Assistive technology evaluations
• Equipment or therapies to improve physical or cognitive functioning
• Individual, group, or other types of mental health counseling
• Home and vehicle modifications for employment-related purposes
• Financial needs assessments

For career counseling and guidance, One Stop Career Centers offer career planning, career training, and job development, Career Services lists tips and resources, and Job Source explains how to get started.

New Jersey Career Services offers special veteran services, including first priority for all job and training opportunities, for qualified veterans. Veterans seeking work in local, state, or federal government may receive “veterans preference” when applying, and veterans with a 30% or service-connected disability may qualify to participate in Schedule A hiring events.