·State program
Community Options Program Entry System (COPES)
Community Options Program Entry System (COPES) provides home and community-based services in Washington to eligible individuals 65 years or older, or with blindness or disability, meeting SSI program disability criteria and nursing facility level of care needs. Eligible applicants receive services in their home or a department-contracted residential facility, keeping a personal needs allowance up to 300% of the federal benefit rate.
What you get
Services, Coverage, as recorded:
- A single client living at home keeps a personal needs allowance (PNA) of up to 300% of the federal benefit rate (FBR) and pays remaining available income toward cost of care
Questions that decide eligibility
GiveCare prepares the questions; the program makes the decision. Bring these to the call or the application:
- 01
Does the person receiving care live in Washington?
Residency is usually the first thing a program checks.
- 02
Is the person receiving care in the covered age range (65–null)?
- 03
What counts as a qualifying disability or level of care need, and what documentation shows it?
- 04
Does the VA disability rating meet the program’s minimum (our record lists null%)?
- 05
Do the work hours meet the minimum (our record lists null hours)?
- 06
Is there a caregiver-specific department, coordinator, or support line? Ask for it by name.
Many agencies have one that isn’t advertised on the website.
- 07
What documents do you need from us to start an application?
- 08
Is there a waitlist right now, and how long is it?
Who qualifies, in the source’s words
Where our record has a direct quote from the official source, here it is — otherwise, this is our best reading of the rule.
Age of the person receiving care
“If you're age 65 and older, or have blindness or a disability, live in Washington State, and meet income and resource requirements”
hca.wa.gov →Disability of the person receiving care
“Meet the disability criteria for the supplemental security income (SSI) program under WAC 182-512-0050”
hca.wa.gov →Minimum VA disability rating
Minimum VA disability rating: null%.
Work hours
Minimum work hours: null.
State residency
“live in Washington State, and meet income and resource requirements”
hca.wa.gov →
How to apply
- 01
Complete and submit HCA form 18-005 (or apply online at Washington Connection / Washington Healthplanfinder, or in person at a local HCS office), or call your local HCS office to have an application mailed; a separate in-person functional (CARE) assessment is also required