The Georgia Family Support Services application landed in my inbox as a packet nearly 28 pages long, and compared to Katie Beckett Deeming Waiver application, it was more doable. If you’re managing a household with special needs on one income, adding a dense state application to your plate can feel like too much. So this is the walkthrough I wish I’d had — what to gather, what each section is actually asking, and what I wish someone had told me before I started.
If you haven’t seen it yet, my FSS experience video covers what Family Support Services is, who qualifies, and what funding looks like. This post picks up where that leaves off — the actual application.
What to Gather Before You Start Georgia Family Support Services Application
Getting your documents together first will save you the most time when doing the Georgia Family Support Services application. You’ll want diagnosis documentation, your child’s Social Security number, a recent photo, and a birth certificate copy. If your child has Medicaid, include that card too, even though the application doesn’t strictly require it.
You’ll also need proof of an intellectual or developmental disability diagnosis — a psychological evaluation, an IEP, or similar documentation — and any prescription lists or medical orders for the goods or services you’re requesting. Getting prescriptions from doctors took the longest for me, so start there first.
Part 1: The IFSP Annual Review
This is the most substantive part of the Georgia Family Support Services application, and it’s where you make your case. It describes your child, your family’s needs, and the specific goods and services you’re requesting. The above video walk-through will give you ideas each step of the way with how to answer their questions and what to fill out, so make sure not to skip it!
Eligibility and Diagnosis
You’ll check three boxes confirming your child has a developmental disability diagnosis, lives in your home, and resides in an eligible county. If your child has more than one diagnosis, list the primary one and write “see attached” for a full list you provide separately.
The Person-Centered Description
Here’s a tip that will save you a resubmission: fill this section out by hand. I typed my second son’s application and attached it as a supplement, and the coordinator asked me to redo it. Handwriting it directly on the form is what they want.
This section asks who your child is, what’s important to them, what’s important for them, your family dynamics, your support network, and your physical environment. There’s no wrong answer here — it’s meant to build a picture of your specific family, not match a template.
Current Services and Goods Tables
For current services, write “see attached” and build a table listing each service, the program or waiver that funds it, and a brief description. Think broadly: therapies, specialists, HIPP, Medicaid, dietician visits, tutoring — anything supporting your child’s care.
The goods and services table is where you list what you’re actually requesting — nutritional supplements, memberships, respite care, equipment — along with justification, whether it’s available through other funding, and annual cost. List everything you’d realistically want, even if it’s over the funding cap. It documents the need for future consideration.
Part 2: The DBHDD Application
This is the statewide eligibility application everyone submits, regardless of region. It’s shorter than the IFSP but still requires care.
Diagnostic Information
Check every applicable diagnosis category, note the age of diagnosis, and attach supporting documentation — a psychological evaluation, an IEP, lab work, or similar proof from a specialist.
Services Requested
Check off everything your family could realistically use — respite care, specialized clothing, assistive technology, therapeutic services, specialized nutrition. You won’t receive funding for all of it on your first approval, but documenting the full need matters for future requests.
One important note: Family Support Services is a last-resort payer. You’ll need to confirm you can’t access these services through another funding source first.
Provider Intake Paperwork
Beyond the two main applications, your packet includes standard consent and rights paperwork from your local provider: a data information sheet, financial information, notice of privacy practices, and consent forms for treatment and photographs. Most of this is read-and-initial, but a few pieces need real attention.
The Medication Profile
If your child takes several medications or supplements, the provided lines may not be enough. Write “see attached” and include a supplemental medication list with dosing, route, frequency, prescriber, and diagnosis or reason for each one.
Authorization for Release of Information
Fill out a separate copy for each provider whose documentation supports your application — a neuropsychologist, primary care provider, or specialist who wrote a relevant evaluation, note, or prescription. Include the time period you’re authorizing them to share information for.
Submitting Your Georgia Family Support Services Application
Scan everything into a digital copy and email it to the address your provider sent the packet through. If your file is large, it’s fine to split it into two emails — just say so in each one. If you don’t hear back within a week, follow up and ask for confirmation of receipt.
Once submitted, your provider may call with clarifying questions before sending it to a reviewer. Our approval came back in two weeks, followed by another two weeks to schedule the intake interview.
A Few Things to Double-Check Before You Send It
- Every form is signed and dated
- Anything marked “see attached” is actually attached
- Copies of the birth certificate and Social Security card are included
- A recent photo is included
- An SSA letter is included, if applicable to your family
- Copies of insurance card(s)
- Physician orders for supplies or supplements that you are hoping to be funded for. For us, this was supplemental shakes and supplements, but this could also be incontinence supplies or other necessary supplies.
For more on finding your regional provider or getting help if you hit a wall, the DBHDD Family Support Services overview lists providers by county. If you’re also navigating Katie Beckett Medicaid, the two programs work well together, and I’ve built free editable templates for that application too.
If you have questions as you go through your own Georgia Family Support Services application, leave them in the comments — I’ll do my best to answer as I learn more myself.
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