CCSP and SOURCE in Georgia, explained for families
The two programs that pay for care at home, in a small personal care home, or at an adult day health center for older adults and adults with disabilities. Who qualifies, where the door is, what they pay for, and what they do not.
Written by [author name]. Reviewed by [reviewer name], [role], October 12, 2026, against the DCH Elderly and Disabled Waiver general services and case management manuals current at that date. 9 sources at the end.
The short version
CCSP (Community Care Services Program) and SOURCE (Service Options Using Resources in a Community Environment) are two doors into the same set of services. If you are on Medicaid through SSI, SOURCE is usually your door. If you qualify for Medicaid only under the waiver's own income limits, CCSP is. Both need a nurse or care coordinator to confirm you need the level of care a nursing home provides.
What they pay for
- Personal support at home: a caregiver for bathing, dressing, meals and housekeeping, billed by the quarter hour. Agencies by county
- Alternative living services: care in a licensed personal care home of 24 beds or fewer. Medicaid pays for the care, not the room. Homes by county
- Adult day health: a day at a licensed center with a nurse, by the full or part day. Centers by county
- Structured family caregiving: a daily payment that supports a family member who lives with you and gives the care.
- Respite, home-delivered meals, an emergency response button, and some skilled nursing.
Where the door is
For CCSP, your Area Agency on Aging: there are 12, each covering a set of counties, reached through the statewide ADRC line. They screen, assess and, when a slot opens, assign a care coordinator who writes your plan. For SOURCE, you choose a SOURCE case management agency, which enrolls and assesses you and works with your doctor.
Choosing a provider
Once your plan is approved, you choose the provider. If you state no preference, CCSP assigns one by rotation. You do not have to accept that; the list on this site shows every enrolled provider in your county, which ones have room, and the date we checked their license. Bring the printed list to the conversation.
What they do not pay for
Room and board in a personal care home. Care in a home of more than 24 beds. Social-model adult day care without a nurse. Hours beyond what the plan authorizes.
Questions families ask
Who qualifies for CCSP or SOURCE in Georgia?
An adult who is 65 or older, or has a disability, meets Medicaid financial limits, and needs the level of care a nursing home provides. A nurse or care coordinator assesses the level of care. SOURCE is for people already on Medicaid through SSI; CCSP is the waiver for people who qualify financially under the waiver's own limits.
How do I apply for CCSP?
Call the Area Agency on Aging for your county, or the statewide ADRC line. They screen you, do the assessment, and if you qualify and a slot is open, assign a care coordinator who writes the care plan and authorizes services. We list all 12 Area Agencies on Aging with their counties.
How do I apply for SOURCE?
You choose a SOURCE case management agency. They enroll you, assess you and authorize services with your doctor as the medical home. We list the SOURCE agencies by county.
Is there a waiting list?
CCSP has had a waiting list in some regions; SOURCE enrolls as it goes. Ask the Area Agency on Aging what the wait is in your region today. We do not publish wait times because they change weekly and we cannot check them.
What is the 24-bed rule?
CCSP and SOURCE pay for care in a personal care home only if the home has 24 beds or fewer. Every personal care home on CareBegins shows its bed count.
Does Medicaid pay for a family member to care for me?
Under CCSP and SOURCE, Structured Family Caregiving pays a daily rate to an agency that supports a family caregiver who lives with you. Listings show SFC as a program tag where an agency offers it.
Does CCSP or SOURCE pay room and board in a personal care home?
No. Medicaid pays for the care. The resident pays room and board from their income and keeps a personal needs allowance set by the state.
Sources
- Georgia DCH, Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program, Part II General Services manual, version July 2026.
- Georgia DCH, EDWP Case Management manual, version July 2026.
- Georgia DCH, Elderly and Disabled Waiver overview, 2025.
- Georgia Division of Aging Services, care coordination policy H-600.
- Georgia DCH rule 111-8-62, personal care homes.
- Georgia DCH rule 111-8-1, adult day centers.
- LeadingAge Georgia, summary of CCSP/SOURCE settings and the 24-bed limit.
- Georgia Medicaid electronic visit verification program page, 2026.
- ASPE, Georgia adult day services profile, 2014 (historical, for day-length definitions).