08/31/2026
Arkansas families have waited long enough.
As of July 1, 2,268 Arkansans were on the CES Waiver waitlist, and those at the front of the line have been waiting up to three years.
Families across Arkansas have been speaking up about this growing waitlist and asking state leaders to act. I have listened, looked into the issue, and I agree with them.
The Community and Employment Supports (CES) Waiver helps Arkansans with intellectual and developmental disabilities access the supports they need to live with greater independence in their homes and communities. For too many families, that help is taking far too long.
For these families, receiving a waiver is not simply about quality of life. These services can make the difference between a parent or caregiver being able to keep working, keep a roof over the family’s head, and continue caring for their loved one at home.
In 2021, Arkansas committed to adding enough CES Waiver slots to serve the 3,204 people then on the waitlist. That expansion was scheduled to be completed by June 2025. Yet today, another 2,268 Arkansans are waiting.
That is why I respectfully ask Governor Sanders to call a special session to address the CES Waiver waitlist.
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, I understand you cannot fix the CES Waiver waitlist alone. But you alone can call a special session so the General Assembly can act.
Arkansas should move now to increase waiver capacity, strengthen the direct-care workforce, maximize available federal matching dollars, and publicly track our progress in reducing both the number of Arkansans waiting and how long they are forced to wait.
We should also establish a long-term plan to keep waiver capacity aligned with the needs of Arkansas families so we are not confronting the same crisis again several years from now.
This should not be a partisan issue. It should be an Arkansas issue. And Arkansas’ most vulnerable citizens are worth bringing the General Assembly back into session.
Arkansas families have waited long enough.
