What is Kentucky's State Supplementation Program?
Kentucky's State Supplementation Program is a state-funded cash supplement, governed by 921 KAR 2:015, for adults who receive or qualify for SSI and need a full-time living arrangement in a licensed personal care home, a licensed family care home, or with a hired caretaker (or, for people with serious mental illness, a qualifying private residence).
It is not Medicaid and not a waiver. It exists to close the gap between a low income and what a licensed residential home charges. Eligibility is verified by the cabinet; a person's SSI or other income is compared against a standard of need for their living arrangement, and the supplement covers the deficit.
How much does Kentucky State Supplementation pay?
921 KAR 2:015 sets base standards of need of $1,409 a month for a personal care home resident, $965 for a family care home resident and $855 for a single person receiving caretaker services, each increased by every Social Security cost-of-living adjustment since 2021.
| Living arrangement | Base standard of need (921 KAR 2:015) |
|---|---|
| Personal care home resident | $1,409 |
| Family care home resident | $965 |
| Caretaker services, single | $855 |
The home must accept the applicable standard, minus the personal needs allowance the resident keeps ($60 a month in a personal care home, $40 in a family care home), as payment in full. Couples have their own caretaker standards, and the SSI $20 general income exclusion does not apply.
Does State Supplementation pay for assisted living in Kentucky?
No. State Supplementation applies only to licensed personal care homes, family care homes, hired caretakers and the private-residence category for serious mental illness; a resident of a licensed assisted living community does not qualify.
That single rule shapes Louisville's affordable residential care. OIG's current roster lists only a handful of freestanding personal care homes in the seven counties, plus personal care beds inside several nursing and continuing-care campuses and a dozen small family care homes, most of them in Jefferson County. Our personal care roster lists them all with bed counts and license status.
How do Louisville residents apply for State Supplementation?
Apply through the Kentucky Department for Community Based Services, the same agency that handles Medicaid applications (kynect or (855) 306-8959), and tell the personal care or family care home you are applying so it can confirm its license and your admission date.
KIPDA's Aging & Disability Resource Center at (502) 266-5571 can help with the application. If a resident goes into a hospital or nursing facility temporarily, the regulation has rules for keeping the supplement during the stay; ask DCBS before the payment lapses.
At a glance
| State Supplementation is | State Supplementation is not | |
|---|---|---|
| Funding | A state cash supplement for SSI-level income | Medicaid or a Medicaid waiver |
| Settings | Personal care homes, family care homes, caretakers | Assisted living communities |
| Amount | A standard of need minus income, plus COLAs | A fixed check |
| Payment rule | Home accepts standard minus $60 or $40 PNA as full payment | Negotiable by the home |
Sources include KRS Chapter 194A, 902 KAR 20:480, Kentucky CHFS and DMS pages, CareScout and VA rate tables as cited above; see our editorial standards.
