EDWP Guide
Adult Day Care in Atlanta Through Georgia Medicaid
Georgia Medicaid pays for adult day care in Atlanta through EDWP, where it is called Adult Day Health. Learn who qualifies and how to choose a center.
Georgia Medicaid can pay for adult day care in Atlanta through EDWP, where the service is called Adult Day Health. It is a daytime group program with nursing oversight, therapy, meals and activities. Your loved one goes during the day and comes home in the evening.
Adult Day Health is one of the services in Georgia's Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program. It can sit alongside in-home help in the same care plan. It also gives family caregivers time to work or rest.
Adult day care in Atlanta at a glance
- Medicaid name: Adult Day Health, a service of EDWP
- Model: medically supervised group day program
- Typical services: nursing, therapy, planned activities and meals, including prescribed diets
- Who decides attendance: the care coordinator, through the care plan
- Who picks the center: your family, from enrolled providers with space
- Licensing: Georgia Department of Community Health
- First call in metro Atlanta: Empowerline at 404-463-3333
What is Adult Day Health under Georgia Medicaid?
Georgia's EDWP provider manual defines Adult Day Health as nursing, medical supervision, and health, therapeutic and social services in a day setting. The DCH CCSP fact sheet calls it a "medically supervised group day program."
The DCH EDWP fact sheet lists what a day at the center can include:
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Nursing and medical social services
Health checks and support from trained staff
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Planned therapeutic activities
Group and individual activities with a purpose
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Physical, speech and occupational therapy
Therapy to keep strength and skills
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Meals, including prescribed diets
Food that follows the doctor's orders
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Daytime care and supervision
A safe place to spend the day
Who qualifies for adult day care through Georgia Medicaid?
Adult Day Health is only for people enrolled in EDWP. So the question is whether your loved one qualifies for the waiver. In short, they need three things.
- A health need. A physical condition that limits daily life, serious enough to meet the nursing home level of care.
- Medicaid. Georgia Medicaid now, or likely eligibility after the waiver's financial screening.
- A choice to stay in the community. A decision to get care at home and in the community, not in a nursing home.
The person must also not be in another Georgia Medicaid waiver. Our EDWP guide covers the full rules.
Adult day care vs. adult day health: what is the difference?
Families use "adult day care" for any day program. Georgia's licensing rules, chapter 111-8-1, separate two models. Both must be licensed by the Georgia Department of Community Health.
| Feature | Adult day care (social model) | Adult day health (medical model) |
|---|---|---|
| Main focus | Supervision, social contact and activities | Health care plus supervision and activities |
| Nursing services | Not required | Included |
| Health monitoring | Not required | Included |
| Medication administration | Not required | Included |
| Therapy | Not required | Physical, occupational and speech therapy |
| What EDWP pays for | Not the EDWP service | Adult Day Health |
The difference matters when you shop for a center. Ask whether the center is an enrolled EDWP Adult Day Health provider. A social-only program may be a good fit, but Medicaid will not pay for it through EDWP.
How do you get adult day care through EDWP in Atlanta?
You start with the Area Agency on Aging. In metro Atlanta, Georgia's Division of Aging Services lists Empowerline at 404-463-3333 or 866-552-4464. The Georgia.gov EDWP page says a staff member will screen your loved one.
Ask for a screening
Call Empowerline and say you are interested in adult day health through EDWP.
Complete the assessment
An assessor reviews health, daily needs and finances, and confirms the level of care.
Add adult day to the care plan
The care coordinator and your family decide which services fit. Ask for Adult Day Health by name.
Pick a center
The state refers members to enrolled providers based on member choice and availability.
Start and review
Your loved one begins attending. If the center is not a good fit, you can ask for a new provider.
Questions to ask when you visit a center
- Is the center licensed by the Georgia Department of Community Health?
- Is it enrolled as an EDWP Adult Day Health provider?
- Who is the nurse on site, and what health checks happen each day?
- Can the center follow my loved one's prescribed diet?
- Is transportation offered, or can the center help arrange it?
- What training does staff have in Alzheimer's disease and other dementias?
Is transportation to adult day covered?
It depends on the center. Georgia's licensing rule on optional services says a center may provide transportation or help arrange it. It is not a required service.
The EDWP sources we reviewed do not say how rides to adult day are handled. Ask the center and the care coordinator before your loved one starts. Then plan a backup ride for days when the usual one falls through.
Are there county-run adult day centers in metro Atlanta?
Yes. Fulton County Senior Services runs adult day programs at several of its senior centers. The county says its centers are licensed through DCH. It also says they accept Medicaid waiver clients through CCSP and SOURCE.
Fulton's program includes health monitoring, memory programs, meals, exercise and caregiver support. Other counties may run their own programs. Empowerline can tell you what is near your home.
Is adult day care a good option for someone with dementia?
It can be. Georgia's Alzheimer's and related dementias state plan describes adult day as a way for caregivers to work, run errands or get needed respite. Georgia's licensing rules also require staff training on Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.
A center should know your loved one's routines and triggers. Bring a short written profile on the first day. Include their name preferences, favorite activities and what calms them.
Does Medicare pay for adult day care?
Generally, no. Medicare.gov lists adult day health care as a kind of long-term care. It says Medicare does not provide long-term care or custodial care coverage unless medical care is needed. Medicare's PACE program can include adult day services, but only where a PACE plan operates.
How A1-GA Healthcare Agency helps
A1-GA Healthcare Agency is a Georgia DCH-approved Medicaid home care provider in Norcross. We have provided in-home care since 2008 and staffed caregivers since 2004. We do not run an adult day center. We provide EDWP in-home personal support, which can sit in the same care plan as adult day.
We can help you understand where adult day fits, and cover the hours at home before and after the center. See our EDWP services, read about CCSP and SOURCE, or check your eligibility.
- Phone: 678-446-1832
- Hours: Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
- Email: [email protected]
- Office: 4505 Peachtree Industrial Blvd, Suite K, Norcross, GA 30092
- Eligibility: free online form or our eligibility page
Frequently asked questions
Does Georgia Medicaid pay for adult day care?
Yes, through EDWP, Georgia's Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program. The waiver covers Adult Day Health, a medically supervised group day program. Your loved one must qualify for EDWP, and the care coordinator must include it in the care plan.
What is the difference between adult day care and adult day health in Georgia?
Georgia's licensing rules describe adult day care as a social model and adult day health as a medical model. Both offer supervision and activities. Adult day health adds services such as nursing, health monitoring, medication administration and therapy.
Can I choose which adult day center my parent attends?
Yes, within limits. Georgia's EDWP provider manual says referrals go to enrolled providers based on member choice and availability. A member can also ask to change providers later.
Do adult day centers in Georgia provide transportation?
Some do. Georgia's licensing rules let a center provide transportation or help arrange it, but they do not require it. Ask each center directly, and ask the care coordinator how your loved one will get there.
Are adult day centers licensed in Georgia?
Yes. Under Georgia rule chapter 111-8-1, a center needs a license from the Georgia Department of Community Health before it can operate. You can ask any center to show its current license.
Does Medicare pay for adult day care?
Generally, no. Medicare.gov lists adult day health care as a form of long-term care, and Medicare does not cover long-term custodial care. Medicaid waivers such as EDWP are the main public payer in Georgia.
Sources
- Georgia Medicaid: EDWP CCSP and SOURCE General Services provider manual, July 2026
- Georgia DCH: Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program fact sheet
- Georgia DCH: Community Care Services Program (CCSP) fact sheet
- Georgia.gov: Apply for Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program
- Georgia Division of Aging Services: Atlanta Regional Area Agency on Aging
- Georgia Rules and Regulations: Chapter 111-8-1, Rules for Adult Day Centers
- Georgia rule 111-8-1-.20: Optional services (Cornell LII)
- Fulton County Senior Services: Adult Daycare
- Georgia DHS: Georgia Alzheimer's and Related Dementias State Plan
- Medicare.gov: Long-Term Care Coverage
- Medicare.gov: PACE
This article is for education only. It is not legal, medical or financial advice. Speak to a qualified professional about your situation before you act.
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