Georgia Pediatric Program
GAPP application help in Atlanta, from the first form to approved care hours.
GAPP is Georgia Medicaid’s program that pays for nursing and personal care at home for medically fragile children under 21. Ava is a listed GAPP provider, and we do the application work alongside you.
Mon–Fri 9am–5pm · Toll free (877) 891-5222
Who qualifies for GAPP
- Your child is under 21 and lives in Georgia.
- Your child has Georgia Medicaid, or qualifies for it, for example through Katie Beckett.
- Your child is medically fragile and needs skilled nursing or hands-on personal care at home.
- A physician orders the care.
Children we care for include those with spinal muscular atrophy, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, brain injuries and other conditions.
What GAPP pays for
GAPP approves hours per week, split by who gives the care.
- Pediatric home nursing (RN and LPN)
Skilled nursing hours in your home.
- Pediatric personal care
Aide hours for daily living tasks.
- Family Caregiver program (paid parent caregiver)
A parent employed by Ava for personal care hours.
GAPP is measured in hours of care per week, by who provides it.
Knowing these words makes the first call easier. Your child’s doctor and Georgia’s reviewers decide the hours. We staff them.
- Assesses your child and writes the care plan
- Handles the most complex skilled care
- Supervises LPNs on your case
- Gives skilled nursing care during shifts
- Follows the RN’s plan and your doctor’s orders
- Often the nurse you see most
- Hands-on help with daily living
- Bathing, dressing, feeding, moving
- Parents can be paid for this role through the Family Caregiver program
How we help with your GAPP application
The application is where most families get stuck. Here is who does what.
- Give us permission
- To contact your child’s doctor and request records.
- Tell us about daily life
- What a normal day and a hard day look like. This shapes the hours requested. One Day of Care helps you get it all down.
- Collect the paperwork
- Physician’s order, recent records, Medicaid details.
- Prepare and submit
- We complete the application with you and follow it through review.
- Review
- Georgia Medicaid’s reviewers look at the medical need.
- Approve hours
- They set weekly hours and review them again over time.
If hours are approved but a shift can’t be staffed, we tell you before the shift, keep recruiting for your case, and talk with you about covering gaps through the Family Caregiver program.
Guides for parents
- How to document your child’s daily care for GAPP
What reviewers look for and how to describe a real day without leaving things out.
- Georgia’s GAPP age-out: a parent’s timeline from 16 to 21
What to start at each age so there’s no gap when GAPP ends.
- Katie Beckett and Medicaid for GAPP
When household income is too high for regular Medicaid.
GAPP questions parents ask
What does GAPP stand for?
Georgia Pediatric Program. It is part of Georgia Medicaid and covers in-home care for medically fragile children under 21.
Is GAPP free?
Yes. For children who qualify, Georgia Medicaid pays for approved GAPP care. Ava does not bill families for it.
Can I choose or switch my GAPP provider?
Yes. Families choose the GAPP agency they work with. You can find Ava on the provider list at GeorgiaGAPP.com.
What should I write down before applying for GAPP?
Everything you do for your child in a normal day, including overnight. Parents tend to forget tasks that have become routine. One Day of Care walks you through it and gives you a summary to bring to the doctor.
Does GAPP cover care after age 21?
No. Adult programs such as ICWP, NOW/COMP and CCSP/SOURCE are separate. Ava is working to offer them so families can stay with us after 21, and does not offer them today. See The 21 Clock.
Start your GAPP application with a call.
(404) 905-7699 Call (404) 905-7699- Hours
- Mon–Fri 9am–5pm. Closed Sat–Sun.
- Toll free
- (877) 891-5222
- Fax
- (404) 891-6466
- Office
- Ava Family Services, LLC
275 Interstate North Cir SE, Suite 200
Atlanta, GA 30339