After you send the form
- We read it and reply. A member of our team reads every enquiry and replies, usually within one business day, using the phone number and email you gave us. If you would rather talk now, call (678) 916-6876, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm Eastern.
- A first conversation. We ask about your child's daily care, the equipment they use, your county and your Medicaid, and explain what GAPP may cover. If GAPP or ARZN is not the right fit, we say so and point you to the program that is. Our page on Georgia programs for children with disabilities shows how they compare.
- Medicaid, if it is not in place yet. GAPP needs full Georgia Medicaid, decided by DFCS, and cannot be approved while an application is pending. PeachCare for Kids is not eligible (§701, §925.11). If your income is too high for Medicaid, Katie Beckett may be the route.
- Your child's doctor completes the orders. The physician's orders form and a statement of medical necessity, backed by recent office visit notes. A nurse practitioner or physician assistant can complete the orders too, and the agency is not allowed to fill them out for your doctor to sign (§602.2, §805).
- We submit the request. It goes to Alliant Health Solutions, which reviews GAPP requests for the Department of Community Health, with the forms you sign, including a Letter of Understanding and a Freedom of Choice form. Alliant has 30 days to review a complete request (§801, §703.2.5).
- Care begins. If your child is approved, care must start within 60 days (§703.3). The approval sets a monthly maximum of hours for up to six months, and is then renewed. If you are joining our Village Care Program as your child's paid caregiver, hiring, background checks and training happen at this point.
The full rules, cited section by section, are in our GAPP guide, and the application is laid out step by step in How to apply for GAPP in Georgia.
What to have ready for the first call
None of this is needed to send the form. It makes the first call more useful, and most of it is needed for the GAPP request later.
- Your child's Medicaid ID, or where a Medicaid or Katie Beckett application stands.
- Your child's diagnoses, as their doctors describe them. GAPP looks at the care a child needs every day, not the diagnosis alone, so the full picture matters.
- The equipment and daily care, such as a feeding tube, tracheostomy, ventilator, oxygen, seizure care or help with moving.
- Your child's doctor, the name and practice of the physician who will complete the orders.
- The hospital's discharge planner, if your child is in the hospital now. The discharge team can start the GAPP request (§703.1).
- Your child's IEP, if they have one. It goes in with the request (§801).
- When you need help most, roughly. Hours are approved as a monthly maximum and can be arranged across the month around your family (§819.4).
- Your current agency and approval dates, if your child already has GAPP. Transfers start on the first of a month (§820). See how to switch your GAPP agency.
Hoping to be paid to care for your child? Tell us whether you are your child's parent or other legally responsible adult and live with them. GAPP's Family Caregiver Option is for that person, for personal support hours only, and foster parents are not eligible (§604.2, §604.3). The whole process is in how to become a paid caregiver for your child.
Common questions
Does it cost anything to contact ARZN Care?
No. Contacting us is free and commits you to nothing. Eligible families pay nothing for approved GAPP services.
Do I need a referral from my child's doctor before contacting you?
No. You can contact us first. Your child's doctor completes the physician's orders before the GAPP request is submitted, and we explain what is needed.
Can I contact you if my child does not have Medicaid yet?
Yes. GAPP cannot be approved while a Medicaid application is pending, so Medicaid comes first. If your family's income is too high, Katie Beckett (TEFRA) can provide Medicaid for children 18 and under based on the level of care they need.
How long does it take for GAPP care to start?
Once the request is complete, Alliant Health Solutions has 30 days to review it, and approved care must start within 60 days. Missing paperwork costs time, because a request that is still incomplete after 30 days is denied.
My child already has GAPP with another agency. Can we switch to ARZN Care?
Yes. Parents have a right to choose or transfer agencies. Transfers start on the first of a month, and your current agency must keep providing care for at least 30 days if you want it to. Skilled nursing hours can be shared between two agencies; personal support hours cannot.
Sources
- Georgia Department of Community Health, Part II Policies and Procedures for Georgia Pediatric Program (GAPP) In-Home Nursing, July 1, 2025 edition, published on GAMMIS under Provider Manuals.
- Georgia Department of Community Health, Georgia Pediatric Program (GAPP) provider presentation, June 2023, published on the Georgia Medicaid Management Information System portal.
- Georgia Medicaid, Waiver Programs.
- Georgia Department of Community Health, Community Based Services.
Please read. This article is general information about a public program, not medical, legal or financial advice, and it is not a decision about your child. Program rules change. Confirm anything that matters with the Georgia Department of Community Health or with a GAPP participating agency before you rely on it.