Funding a GPS tracker in New York
In New York, the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) runs services for people with developmental disabilities, including a Medicaid waiver that lists assistive technology. This page explains which supports to ask about, how the Front Door process works, and what to ask your Care Manager. It is general information, not advice.
Last updated 7 October 2026. Written by StepSafe, which sells a GPS tracker for children who wander, so read the product parts with that in mind.
Read this first
This is general information, not legal or medical advice. We are not benefits advisors and we have no relationship with any program named here. No product of ours is covered, approved or endorsed by any of them, and we cannot tell you whether your child qualifies.
Programs change. Treat this page as a list of questions to ask, confirm everything with the agency before you spend money, and keep your receipts.
Last checked: 7 October 2026. That is the date we last read the official pages linked below.
Programs in New York to ask about
None of the official pages we read names GPS trackers for children who wander. What they do list are services such as assistive technology, adaptive aids, specialized equipment and personal emergency response systems. Those are the words to use when you ask.
OPWDD Home and Community-Based Services Waiver
New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities
OPWDD says Assistive Technology, Environmental Modifications and Vehicle Modifications are supports you can request through its waiver.[4]
Assistive Technology is "an item, equipment, software, or system" to help a person live as independently as possible. OPWDD's examples include an app for your phone and a picture board that helps someone navigate their community.[4]
Environmental Modifications are changes to the home for independence and safety. OPWDD's examples include open-door signal devices.[4]
Home-Enabling Supports are technology devices or subscriptions that help a person be more independent and less reliant on staff who are physically present.[4]
Safety devices: May cover safety or assistive technology; ask your coordinator. We did not find an official page that names GPS trackers for wandering.
Family Support Services
OPWDD, varying by region
Family Support Services help families keep a loved one with a developmental disability safe and living at home. Programs vary by region and may include specialized equipment and home modifications. A person must be eligible for OPWDD services and live at home full-time with unpaid family or caregivers.[4]
Safety devices: May cover safety or assistive technology; ask your coordinator. We did not find an official page that names GPS trackers for wandering.
TRAID Program
New York's Assistive Technology Act program, run by the Justice Center
Regional TRAID Centers provide assistive technology device loans and hands-on training to any New Yorker with a disability.[5] We have not confirmed whether any center lends GPS trackers.
Safety devices: Lends assistive technology; ask whether a locating device is available to try.
Who qualifies, in general terms
OPWDD decides eligibility through a review of records, including a psychological report with an IQ assessment, an adaptive behavior assessment, and reports showing the disability began before age 22. For conditions other than intellectual disability, a medical or specialty report supporting the diagnosis is needed.[2]
Being found eligible for OPWDD is not the last step: OPWDD notes that additional steps, such as enrolling in Medicaid, are needed for most supports and services.[2]
Only the agency can decide whether your child is eligible. These are the general rules as published, not a test you can apply yourself.
How to apply, step by step
- Call the OPWDD Infoline at 866-946-9733, say what county you live in, and ask to be transferred to your local Front Door office.[1]
- Gather the records for the eligibility review. A Care Coordination Organization (CCO) can help you put together a complete packet.[2]
- Once your child is eligible, choose a Care Coordination Organization and a Care Manager, who builds a Life Plan with you.[3]
- Ask for the wandering risk to be in the Life Plan. Your Care Manager can arrange a special assessment if needed and submits service requests to the OPWDD regional office.[4]
- While you wait, ask your Regional TRAID Center whether you can borrow or try a device.[5]
What to ask your case manager or service coordinator
Questions to take to the meeting
- Could a wearable locating device be requested as Assistive Technology, a Home-Enabling Support, or through Family Support Services in our region?
- Does the request need a special assessment, and who would do it?
- What documentation do you need from my child's doctor or therapist about the wandering?
- Do you need quotes, a product description, or a specific vendor?
- Does the program pay for an ongoing service plan, or only for the device?
- If it is not approved, can I have the decision in writing, and how do I appeal?
For a sample request letter and a note on how wandering is recorded in a medical file, see what to say when you ask.
Programs change
Waiver services, eligibility rules and application steps are updated regularly. We last read these pages on 7 October 2026. Before you rely on anything here, confirm it with the agency or your coordinator. If you find something out of date, email support@stepsafekids.com and we will fix it.
Other states
- CaliforniaPrograms, who qualifies and how to apply →
- TexasPrograms, who qualifies and how to apply →
- FloridaPrograms, who qualifies and how to apply →
- PennsylvaniaPrograms, who qualifies and how to apply →
Not listed? Read the United States overview for the routes that exist in every state.
What we make
StepSafe makes a clip-on cellular GPS tracker for children who wander. StepSafe ships in early 2027. Nothing on this page means any program will pay for it.
See the shop, or start with our free safety toolkit, which works whatever device you choose.