(a) The Commissioner of Social Services shall, within available appropriations, establish and operate a state-funded pilot program to allow not more than one hundred persons with disabilities (1) who are age eighteen to sixty-four, inclusive, (2) who are inappropriately institutionalized or at risk of inappropriate institutionalization, (3) whose assets do not exceed the asset limits of the state-funded home care program for the elderly, established pursuant to subsection (i) of § 17b-342, and (4) who are not eligible for medical assistance under § 17b-261 or a Medicaid waiver pursuant to 42 USC 1396n, to be eligible to receive the same services that are provided under the state-funded home care program for the elderly. At the discretion of the Commissioner of Social Services, such persons may also be eligible to receive services that are necessary to meet needs attributable to disabilities in order to allow such persons to avoid institutionalization.

(b) Any person participating in the pilot program whose income exceeds two hundred per cent of the federal poverty level shall contribute to the cost of care in accordance with the methodology established for recipients of medical assistance pursuant to sections 5035.20 and 5035.25 of the department’s uniform policy manual.

(c) The annualized cost of services provided to an individual under the pilot program shall not exceed fifty per cent of the weighted average cost of care in nursing homes in the state.

(d) If the number of persons eligible for the pilot program established pursuant to this section exceeds one hundred persons or if the cost of the program exceeds available appropriations, the commissioner shall establish a waiting list designed to serve applicants by order of application date.