The Program Eligibility Pay & Rates Guides For Agencies Check Eligibility
Adult daughter helping her elderly mother at home in Michigan
Michigan MDHHS Home Help Program · 2026 Guide

Get paid $17.13/hr to care for your mom or dad — legally, through the State of Michigan.

If your parent needs help with daily activities, Michigan's Home Help Program may let you become their paid caregiver — no nursing background required. We'll walk you through exactly how it works, then connect you with the right next step.

Check my eligibility ↗ How the program works
$17.13
per hour, 2026 individual caregiver rate
No cap
Medicaid entitlement — no waitlist like MI Choice
2–6 wks
typical CHAMPS approval timeline
🏠
Serving Wayne, Oakland & Macomb County families
Scroll
Based on current 2026 MDHHS program rules
Independent guide — not affiliated with MDHHS
EVV / HHAeXchange+ compliance explained
Free to use, no obligation
How it works

From "is this real?" to your first paycheck

Four steps, start to finish. None of them require a medical license.

01

Home assessment

An MDHHS Adult Services Worker visits your loved one's home and completes the Adult Services Comprehensive Assessment (MDHHS-5534) to document the help they need with daily activities.

02

Hours are approved

Based on that assessment, MDHHS approves a set number of monthly care hours — commonly up to 180 hours, depending on documented need.

03

You register in CHAMPS

The chosen caregiver — you, a sibling, or another family member — enrolls as an individual provider through the state's CHAMPS system. Approval typically takes 2–6 weeks.

04

You get paid

Once approved and set up with EVV (electronic visit verification), you log your hours and get paid directly by the state at $17.13/hr for the care you're already providing.

The self-direction option

You don't have to hire a stranger. You can hire yourself.

Most families assume in-home care means bringing in an outside agency. Home Help's self-direction option flips that — your loved one can choose who provides their care, and that person gets paid by the state to do it.

✓
Adult children, siblings, grandchildren, and friends can be paid caregivers.
✓
Spouses and parents of minor children generally cannot be paid under this program.
✓
No CNA, nursing degree, or prior caregiving certification required to apply.
✓
You can care for more than one Medicaid-eligible person if approved for each.
Read the full self-direction guide
Adult son and his elderly father laughing together on a porch
MDHHS caseworker conducting a home assessment with an elderly man
Eligibility, plainly

Who actually qualifies for Home Help

Eligibility runs through two tests: the Medicaid recipient's finances, and their functional need for hands-on help. Here's the short version.

✓
Michigan residency, and Medicaid eligibility (or willingness to apply for it).
✓
2026 asset limits: $9,950 for a single applicant, $14,910 for a married couple — the primary home is generally exempt up to $752,000 in equity.
✓
Genuine hands-on need with at least one ADL: bathing, dressing, grooming, mobility, transferring, or toileting.
✓
Not currently residing in a nursing home, adult foster care home, or assisted living facility.
See the full eligibility checklist
Two paths, one program

Family caregiver, or licensed agency?

Home Help supports both. Which one fits depends on your family's situation, schedule, and comfort level.

Self-directed family caregiver

You (or another approved family member) become the paid caregiver directly.

  • ✓ Keeps care inside the family
  • ✓ You set the day-to-day schedule
  • ✓ You handle your own CHAMPS enrollment and EVV clock-ins
  • ✓ No agency overhead — full hourly rate goes to you

Licensed provider agency

An MDHHS-approved agency supplies and manages the caregiver — sometimes even a hired family member as their employee.

  • ✓ Agency handles hiring, background checks, and payroll
  • ✓ Built-in backup coverage if a caregiver is unavailable
  • ✓ Useful when no family member is available or willing
  • ✓ We can connect you with a licensed agency partner in your county
Metro Detroit & beyond

Serving families across Wayne, Oakland & Macomb

Residential Detroit Michigan neighborhood in Wayne County

Wayne County

Detroit, Dearborn, Livonia, Westland, Taylor, Canton

County guide →
Suburban Oakland County Michigan neighborhood

Oakland County

Southfield, Troy, Farmington Hills, Pontiac, Royal Oak

County guide →
Macomb County Michigan lakeside neighborhood

Macomb County

Warren, Sterling Heights, Clinton Township, Roseville

County guide →
Common questions

Straight answers, no runaround

Can I really get paid to take care of my mom or dad?+

Yes. Michigan's Home Help Program lets an eligible person choose their own caregiver — including an adult child, sibling, grandchild, or friend — and the state pays that caregiver directly at $17.13/hr as of 2026. Spouses cannot be paid under this specific program.

The 2026 individual caregiver rate is $17.13 per hour. Approved monthly hours are set after an in-home assessment and can run up to 180 hours a month depending on documented need.

After the home assessment, caregiver enrollment through CHAMPS typically takes 2–6 weeks from a complete application to an approved provider number.

No. Home Help is a Medicaid entitlement, not a capped waiver — unlike the MI Choice Waiver, there's no regional waitlist.

Electronic Visit Verification is now required for Home Help visits — caregivers clock in and out through the HHAeXchange+ app or a telephony line. It's part of enrollment, not an extra step you can skip.

Free, no obligation

See where your family stands

Answer a few quick questions and a Michigan care specialist will follow up to explain your specific options — whether that's becoming a paid family caregiver or connecting with a licensed agency partner.

By submitting, you agree to be contacted by CarePay Michigan or a licensed care partner about Home Help eligibility. We never sell your information to unrelated third parties. CarePay Michigan is not affiliated with MDHHS or the State of Michigan.