The Adult Services Comprehensive Assessment — form MDHHS-5534 — is the single most important step in the whole Home Help process. It's what determines whether your loved one qualifies and how many hours get approved. Here's what actually happens.
Who shows up, and where
An MDHHS Adult Services Worker visits your loved one's home in person. This isn't a phone screening — the caseworker needs to see the actual living environment and observe real capability, not just hear about it.
What they're really evaluating
The assessment walks through each Activity of Daily Living — bathing, dressing, grooming, mobility, transferring, toileting — and documents where genuine hands-on assistance is needed versus where your loved one can manage independently or with a reminder.
How to prepare, honestly
Be specific and be honest — including about the hard days, not just the good ones. It's common for families to unintentionally downplay difficulty out of pride or habit. The caseworker is trying to document the real, ongoing need, and vague or overly optimistic answers can result in fewer approved hours than the situation actually requires.
What happens next
Once the assessment is complete, MDHHS documents approved monthly hours, and the enrollment process for a chosen caregiver — self-directed or through an agency — can begin. Our step-by-step walkthrough covers what comes after.