How to Get Paid to Care for a Family Member in Michigan — The Complete 2026 Guide

Michigan has one of the most family-friendly paid caregiving programs in the country. Through the state’s Home Help Program and other Medicaid waiver options, family members can receive compensation for providing daily care to a loved one at home.

If you’re already helping a parent, sibling, or other relative with bathing, dressing, cooking, cleaning, or other daily needs, Michigan may pay you for that care. Here’s everything Detroit-area families need to know.

Michigan’s Home Help Program: The Foundation

The Home Help Program is Michigan’s largest and most accessible paid family caregiving program. Administered by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), it provides in-home assistance to individuals who are aged, blind, or have disabilities and who qualify for Medicaid.

What makes Michigan’s program stand out nationally is its breadth. The Home Help Program explicitly allows family members to serve as paid caregivers.

Here’s how it works: a Medicaid-eligible individual who needs help with daily activities is assessed for the program. If approved, they are authorized to receive a certain number of care hours per month. The individual then selects their caregiver — who can be a family member — and that person is enrolled as an Individual Home Help Provider through MDHHS. The state pays the caregiver directly.

What Services Does Home Help Cover?

The Home Help Program covers assistance with activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living. This includes bathing and personal hygiene, dressing and grooming, eating and meal preparation, mobility and transferring, toileting and incontinence care, medication reminders, light housekeeping and laundry, grocery shopping and errands, and accompaniment to medical appointments.

Other Michigan Programs That Pay Family Caregivers

MI Choice Waiver

The MI Choice Waiver serves individuals who meet nursing-facility level of care but choose to remain in their homes. Administered through Michigan’s Area Agencies on Aging, MI Choice offers a self-determination option that allows participants to direct their own care — including hiring family members as paid providers.

MI Choice provides a broader range of services than the basic Home Help Program, including adult day care, home-delivered meals, personal emergency response systems, home modifications, and more.

MI Health Link

MI Health Link is Michigan’s integrated care program for individuals who are dually eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. Within MI Health Link, community-based services can include paid family caregiving through participant-directed arrangements.

Habilitation Supports Waiver (HSW)

The Habilitation Supports Waiver serves individuals with developmental disabilities. Family-directed care options are available under this waiver, allowing family members to be compensated for providing supports.

Who Is Eligible?

For the Person Receiving Care

Your family member may qualify for Michigan’s paid caregiving programs if they are a Michigan resident, they are enrolled in or eligible for Medicaid, they have a functional need for assistance with activities of daily living (as determined by a state assessment), and they can live safely at home with appropriate support.

For the Family Member Providing Care

Michigan’s rules about which family members can be paid are more generous than many other states. Eligible family caregivers can include adult children, parents of adult children, siblings, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and other relatives.

The family member must be at least 18 years old, legally authorized to work in the United States, physically and mentally capable of providing the required care, and able to pass any required background screening.

How Much Does Michigan Pay Family Caregivers?

Michigan’s Home Help Program pays caregivers an hourly rate set by the state. The pay rate varies by location.

The number of hours authorized depends on the individual’s assessed needs. Home Help providers are paid directly by MDHHS through a timekeeping system, typically biweekly.

It’s important to understand the tax implications: Home Help payments are generally considered taxable income, though certain IRS provisions (such as the “Difficulty of Care” exclusion under IRC Section 131) may apply if the caregiver lives with the care recipient.

How to Apply: Step-by-Step

Step 1: Confirm Medicaid Eligibility

Apply through MI Bridges at newmibridges.michigan.gov, in person at your local MDHHS office, or by calling the MDHHS Beneficiary Help Line.

Step 2: Request a Home Help Assessment

Contact your local MDHHS office. In Wayne County, the Detroit Area Agency on Aging (DAAA) at (313) 446-4444 can also provide guidance. An MDHHS caseworker will schedule a functional needs assessment conducted in the home.

Step 3: Select Your Family Caregiver

After the assessment, the care recipient names the person they want as their caregiver.

Step 4: Complete Provider Enrollment

The family member registers as a provider through MDHHS, completing background checks, employment forms, and timekeeping setup.

Step 5: Begin Providing Care

Once enrolled, the caregiver logs hours and receives payment on the established schedule.

How CareChoice Helps Detroit Families

CareChoice is a home care agency serving the Detroit area that specializes in helping families access paid caregiving programs. We understand the specific challenges Detroit families face, from navigating Wayne County’s MDHHS offices to connecting with the Detroit Area Agency on Aging.

Want to find out if your family qualifies? Contact CareChoice in Detroit →