The Alaska caregiver program
Alaska pays family members to care for a relative at home through Personal Care Services (PCS). Here is what it is called, who can be paid, what it pays, and how to get in.
Alaska at a glance
- Programs
- 3
- Reported pay
- $24–$26/hr
- Spouse paid?
- Sometimes
- Waitlist
- None
can pay a relative
set in the care plan
Who are you caring for in Alaska?
Who do you care for?
- 50 + DC
- states covered
- 3,144
- counties with local data
- $0
- it is always free to apply
- 2 min
- to see if you qualify
Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau · Rules from each state's published Medicaid program
Alaska programs that pay family caregivers
This is Medicaid money — a real, ongoing benefit, not a grant or a one-off stipend. In Alaska it runs through:
How it works: self-directed under CDPCS — participant hires, trains, supervises, fires; a Consumer Directed Provider Agency acts as fiscal agent for tax withholding and caregiver payments. The programs are administered by Alaska Department of Health, Division of Senior and Disabilities Services (SDS), 907-269-3666.
Is there CDPAP or IHSS in Alaska?
Alaska has no program called CDPAP or IHSS — those are New York's and California's names. The Alaska equivalent runs through Personal Care Services (PCS), Community First Choice (CFC), Children's waivers (CCMC & IDD), where the person receiving care can direct their own services and, in most cases, hire a relative.
Whatever the name, the model is the same one people mean by consumer-directed care: the person who needs help chooses their caregiver, and that caregiver can be family. See how CDPAP and IHSS work if a relative in New York or California described theirs to you.
What Alaska pays family caregivers
$24–$26/hr
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Alaska Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
Who can be paid in Alaska
- Adult child, grandchild, sibling, friend Yes
- Broadly allowed wherever the program lets the member choose their caregiver.
- Spouse Sometimes
- limited — since 8/1/2025 a spouse can be paid for Community First Choice personal care when hired through a CFC personal-care agency (SDS memo 6/27/2025); State Plan PCS still bars spouses
- Parent of a minor child Sometimes
- limited — since 8/1/2025 parents of children older than 6 can be paid for CFC personal care through an agency, and for In-Home Supports on the children's waivers; State Plan PCS still bars them
How much does Alaska pay a family caregiver?
Reported pay in Alaska is around $24–$26/hr. no state-published family-caregiver wage; aggregators report ~$24–$26/hour average — actual wage set by the consumer-directed provider agency from the Medicaid PCA rate.
Your hours come from your relative's needs assessment, not from how many hours you actually work — which is why preparing for that assessment matters more than anything else. The detail is on the Alaska caregiver pay page, and the national picture is in family caregiver pay rates by state.
Is there a waitlist in Alaska?
No waitlist reported. no waitlist — PCS and CFC are state-plan entitlements. Apply early either way — the Medicaid financial review and the care assessment take time even where there is no list.
Why Alaska pays family instead of an agency
109,200 people in Alaska — 15% of the state — are 65 or older, across 30 counties. There are not enough agency home care workers for all of them, and care at home costs Medicaid far less than a nursing home. So the state pays the person already doing the work: you. If you would rather hire help, see what in-home care costs and home care agencies that hire family members.
How to become a paid caregiver for a family member in Alaska
- 2 minutes
Check eligibility
Five questions show which Alaska program fits your family and what it pays.
- usually weeks
Medicaid + needs assessment
Alaska confirms Medicaid eligibility and assesses how much help your relative needs. Those hours become your paid hours.
- after approval
Enroll and name you
Your relative enrolls in Personal Care Services (PCS) and names you as their caregiver. Background check and payroll forms follow.
- every pay period
Get paid
You log the hours you already work and are paid for them, like any job.
Where to apply: Contact a PCS provider agency or SDS to complete the PCA-08 Initial Application (doh.sds.info@alaska.gov, 907-269-3666); an Aging and Disability Resource Center can help; approval can take ~3 months.
Find out in 2 minutes
Answer 5 easy questions. See your programs and pay before you share any contact info.
Alaska caregiver program questions
What is the caregiver program in Alaska called?
In Alaska, family caregivers are paid through Personal Care Services (PCS), Community First Choice (CFC), Children's waivers (CCMC & IDD). Alaska has no program called CDPAP or IHSS — those are New York's and California's names. The Alaska equivalent runs through Personal Care Services (PCS), Community First Choice (CFC), Children's waivers (CCMC & IDD), where the person receiving care can direct their own services and, in most cases, hire a relative.
Does Alaska have CDPAP or IHSS?
Alaska has no program called CDPAP or IHSS — those are New York's and California's names. The Alaska equivalent runs through Personal Care Services (PCS), Community First Choice (CFC), Children's waivers (CCMC & IDD), where the person receiving care can direct their own services and, in most cases, hire a relative.
How much does Alaska pay a family caregiver?
Reported pay is around $24–$26/hr. no state-published family-caregiver wage; aggregators report ~$24–$26/hour average — actual wage set by the consumer-directed provider agency from the Medicaid PCA rate.
Can I get paid to take care of my spouse in Alaska?
limited — since 8/1/2025 a spouse can be paid for Community First Choice personal care when hired through a CFC personal-care agency (SDS memo 6/27/2025); State Plan PCS still bars spouses
Can a parent be paid to care for a disabled child in Alaska?
limited — since 8/1/2025 parents of children older than 6 can be paid for CFC personal care through an agency, and for In-Home Supports on the children's waivers; State Plan PCS still bars them
Is there a waitlist for the Alaska caregiver program?
no waitlist — PCS and CFC are state-plan entitlements
How do I apply to be a paid caregiver in Alaska?
Contact a PCS provider agency or SDS to complete the PCA-08 Initial Application (doh.sds.info@alaska.gov, 907-269-3666); an Aging and Disability Resource Center can help; approval can take ~3 months.
Who runs the Alaska Medicaid caregiver program?
Alaska Department of Health, Division of Senior and Disabilities Services (SDS), 907-269-3666.
Sources: medicaidplanningassistance.org · health.alaska.gov · Updated September 2026. Rules change — always confirm with the program.
Where most Alaska caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in Alaska — pick yours for the local picture.