Arizona · waiver service
Parents as Paid Caregivers (PPCG) in Arizona
Parents as Paid Caregivers lets parents of minor children on ALTCS be paid for attendant care, personal care, homemaker and in-home habilitation. It started as a COVID-era flexibility and CMS approved it permanently in 2024. Parents must meet direct care worker requirements and work through one agency, and are limited to 40 paid hours a week per child.
Also called: PPCG · parents as paid caregivers Arizona · paid parent caregiver AHCCCS · DDD parents as paid caregivers
Who do you care for?
Quick facts
- Pay
- $13–$16/hr
- Adult children & other relatives
- Yes
- Spouse
- this model is for parents of minors; spouses use the Spouse as Paid Caregiver model.
- Parent of a minor child
- Yes
- Waitlist
- none
Who qualifies for PPCG
- Child under 18 enrolled in ALTCS (Developmental Disabilities through DES/DDD, or Elderly and Physically Disabled).
- Child lives in their own (family) home.
- Care meets the definition of extraordinary care — beyond what a parent ordinarily does for a child without a disability.
- Parent meets direct care worker training and provider qualifications.
Who can be paid as the caregiver
- Adult children & other relatives Yes
- other relatives can be hired through the regular member-directed options.
- Spouse
- this model is for parents of minors; spouses use the Spouse as Paid Caregiver model.
- Parent of a minor child Yes
- parents (including stepparents and adoptive parents) can be paid, up to 40 hours per week per child combined, and no more than 16 hours in a day.
- Living together
- the child must live in their own home.
Who employs the caregiver: Agency. The parent must be employed or contracted by one agency for all PPCG services they provide.
Spouse rules differ by program — see spouse pay in Arizona.
How much PPCG pays
$13–$16/hr. The employing agency sets pay, which may not exceed what a non-parent worker would get for similar care. Commonly reported rates are $13–$16/hour, near Arizona's $15.15/hour minimum wage (2026).
Hours and budget: The case manager uses the HCBS Needs Assessment Tool to set authorized hours. Parents can be paid for no more than 40 hours a week for one child; any authorized hours above 40 must go to another caregiver.
Compare with other Arizona programs on the Arizona caregiver pay page, or across states in pay rates by state.
Is there a waitlist?
ALTCS is an entitlement; there is no separate PPCG waitlist.
How to apply for PPCG
- Make sure your child is enrolled in ALTCS (apply at 1-888-621-6880; for developmental disabilities, also apply to DES/DDD).
- Ask the ALTCS or DDD support coordinator about the PPCG model; it is recorded in the child's plan with a signed acknowledgement.
- Get hired by one qualified agency and complete direct care worker training.
- Track hours so paid parent care stays at or under 40 hours a week.
- AHCCCS – ALTCS applications · 1-888-621-6880 · official site
- DES Division of Developmental Disabilities – PPCG · official site
Find out in 2 minutes
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PPCG questions
Is Parents as Paid Caregivers permanent in Arizona?
Yes. CMS approved it as a permanent part of Arizona's demonstration in February 2024, after it began as a temporary COVID flexibility.
How many hours can a parent be paid?
No more than 40 hours per week for one child, combined across both parents, and no more than 16 hours in any 24-hour period.
What can parents be paid for?
Attendant care, personal care, homemaker and in-home habilitation services that meet the extraordinary care standard.
Does my child need more than 40 hours?
If authorized care exceeds 40 hours a week, another caregiver must provide the extra hours.
Do parents need training?
Yes. Parents must meet the same direct care worker training and qualification rules as other workers.
Sources: azahcccs.gov · azahcccs.gov · des.az.gov · Updated 2026-10-08. Program rules change — always confirm with the program.
Where most Arizona caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in Arizona — pick yours for the local picture.
Across the line
States that border Arizona
Each state writes its own rules, and they differ more than people expect — a spouse who can be paid on one side of the line often cannot be on the other.