The Arkansas caregiver program
Arkansas pays family members to care for a relative at home through IndependentChoices. Here is what it is called, who can be paid, what it pays, and how to get in.
Arkansas at a glance
- Programs
- 2
- Reported pay
- Varies
- Spouse paid?
- No
- Waitlist
- Varies
can pay a relative
set in the care plan
Who are you caring for in Arkansas?
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
Arkansas programs that pay family caregivers
This is Medicaid money — a real, ongoing benefit, not a grant or a one-off stipend. In Arkansas it runs through:
How it works: self-directed (Cash & Counseling model) — participant is employer; a financial management service (FMS) handles tax withholding and caregiver payroll. The programs are administered by Arkansas Department of Human Services (Division of Aging, Adult, and Behavioral Health Services); Choices in Living Resource Center 866-801-3435; Division of Medical Services 501-682-8292.
Is there CDPAP or IHSS in Arkansas?
Arkansas has no program called CDPAP or IHSS — those are New York's and California's names. The Arkansas equivalent runs through IndependentChoices, ARChoices in Homecare, 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 Arkansas pays family caregivers
Rates vary — check with the program.
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Arkansas Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
Who can be paid in Arkansas
- Adult child, grandchild, sibling, friend Yes
- Broadly allowed wherever the program lets the member choose their caregiver.
- Spouse Not right now
- no — spouses and legal guardians are prohibited from being hired; other relatives including adult children can be paid
- Parent of a minor child Not right now
- no pathway found — IndependentChoices serves adults (18+); no parent-of-minor payment provision located
How much does Arkansas pay a family caregiver?
Arkansas does not publish one flat rate. monthly cash allowance based on assessed need, calculated at up to 78.11% of the Medicaid personal care hourly rate times authorized hours; no fixed published family-caregiver wage.
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 Arkansas caregiver pay page, and the national picture is in family caregiver pay rates by state.
Is there a waitlist in Arkansas?
Depends on the program. IndependentChoices via State Plan Personal Care is an entitlement (no waitlist); the ARChoices waiver is capped (~11,500 slots/year) and can form a waitlist. Apply early either way — the Medicaid financial review and the care assessment take time even where there is no list.
Why Arkansas pays family instead of an agency
562,800 people in Arkansas — 18% of the state — are 65 or older, across 75 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 Arkansas
- 2 minutes
Check eligibility
Five questions show which Arkansas program fits your family and what it pays.
- usually weeks
Medicaid + needs assessment
Arkansas 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 IndependentChoices 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: Apply online at Access Arkansas or at a local DHS county office with the Long-Term Services and Supports application, or call the Choices in Living Resource Center at 866-801-3435; then elect IndependentChoices.
Find out in 2 minutes
Answer 5 easy questions. See your programs and pay before you share any contact info.
Arkansas caregiver program questions
What is the caregiver program in Arkansas called?
In Arkansas, family caregivers are paid through IndependentChoices, ARChoices in Homecare. Arkansas has no program called CDPAP or IHSS — those are New York's and California's names. The Arkansas equivalent runs through IndependentChoices, ARChoices in Homecare, where the person receiving care can direct their own services and, in most cases, hire a relative.
Does Arkansas have CDPAP or IHSS?
Arkansas has no program called CDPAP or IHSS — those are New York's and California's names. The Arkansas equivalent runs through IndependentChoices, ARChoices in Homecare, where the person receiving care can direct their own services and, in most cases, hire a relative.
How much does Arkansas pay a family caregiver?
Arkansas does not publish one flat rate. monthly cash allowance based on assessed need, calculated at up to 78.11% of the Medicaid personal care hourly rate times authorized hours; no fixed published family-caregiver wage.
Can I get paid to take care of my spouse in Arkansas?
no — spouses and legal guardians are prohibited from being hired; other relatives including adult children can be paid
Can a parent be paid to care for a disabled child in Arkansas?
no pathway found — IndependentChoices serves adults (18+); no parent-of-minor payment provision located
Is there a waitlist for the Arkansas caregiver program?
IndependentChoices via State Plan Personal Care is an entitlement (no waitlist); the ARChoices waiver is capped (~11,500 slots/year) and can form a waitlist
How do I apply to be a paid caregiver in Arkansas?
Apply online at Access Arkansas or at a local DHS county office with the Long-Term Services and Supports application, or call the Choices in Living Resource Center at 866-801-3435; then elect IndependentChoices.
Who runs the Arkansas Medicaid caregiver program?
Arkansas Department of Human Services (Division of Aging, Adult, and Behavioral Health Services); Choices in Living Resource Center 866-801-3435; Division of Medical Services 501-682-8292.
Sources: humanservices.arkansas.gov · medicaidplanningassistance.org · pplfirst.com · Updated September 2026. Rules change — always confirm with the program.
Where most Arkansas caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in Arkansas — pick yours for the local picture.
Across the line
States that border Arkansas
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.