The Colorado caregiver program
Colorado pays family members to care for a relative at home through CDASS, IHSS and the Family CNA ("parent CNA") pathway. Here is what it is called, who can be paid, what it pays, and how to get in.
Colorado at a glance
- Programs
- 3
- Reported pay
- $17–$20/hr
- Spouse paid?
- Yes
- Waitlist
- None
can pay a relative
set in the care plan
Who are you caring for in Colorado?
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
Colorado programs that pay family caregivers
This is Medicaid money — a real, ongoing benefit, not a grant or a one-off stipend. In Colorado it runs through:
- CDASS
- IHSS
- Family CNA program
How it works: self-directed: CDASS uses an FMS (fiscal management service) vendor for payroll only; IHSS and Family CNA route through a licensed IHSS/home-health agency. The programs are administered by Dept. of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) / Health First Colorado, via local Case Management Agencies; Member Contact Center 1-800-221-3943.
Is there CDPAP or IHSS in Colorado?
Colorado has a program actually named IHSS, plus CDASS (Consumer-Directed Attendant Support Services), where the member hires and directs their own attendant. Parents of children with high needs can be paid as certified nursing assistants through a home health agency — the pathway people search as "parent CNA".
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 Colorado pays family caregivers
$17–$20/hr
Source: Colorado Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
Who can be paid in Colorado
- Adult child, grandchild, sibling, friend Yes
- Broadly allowed wherever the program lets the member choose their caregiver.
- Spouse Yes
- yes — spouses can be hired under CDASS/IHSS; spouse-as-LRP homemaker capped at 7 hrs/week
- Parent of a minor child Yes
- yes — via CFC/IHSS personal care ('extraordinary care' required) or by becoming a certified Family CNA paid through a home health agency
How much does Colorado pay a family caregiver?
Reported pay in Colorado is around $17–$20/hr. ~$17–$20/hr; floor = minimum wage ($17.00 statewide, $19.29 Denver, Jan 2026); employer sets wage within allocation.
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 Colorado caregiver pay page, and the national picture is in family caregiver pay rates by state.
Is there a waitlist in Colorado?
No waitlist reported. no waitlist — CFC is a state plan entitlement (since 7/1/2025); EBD waiver also historically no waitlist. Apply early either way — the Medicaid financial review and the care assessment take time even where there is no list.
Why Colorado pays family instead of an agency
975,900 people in Colorado — 16% of the state — are 65 or older, across 64 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 Colorado
- 2 minutes
Check eligibility
Five questions show which Colorado program fits your family and what it pays.
- usually weeks
Medicaid + needs assessment
Colorado 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 CDASS, IHSS and the Family CNA ("parent CNA") pathway 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 the local Case Management Agency (Single Entry Point) for a nursing-facility level-of-care assessment; must be enrolled in Health First Colorado (Medicaid) first.
Find out in 2 minutes
Answer 5 easy questions. See your programs and pay before you share any contact info.
Colorado caregiver program questions
What is the caregiver program in Colorado called?
In Colorado, family caregivers are paid through CDASS, IHSS, Family CNA program. Colorado has a program actually named IHSS, plus CDASS (Consumer-Directed Attendant Support Services), where the member hires and directs their own attendant. Parents of children with high needs can be paid as certified nursing assistants through a home health agency — the pathway people search as "parent CNA".
Does Colorado have CDPAP or IHSS?
Colorado has a program actually named IHSS, plus CDASS (Consumer-Directed Attendant Support Services), where the member hires and directs their own attendant. Parents of children with high needs can be paid as certified nursing assistants through a home health agency — the pathway people search as "parent CNA".
How much does Colorado pay a family caregiver?
Reported pay is around $17–$20/hr. ~$17–$20/hr; floor = minimum wage ($17.00 statewide, $19.29 Denver, Jan 2026); employer sets wage within allocation.
Can I get paid to take care of my spouse in Colorado?
yes — spouses can be hired under CDASS/IHSS; spouse-as-LRP homemaker capped at 7 hrs/week
Can a parent be paid to care for a disabled child in Colorado?
yes — via CFC/IHSS personal care ('extraordinary care' required) or by becoming a certified Family CNA paid through a home health agency
Is there a waitlist for the Colorado caregiver program?
no waitlist — CFC is a state plan entitlement (since 7/1/2025); EBD waiver also historically no waitlist
How do I apply to be a paid caregiver in Colorado?
Contact the local Case Management Agency (Single Entry Point) for a nursing-facility level-of-care assessment; must be enrolled in Health First Colorado (Medicaid) first.
Who runs the Colorado Medicaid caregiver program?
Dept. of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) / Health First Colorado, via local Case Management Agencies; Member Contact Center 1-800-221-3943.
Sources: hcpf.colorado.gov · payingforseniorcare.com · kidswaivers.org · Updated September 2026. Rules change — always confirm with the program.
Where most Colorado caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in Colorado — pick yours for the local picture.
Across the line
States that border Colorado
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.