The Illinois caregiver program
Illinois pays family members to care for a relative at home through Community Care Program and Home Services Program. Here is what it is called, who can be paid, what it pays, and how to get in.
Illinois at a glance
- Programs
- 3
- Reported pay
- $18–$20/hr
- Spouse paid?
- Sometimes
- Waitlist
- Varies
can pay a relative
set in the care plan
Who are you caring for in Illinois?
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
Illinois programs that pay family caregivers
This is Medicaid money — a real, ongoing benefit, not a grant or a one-off stipend. In Illinois it runs through:
- Community Care Program (CCP)
- Home Services Program (HSP)
- MFTD Waiver (children)
How it works: CCP: caregiver must be hired and supervised by a contracted In-Home Services agency; HSP: consumer-directed — customer hires the personal assistant directly and the state handles payroll; MFTD: parent-nurse employed via nursing agency. The programs are administered by Illinois Dept. on Aging (CCP; Senior HelpLine 800-252-8966); IDHS Division of Rehabilitation Services (HSP; 877-581-3690); HFS is the Medicaid agency.
Is there CDPAP or IHSS in Illinois?
Illinois pays family caregivers through the Home Services Program (for people with disabilities) and the Community Care Program (for seniors), each with its own rules about which relatives can be hired.
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 Illinois pays family caregivers
$18–$20/hr
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Illinois Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
Who can be paid in Illinois
- Adult child, grandchild, sibling, friend Yes
- Broadly allowed wherever the program lets the member choose their caregiver.
- Spouse Sometimes
- limited — CCP: yes, any family member including a spouse may be hired (recent expansion, via agency with background check + 24-hr training); HSP: no, spouses excluded as legally responsible relatives
- Parent of a minor child Sometimes
- limited — HSP excludes parents of a minor recipient; MFTD waiver pays parents who hold an RN/LPN license for skilled nursing (paid-CNA parent option proposed 2025, not yet approved)
How much does Illinois pay a family caregiver?
Reported pay in Illinois is around $18–$20/hr. HSP individual providers: $19.50/hr Jan 2026 rising to $20.00/hr Jul 2026 (SEIU contract; seniority add-ons up to +$4/hr); CCP aides are paid by the contracted agency, reported ~$18–$20/hr.
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 Illinois caregiver pay page, and the national picture is in family caregiver pay rates by state.
Is there a waitlist in Illinois?
Depends on the program. generally no waitlist — CCP and HSP enroll eligible applicants without waiver waitlists. Apply early either way — the Medicaid financial review and the care assessment take time even where there is no list.
Why Illinois pays family instead of an agency
2.3 million people in Illinois — 18% of the state — are 65 or older, across 102 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 Illinois
- 2 minutes
Check eligibility
Five questions show which Illinois program fits your family and what it pays.
- usually weeks
Medicaid + needs assessment
Illinois 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 Community Care Program and Home Services Program 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: Age 60+: call the Senior HelpLine 800-252-8966 to reach the local Care Coordination Unit for a CCP assessment; under 60: apply through the local DHS-DRS Home Services Program office; medically fragile children: contact UIC DSCC.
Find out in 2 minutes
Answer 5 easy questions. See your programs and pay before you share any contact info.
Illinois caregiver program questions
What is the caregiver program in Illinois called?
In Illinois, family caregivers are paid through Community Care Program (CCP), Home Services Program (HSP), MFTD Waiver (children). Illinois pays family caregivers through the Home Services Program (for people with disabilities) and the Community Care Program (for seniors), each with its own rules about which relatives can be hired.
Does Illinois have CDPAP or IHSS?
Illinois pays family caregivers through the Home Services Program (for people with disabilities) and the Community Care Program (for seniors), each with its own rules about which relatives can be hired.
How much does Illinois pay a family caregiver?
Reported pay is around $18–$20/hr. HSP individual providers: $19.50/hr Jan 2026 rising to $20.00/hr Jul 2026 (SEIU contract; seniority add-ons up to +$4/hr); CCP aides are paid by the contracted agency, reported ~$18–$20/hr.
Can I get paid to take care of my spouse in Illinois?
limited — CCP: yes, any family member including a spouse may be hired (recent expansion, via agency with background check + 24-hr training); HSP: no, spouses excluded as legally responsible relatives
Can a parent be paid to care for a disabled child in Illinois?
limited — HSP excludes parents of a minor recipient; MFTD waiver pays parents who hold an RN/LPN license for skilled nursing (paid-CNA parent option proposed 2025, not yet approved)
Is there a waitlist for the Illinois caregiver program?
generally no waitlist — CCP and HSP enroll eligible applicants without waiver waitlists
How do I apply to be a paid caregiver in Illinois?
Age 60+: call the Senior HelpLine 800-252-8966 to reach the local Care Coordination Unit for a CCP assessment; under 60: apply through the local DHS-DRS Home Services Program office; medically fragile children: contact UIC DSCC.
Who runs the Illinois Medicaid caregiver program?
Illinois Dept. on Aging (CCP; Senior HelpLine 800-252-8966); IDHS Division of Rehabilitation Services (HSP; 877-581-3690); HFS is the Medicaid agency.
Sources: ilaging.illinois.gov · dhs.state.il.us · dscc.uic.edu · Updated September 2026. Rules change — always confirm with the program.
Where most Illinois caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in Illinois — pick yours for the local picture.