The Louisiana caregiver program
Louisiana pays family members to care for a relative at home through Community Choices Waiver. Here is what it is called, who can be paid, what it pays, and how to get in.
Louisiana at a glance
- Programs
- 3
- Reported pay
- $1,800/month
- Spouse paid?
- Yes
- Waitlist
- None
can pay a relative
set in the care plan
Who are you caring for in Louisiana?
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
Louisiana programs that pay family caregivers
This is Medicaid money — a real, ongoing benefit, not a grant or a one-off stipend. In Louisiana it runs through:
- Community Choices Waiver
- Monitored In-Home Caregiving (MIHC)
- Children's Choice Waiver
How it works: MIHC runs through an enrolled MIHC provider agency (care manager + nurse support, agency pays the stipend); consumer-directed option uses a financial management services agency for payroll. The programs are administered by Louisiana Dept. of Health — Office of Aging and Adult Services (OAAS); Louisiana Options in Long Term Care 877-456-1146.
Is there CDPAP or IHSS in Louisiana?
Louisiana has no program called CDPAP or IHSS — those are New York's and California's names. The Louisiana equivalent runs through Community Choices Waiver, Monitored In-Home Caregiving (MIHC), Children's Choice Waiver, 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 Louisiana pays family caregivers
$1,800/month
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Louisiana Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
Who can be paid in Louisiana
- Adult child, grandchild, sibling, friend Yes
- Broadly allowed wherever the program lets the member choose their caregiver.
- Spouse Yes
- yes — MIHC allows a live-in spouse or adult child as the paid caregiver
- Parent of a minor child Sometimes
- limited — not under CCW (serves adults 65+ or 21+ with disabilities); parents of minors payable under Children's Choice/New Opportunities DD waivers, 40 hrs/wk cap, cannot also be the employer/representative
How much does Louisiana pay a family caregiver?
Reported pay in Louisiana is around $1,800/month. MIHC pays a tiered per-diem stipend by acuity, reported ~$85–$150/day (up to ~$1,800/month); consumer-directed hourly rate not published.
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 Louisiana caregiver pay page, and the national picture is in family caregiver pay rates by state.
Is there a waitlist in Louisiana?
No waitlist reported. not an entitlement — waitlist via the CCW Request for Services Registry when slots are full. Apply early either way — the Medicaid financial review and the care assessment take time even where there is no list.
Why Louisiana pays family instead of an agency
814,500 people in Louisiana — 18% 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 Louisiana
- 2 minutes
Check eligibility
Five questions show which Louisiana program fits your family and what it pays.
- usually weeks
Medicaid + needs assessment
Louisiana 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 Choices Waiver 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: Call Louisiana Options in Long Term Care at 877-456-1146 to request CCW services and be placed on the registry; OAAS handles level-of-care screening.
Find out in 2 minutes
Answer 5 easy questions. See your programs and pay before you share any contact info.
Louisiana caregiver program questions
What is the caregiver program in Louisiana called?
In Louisiana, family caregivers are paid through Community Choices Waiver, Monitored In-Home Caregiving (MIHC), Children's Choice Waiver. Louisiana has no program called CDPAP or IHSS — those are New York's and California's names. The Louisiana equivalent runs through Community Choices Waiver, Monitored In-Home Caregiving (MIHC), Children's Choice Waiver, where the person receiving care can direct their own services and, in most cases, hire a relative.
Does Louisiana have CDPAP or IHSS?
Louisiana has no program called CDPAP or IHSS — those are New York's and California's names. The Louisiana equivalent runs through Community Choices Waiver, Monitored In-Home Caregiving (MIHC), Children's Choice Waiver, where the person receiving care can direct their own services and, in most cases, hire a relative.
How much does Louisiana pay a family caregiver?
Reported pay is around $1,800/month. MIHC pays a tiered per-diem stipend by acuity, reported ~$85–$150/day (up to ~$1,800/month); consumer-directed hourly rate not published.
Can I get paid to take care of my spouse in Louisiana?
yes — MIHC allows a live-in spouse or adult child as the paid caregiver
Can a parent be paid to care for a disabled child in Louisiana?
limited — not under CCW (serves adults 65+ or 21+ with disabilities); parents of minors payable under Children's Choice/New Opportunities DD waivers, 40 hrs/wk cap, cannot also be the employer/representative
Is there a waitlist for the Louisiana caregiver program?
not an entitlement — waitlist via the CCW Request for Services Registry when slots are full
How do I apply to be a paid caregiver in Louisiana?
Call Louisiana Options in Long Term Care at 877-456-1146 to request CCW services and be placed on the registry; OAAS handles level-of-care screening.
Who runs the Louisiana Medicaid caregiver program?
Louisiana Dept. of Health — Office of Aging and Adult Services (OAAS); Louisiana Options in Long Term Care 877-456-1146.
Sources: medicaidplanningassistance.org · ldh.la.gov · law.cornell.edu · Updated September 2026. Rules change — always confirm with the program.
Where most Louisiana caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in Louisiana — pick yours for the local picture.
Across the line
States that border Louisiana
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.