The Michigan caregiver program
Michigan pays family members to care for a relative at home through Home Help Program. Here is what it is called, who can be paid, what it pays, and how to get in.
Michigan at a glance
- Programs
- 2
- Reported pay
- $15.88–$17.13/hr
- Spouse paid?
- Sometimes
- Waitlist
- Varies
can pay a relative
set in the care plan
Who are you caring for in Michigan?
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
Michigan programs that pay family caregivers
This is Medicaid money — a real, ongoing benefit, not a grant or a one-off stipend. In Michigan it runs through:
- Home Help Program
- MI Choice Waiver
How it works: self-directed allowed — client hires an individual caregiver who enrolls as a provider in CHAMPS with background check and is paid directly by MDHHS (agency caregivers optional); MI Choice SDO uses a fiscal intermediary. The programs are administered by Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), via county MDHHS offices; MI Choice via regional waiver agencies.
Is there CDPAP or IHSS in Michigan?
Michigan's version is the Medicaid Home Help Program: the state pays an individual provider, who can be a relative, for help with daily activities, after a caseworker assessment.
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 Michigan pays family caregivers
$15.88–$17.13/hr
Source: Michigan Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
Who can be paid in Michigan
- Adult child, grandchild, sibling, friend Yes
- Broadly allowed wherever the program lets the member choose their caregiver.
- Spouse Sometimes
- limited — spouses barred under Home Help; reportedly payable under MI Choice Self-Determination Option
- Parent of a minor child Not right now
- no under Home Help (parents of minors excluded); other adult relatives 18+ allowed
How much does Michigan pay a family caregiver?
Reported pay in Michigan is around $15.88–$17.13/hr. Home Help individual caregiver: $15.88/hr (eff. 11/1/2024), rising to $17.13/hr ($13.73 + $3.40 pass-through) eff. 1/1/2026 (MDHHS rate bulletins).
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 Michigan caregiver pay page, and the national picture is in family caregiver pay rates by state.
Is there a waitlist in Michigan?
Depends on the program. Home Help is an entitlement — no waitlist; MI Choice waiver has capped slots and regional waitlists. Apply early either way — the Medicaid financial review and the care assessment take time even where there is no list.
Why Michigan pays family instead of an agency
2.0 million people in Michigan — 20% of the state — are 65 or older, across 83 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 Michigan
- 2 minutes
Check eligibility
Five questions show which Michigan program fits your family and what it pays.
- usually weeks
Medicaid + needs assessment
Michigan 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 Home Help 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: Contact your county MDHHS office to apply for Home Help and request an adult-services assessment; for MI Choice contact your regional waiver agency for a screening.
Find out in 2 minutes
Answer 5 easy questions. See your programs and pay before you share any contact info.
Michigan caregiver program questions
What is the caregiver program in Michigan called?
In Michigan, family caregivers are paid through Home Help Program, MI Choice Waiver. Michigan's version is the Medicaid Home Help Program: the state pays an individual provider, who can be a relative, for help with daily activities, after a caseworker assessment.
Does Michigan have CDPAP or IHSS?
Michigan's version is the Medicaid Home Help Program: the state pays an individual provider, who can be a relative, for help with daily activities, after a caseworker assessment.
How much does Michigan pay a family caregiver?
Reported pay is around $15.88–$17.13/hr. Home Help individual caregiver: $15.88/hr (eff. 11/1/2024), rising to $17.13/hr ($13.73 + $3.40 pass-through) eff. 1/1/2026 (MDHHS rate bulletins).
Can I get paid to take care of my spouse in Michigan?
limited — spouses barred under Home Help; reportedly payable under MI Choice Self-Determination Option
Can a parent be paid to care for a disabled child in Michigan?
no under Home Help (parents of minors excluded); other adult relatives 18+ allowed
Is there a waitlist for the Michigan caregiver program?
Home Help is an entitlement — no waitlist; MI Choice waiver has capped slots and regional waitlists
How do I apply to be a paid caregiver in Michigan?
Contact your county MDHHS office to apply for Home Help and request an adult-services assessment; for MI Choice contact your regional waiver agency for a screening.
Who runs the Michigan Medicaid caregiver program?
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), via county MDHHS offices; MI Choice via regional waiver agencies.
Sources: medicaidplanningassistance.org · hcaoa.org · medicaidplanningassistance.org · Updated September 2026. Rules change — always confirm with the program.
Where most Michigan caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in Michigan — pick yours for the local picture.