The North Dakota caregiver program
North Dakota pays family members to care for a relative at home through HCBS Waiver — Family Personal Care. Here is what it is called, who can be paid, what it pays, and how to get in.
North Dakota at a glance
- Programs
- 3
- Reported pay
- $27.92/hr
- Spouse paid?
- Yes
- Waitlist
- Varies
can pay a relative
set in the care plan
Who are you caring for in North Dakota?
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
North Dakota programs that pay family caregivers
This is Medicaid money — a real, ongoing benefit, not a grant or a one-off stipend. In North Dakota it runs through:
- HCBS Waiver — Family Personal Care
- Qualified Service Provider (QSP)
- Family Paid Caregiver Pilot (children)
How it works: no home-care agency, but the family caregiver must enroll as a Qualified Service Provider (QSP) with ND HHS; the waiver has no fully self-directed option. The programs are administered by North Dakota Health and Human Services, Aging Services Division; Aging and Disability Resource Link 1-855-462-5465.
Is there CDPAP or IHSS in North Dakota?
North Dakota has no program called CDPAP or IHSS — those are New York's and California's names. The North Dakota equivalent runs through HCBS Waiver — Family Personal Care, Qualified Service Provider (QSP), Family Paid Caregiver Pilot (children), 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 North Dakota pays family caregivers
$27.92/hr
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: North Dakota Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
Who can be paid in North Dakota
- Adult child, grandchild, sibling, friend Yes
- Broadly allowed wherever the program lets the member choose their caregiver.
- Spouse Yes
- yes — HCBS waiver Family Personal Care pays a spouse, adult child, or adult grandchild who lives with the participant; spouses and legal guardians are excluded from MSP-PC; pilot also covers spouses as LRIs
- Parent of a minor child Yes
- yes via pilot — Family Paid Caregiver Pilot pays legally responsible individuals (parent/guardian) providing extraordinary care on the Autism Birth-17, Medically Fragile, Children's Hospice, and Traditional IID/DD waivers
How much does North Dakota pay a family caregiver?
Reported pay in North Dakota is around $27.92/hr. individual personal care $6.98 per 15 minutes from 7/1/2026; Family Personal Care $165.98/day and Family Home Care $77.69/day on the same HHS rate sheet.
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 North Dakota caregiver pay page, and the national picture is in family caregiver pay rates by state.
Is there a waitlist in North Dakota?
Depends on the program. HCBS waiver is not an entitlement (~930 slots/yr) and a waitlist forms when full; pilot is capacity-limited (reported 75 families enrolled of 550+ applicants). Apply early either way — the Medicaid financial review and the care assessment take time even where there is no list.
Why North Dakota pays family instead of an agency
137,800 people in North Dakota — 17% of the state — are 65 or older, across 53 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 North Dakota
- 2 minutes
Check eligibility
Five questions show which North Dakota program fits your family and what it pays.
- usually weeks
Medicaid + needs assessment
North Dakota 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 HCBS Waiver — Family Personal Care 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 for the HCBS waiver online or through your local Human Service Zone office; the pilot is applied for through the Family Paid Caregiver Portal (familycaregiver.hhs.nd.gov).
Find out in 2 minutes
Answer 5 easy questions. See your programs and pay before you share any contact info.
North Dakota caregiver program questions
What is the caregiver program in North Dakota called?
In North Dakota, family caregivers are paid through HCBS Waiver — Family Personal Care, Qualified Service Provider (QSP), Family Paid Caregiver Pilot (children). North Dakota has no program called CDPAP or IHSS — those are New York's and California's names. The North Dakota equivalent runs through HCBS Waiver — Family Personal Care, Qualified Service Provider (QSP), Family Paid Caregiver Pilot (children), where the person receiving care can direct their own services and, in most cases, hire a relative.
Does North Dakota have CDPAP or IHSS?
North Dakota has no program called CDPAP or IHSS — those are New York's and California's names. The North Dakota equivalent runs through HCBS Waiver — Family Personal Care, Qualified Service Provider (QSP), Family Paid Caregiver Pilot (children), where the person receiving care can direct their own services and, in most cases, hire a relative.
How much does North Dakota pay a family caregiver?
Reported pay is around $27.92/hr. individual personal care $6.98 per 15 minutes from 7/1/2026; Family Personal Care $165.98/day and Family Home Care $77.69/day on the same HHS rate sheet.
Can I get paid to take care of my spouse in North Dakota?
yes — HCBS waiver Family Personal Care pays a spouse, adult child, or adult grandchild who lives with the participant; spouses and legal guardians are excluded from MSP-PC; pilot also covers spouses as LRIs
Can a parent be paid to care for a disabled child in North Dakota?
yes via pilot — Family Paid Caregiver Pilot pays legally responsible individuals (parent/guardian) providing extraordinary care on the Autism Birth-17, Medically Fragile, Children's Hospice, and Traditional IID/DD waivers
Is there a waitlist for the North Dakota caregiver program?
HCBS waiver is not an entitlement (~930 slots/yr) and a waitlist forms when full; pilot is capacity-limited (reported 75 families enrolled of 550+ applicants)
How do I apply to be a paid caregiver in North Dakota?
Apply for the HCBS waiver online or through your local Human Service Zone office; the pilot is applied for through the Family Paid Caregiver Portal (familycaregiver.hhs.nd.gov).
Who runs the North Dakota Medicaid caregiver program?
North Dakota Health and Human Services, Aging Services Division; Aging and Disability Resource Link 1-855-462-5465.
Sources: medicaidplanningassistance.org · hhs.nd.gov · hhs.nd.gov · Updated September 2026. Rules change — always confirm with the program.
Where most North Dakota caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in North Dakota — pick yours for the local picture.
Across the line
States that border North Dakota
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.