Rhode Island · self-direction option
Personal Choice Program in Rhode Island
Personal Choice is Rhode Island's self-directed Medicaid long-term care program. The participant gets a monthly budget, hires their own personal care aide, and sets the aide's wage, so an adult child or other relative can be paid. A certified fiscal intermediary handles payroll and taxes.
Also called: Personal Choice · RI Personal Choice · Personal Choice self-directed care · PC program Rhode Island
Who do you care for?
Quick facts
- Pay
- $15–$21/hr
- Adult children & other relatives
- Yes
- Spouse
- Not right now
- Parent of a minor child
- Not right now
- Waitlist
- possible
Who qualifies for Personal Choice Program
- Adults 18 and older with a disability, or anyone 65 and older.
- Determined by EOHHS to need a high or highest level of care.
- Eligible for Rhode Island Medicaid long-term services and supports (LTSS).
- Able to direct their own care, or has a qualified designated representative, and wants to live at home.
Who can be paid as the caregiver
- Adult children & other relatives Yes
- the rule bars only the spouse, representative, financial power of attorney and Social Security representative payee; other relatives can be hired.
- Spouse Not right now
- 210-RICR-50-10-2 says a spouse cannot be hired as the personal care aide.
- Parent of a minor child Not right now
- the program serves adults 18+ and people 65+.
- Living together
- not required.
Who employs the caregiver: The participant (or representative) is the employer; an EOHHS-certified fiscal intermediary runs payroll, and a conflict-free case management agency coordinates services.
Spouse rules differ by program — see spouse pay in Rhode Island.
How much Personal Choice Program pays
$15–$21/hr. Participants set the aide's hourly wage between $15 and $21 under 210-RICR-50-10-2 (newer than states.json's $15 figure). Payroll taxes and workers' compensation come out of the monthly budget.
Hours and budget: EOHHS sets a monthly budget from a functional assessment (six levels of assistance), roughly what it would pay a home health agency. Aides are limited to 40 hours a week per employer. Up to 10% of the budget may go to participant-directed goods and services.
Compare with other Rhode Island programs on the Rhode Island caregiver pay page, or across states in pay rates by state.
Is there a waitlist?
No waitlist language in the current rule; slots may be limited.
How to apply for Personal Choice Program
- Apply for Medicaid long-term services and supports through RI DHS (855-697-4347) or get help from The POINT (401-462-4444).
- Complete the EOHHS level-of-care assessment.
- Ask a person-centered options counselor or your conflict-free case management agency to enroll you in Personal Choice (see myoptions.ri.gov).
- Hire your aide, who must complete training, CPR/First Aid and background checks before being paid.
- RI DHS Call Center · 855-697-4347 · official site
- The POINT (Aging and Disability Resource Center) · 401-462-4444 · official site
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Personal Choice Program questions
Can I pay my daughter to care for me in Rhode Island?
Yes. Under Personal Choice you can hire an adult child or other relative as your personal care aide. Only a spouse, your representative, your financial power of attorney or your payee are barred.
Can my husband or wife be paid?
No. Rhode Island's self-directed care rule says a spouse cannot be hired as the aide.
How much does a Personal Choice aide earn?
You set the wage between $15 and $21 an hour, as long as it fits your monthly budget after taxes.
How many hours can my aide work?
Each aide is limited to 40 hours a week. If you need more care, you hire a second aide.
What happened to the Independent Provider program?
It was merged into Personal Choice by a rule effective February 12, 2024. Former IP members moved to Personal Choice, which kept the aide registry.
Sources: rulesstaging.sos.ri.gov · eohhs.ri.gov · medicaidplanningassistance.org · Updated 2026-10-08. Program rules change — always confirm with the program.
Where most Rhode Island caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in Rhode Island — pick yours for the local picture.
Across the line
States that border Rhode Island
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.