Wisconsin · waiver service
Family Care in Wisconsin
Family Care is Wisconsin Medicaid's managed long-term care program for frail older adults and adults with disabilities. A managed care organization (MCO) plans and pays for services, and members can choose self-directed supports to hire their own workers, who may be family members.
Also called: Family Care Wisconsin · Family Care MCO · Family Care self-directed supports · SDS · Family Care Partnership
Who do you care for?
Quick facts
- Pay
- Varies by MCO
- Adult children & other relatives
- Yes
- Spouse
- Sometimes
- Parent of a minor child
- Family Care serves adults 18 and older only.
- Waitlist
- none
Who qualifies for Family Care
- Age 18 or older and a frail elder or adult with a physical, intellectual or developmental disability.
- Eligible for Wisconsin Medicaid.
- Functionally eligible on the Long-Term Care Functional Screen.
- Has a long-term care condition expected to last more than 90 days (people with dementia or a terminal condition may also qualify).
Who can be paid as the caregiver
- Adult children & other relatives Yes
- DHS says self-directed support workers may be a family member, friend or other qualified person who passes a background check and is approved by the MCO.
- Spouse Sometimes
- DHS Family Care pages do not say whether a spouse can be a paid self-directed worker; ask the MCO for its written policy.
- Parent of a minor child
- Family Care serves adults 18 and older only.
- Living together
- not required by the published program rules.
Who employs the caregiver: Either. The MCO arranges agency providers by default; with self-directed supports the member hires, trains and supervises workers and a fiscal employer agent handles payroll.
Spouse rules differ by program — see spouse pay in Wisconsin.
How much Family Care pays
Varies by MCO. Not published. Self-directed workers are paid from a budget the MCO sets for the self-directed services, through a fiscal employer agent. The member approves each payment. No statewide wage for family workers is published.
Hours and budget: The MCO care team assesses the member and decides which services are needed. For services the member self-directs, the MCO provides a budget and the member writes a self-directed supports plan; the MCO manages everything else.
Compare with other Wisconsin programs on the Wisconsin caregiver pay page, or across states in pay rates by state.
Is there a waitlist?
DHS says the Family Care wait list ended in 2015 when the program expanded statewide.
How to apply for Family Care
- Contact your local Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) to check eligibility and complete the Long-Term Care Functional Screen.
- Apply for Medicaid through the income maintenance agency if not already enrolled.
- Choose Family Care and an MCO that serves your county, and enroll.
- Tell your MCO care team which services you want to self-direct, then hire your family member through the fiscal employer agent after their background check.
- Wisconsin Medicaid Member Services · 800-362-3002 · official site
- ADRC directory (Wisconsin DHS) · not published on the program page · official site
Find out in 2 minutes
Answer 5 easy questions. See your programs and pay before you share any contact info.
Family Care questions
Can Family Care pay a family member to be my caregiver?
Yes, through self-directed supports. DHS says your workers may be family members, friends or other qualified people who pass a background check and are approved before being paid.
Can Family Care pay my spouse?
DHS Family Care pages do not say. Ask your MCO for its self-directed supports policy in writing. If paying a spouse is your goal, IRIS explicitly allows a spouse to be hired.
Is there a waiting list for Family Care?
No. DHS says the Family Care wait list ended in 2015 when the program became statewide.
How much does Family Care pay family caregivers?
There is no published statewide rate. Pay comes from the self-directed budget set by your MCO.
Should I choose Family Care or IRIS?
Family Care has an MCO arrange and manage care. IRIS gives you more control over the budget and who you hire. The ADRC will explain both before you choose.
Sources: dhs.wisconsin.gov · dhs.wisconsin.gov · medicaidplanningassistance.org · Updated 2026-10-08. Program rules change — always confirm with the program.
Where most Wisconsin caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in Wisconsin — pick yours for the local picture.
Across the line
States that border Wisconsin
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.