Caregiver Programs in Colorado: Paid, Respite, Support (2026)

Colorado is one of the few states that pays a family caregiver, including a spouse, to provide care. Through the Consumer-Directed Attendant Support Services (CDASS) self-direction program, that attendant earns a statewide base wage of at least $17.00 an hour in 2026, and Colorado stacks respite grants, VA benefits, and tax relief on top.1,2

If you are caring for an aging parent, a spouse, or an adult child with a disability in Colorado, the hard part is rarely whether help exists. It is knowing what is there and where to start. This guide maps every major caregiver program in the state for 2026, and shows you the first call to make for each one.

You don't have to figure this out alone, and you don't have to fund all of it from your savings.

In This Guide

• Colorado Caregiver Programs at a Glance
• Programs That Pay Family Caregivers
• How to Start CDASS or IHSS
• Respite Care Programs
• Free Support Through Colorado's Area Agencies on Aging
• VA Caregiver Benefits in Colorado
• Taxes for Colorado Caregivers
• Where to Get Help With Colorado Caregiver Programs
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Learn More

Colorado Caregiver Programs at a Glance

Programs That Pay Family Caregivers

Colorado delivers paid family care through two Health First Colorado (Medicaid) self-direction options, both administered by the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF). As of July 1, 2025, both are delivered through Community First Choice (CFC), a Medicaid State Plan benefit, so a newly enrolling family no longer has to secure a Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver slot first. To qualify for CFC, the person receiving care must be eligible for Health First Colorado and meet an institutional (nursing-facility) level of care.5

Consumer-Directed Attendant Support Services (CDASS)

CDASS lets a Health First Colorado member (or their Authorized Representative) act as the employer: they recruit, hire, train, schedule, and set the pay rate for their own attendants within an allocated budget. The member chooses a Financial Management Services (FMS) vendor, either Palco or Public Partnerships (PPL), who handles payroll and taxes.1

The standout feature: under CDASS, a family member, including a spouse, may be hired and paid as the attendant. Colorado does not bar a spouse from being the paid attendant, which makes it one of the more flexible states for spousal caregiver pay. One rule to plan around: a spouse, relative, or legal guardian can be paid for no more than 40 hours of attendant care in a 7-day work week (Sunday through Saturday), and only for care approved on the support plan. Because that cap sits at the overtime threshold, a spouse or relative attendant generally does not accrue overtime.1,3

In-Home Support Services (IHSS)

IHSS is Colorado's second participant-directed option. The member directs their own attendant care, but a contracted IHSS agency serves as the legal employer and handles hiring, payroll, and supervision. That is the core difference from CDASS, where the member is the employer. IHSS also lets an attendant deliver Health Maintenance Activities, skilled tasks a family member can perform without a nursing license under nurse delegation and oversight. A family member, including a spouse, may be hired and paid as an IHSS attendant; the Authorized Representative who signs off on the attendant's time must be someone other than the paid attendant.4

The 2026 Base Wage

Effective January 1, 2026, Colorado sets a statewide minimum base wage for HCBS direct-care workers of $17.00 per hour, with higher local floors of $19.29 per hour in Denver and $18.17 per hour in Edgewater. This applies to workers paid through CDASS, IHSS, and other HCBS programs. Under CDASS, the member sets the attendant's rate within the budget, at or above that floor.2

For the full guide to paid pathways: How to Get Paid as a Family Caregiver in Colorado.

How to Start CDASS or IHSS

If your loved one does not yet have a case manager, the article's advice to "ask your case manager" can feel like a closed door. Here is where to begin instead.

Respite Care Programs

Medicaid Respite (CDASS, IHSS, and Community First Choice)

Respite can be authorized within the support plan for members on CDASS or IHSS, delivered by an attendant the member directs; a spouse or family member may be the paid respite worker under the same 40-hour weekly rule. Ask your HCPF case manager or support coordinator to add respite hours to the approved plan.6

NFCSP Grants Through Colorado's 16 Area Agencies on Aging

The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP), funded by Title III-E of the Older Americans Act, flows through the Colorado Department of Human Services Aging and Adult Services division to 16 regional Area Agencies on Aging. Services include in-home respite, adult day vouchers, caregiver training, and counseling, with no income test for respite services. Call 1-844-265-2372 or the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 to reach your regional AAA.6

For the full respite guide: Respite Care in Colorado.

Free Support Through Colorado's Area Agencies on Aging

If you are not on a Medicaid program, Colorado's 16 Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) are your front door. They are the local hub for caregiver support that isn't tied to a waiver: NFCSP respite, adult day referrals, caregiver training, counseling, and plain-language help figuring out what your county offers. None of it costs anything to explore.6

Here is what to expect when you call. Dial CDHS Aging and Adult Services at 1-844-265-2372 to be routed to your regional AAA, or dial 211 for the broader social-services network. A counselor will ask about your situation, who you care for, what is hardest right now, and whether you need a break, and then walk you through what is available locally. You can ask specifically for in-home respite hours, an adult day program, a caregiver support group, one-on-one counseling, or training on a task like safe transfers. If you qualify for NFCSP respite, there is no income test to clear. Write down the counselor's name and direct line so you have a person to call back.6

VA Caregiver Benefits in Colorado

Veterans enrolled in VA health care in Colorado have access to caregiver support programs that are separate from Medicaid and often more generous. If you are a veteran's spouse or child, these can be the difference between quietly burning out and being recognized and paid for the care you already provide.

VA Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC)

The PCAFC pays a monthly, federal tax-free stipend to the Primary Family Caregiver of an eligible veteran, and a spouse can serve in that role. To qualify, the veteran needs a VA disability rating of 70 percent or higher, a need for at least six continuous months of in-person personal care, and enrollment in VA health care. The stipend is not a flat national figure: it is calculated from the federal GS-4, Step 1 pay rate for the veteran's locality, divided by 12, then set at 62.5 percent or 100 percent of that rate. Because it is locality-adjusted, a Colorado family should look up their own locality's rate rather than rely on a number quoted for another state.7

Veteran-Directed Care (VDC)

Veteran-Directed Care lets an eligible veteran receive a monthly VA budget, set by the VA based on assessed need, and use it to hire and supervise their own caregivers, including a spouse or other family member. In the Denver metro area it is delivered by the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) Area Agency on Aging in partnership with the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center in Aurora, serving Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Clear Creek, Denver, Douglas, Gilpin, and Jefferson counties; other Colorado AAAs partner with VA medical centers to offer it regionally. Denver-area veterans can start by calling DRCOG at 720-278-2351 or emailing vdc@drcog.org.10

VA Aid and Attendance Pension

Wartime veterans and surviving spouses who meet the functional criteria and have countable assets and income under the net-worth limit ($163,699 in 2026) may receive the Aid and Attendance pension. A single veteran with Aid and Attendance receives up to $2,424 per month ($29,093/year); a veteran with one dependent up to $2,874 per month. The pension goes to the veteran, who typically pays a family caregiver from it.11

You do not have to file alone or pay for help. Colorado veterans can get free, accredited claims help, including for the Aid and Attendance enhancement, through the Colorado Division of Veterans Affairs and the County Veterans Service Office that every Colorado county maintains. Their officers handle claims, applications, and appeals at no cost, so there is no need to hire a paid agent.12

Taxes for Colorado Caregivers

Getting paid to care for someone you love raises a fair question: how much of it will you actually keep? The rules below can protect a meaningful share of it, so they are worth a few minutes now rather than a surprise at tax time.

IRS Notice 2014-7

If you live in the same home as the person you care for and are paid through a Medicaid program, your wages may be excluded from federal gross income under IRS Notice 2014-7. This applies to many Colorado CDASS and IHSS arrangements. Talk to a tax preparer familiar with the rule before filing.

Colorado State Income Tax

Colorado levies a flat individual income tax. The statutory rate is 4.4%, though recent tax years have applied temporary reductions (such as 4.25%) tied to the state's TABOR surplus. Confirm the rate in effect for your filing year with the Colorado Department of Revenue.8

Medicaid Look-Back

Colorado applies a 60-month look-back to asset transfers for long-term-care eligibility. Informal payments to a family caregiver without a written agreement can create a transfer-penalty period. A properly drafted personal services contract at fair-market rates protects future eligibility.8

VA PCAFC Stipend

The PCAFC monthly stipend is federal tax-free and is not reported on a W-2.7

Where to Get Help With Colorado Caregiver Programs

These are the free, official lines behind every program in this guide. Start with the one that matches your situation, and ask the counselor for their name and a direct number so you have a person to call back.9,6,10,12

Learn More

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.