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.,

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

Program What It Offers Who Qualifies Cost to You
CDASS Member hires and directs an attendant, including a spouse; sets pay within budget Health First Colorado members who meet an institutional level of care, or who are on an HCBS waiver using at least one waiver service a month Free (paid by Medicaid)
IHSS Member directs attendant care with a contracted agency as legal employer; family can be hired Health First Colorado members who meet an institutional level of care, or who are on an HCBS waiver using at least one waiver service a month Free (paid by Medicaid)
NFCSP respite grants Free in-home respite, adult day vouchers, training, counseling Caregivers of adults 60+ or a person with ADRD; no income test Free
VA PCAFC Monthly tax-free stipend; pays spouses Veteran with a 70% or higher disability rating, enrolled in VA health care Free (VA benefit)
VA Aid and Attendance Pension up to $29,093/yr to veteran; caregiver paid from it Wartime veteran or surviving spouse under net-worth limit Free to apply (VSO help)

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. CFC is not its own Health First Colorado eligibility group. The person receiving care has to meet the financial requirements for full Medicaid benefits, be willing to receive services at home or in the community rather than in an institution, and qualify under one of two paths: eligible for Health First Colorado under the State Plan and meeting an institutional level of care, or enrolled in an HCBS waiver and receiving at least one waiver service per month. If they are already on a waiver, they automatically meet the institutional level of care, so that box is checked.

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.

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. Three rules to plan around. First, Colorado's CDASS rule defines a family member as anyone related by blood, marriage, adoption, or common law, and no family member or legal guardian can be reimbursed for more than 40 hours of CDASS in a 7-day period running Sunday through Saturday. That cap is not limited to spouses; an adult child, sibling, or other relative is held to it too. Second, a member of the client's household, which is where a spouse living in the same home lands, may be paid only to furnish extraordinary care as determined by the case manager, meaning care that exceeds what a family member would ordinarily perform in the household for a person of the same age without a disability or chronic illness, and it has to be documented on the service plan. Third, under Community First Choice a legally responsible person providing Homemaker services is limited to 10 hours per week rather than 40, though the member can get additional homemaker hours from a different provider or another legally responsible person.

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.

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.

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.

1
Step 1

Confirm Health First Colorado enrollment

CDASS and IHSS are Medicaid benefits, so the person receiving care must be enrolled in Health First Colorado. If they are not yet enrolled or you are unsure, call the Health First Colorado Member Contact Center at 1-800-221-3943 (State Relay 711) or apply at healthfirstcolorado.gov.

2
Step 2

Ask about Community First Choice

Tell the Member Contact Center you want to access attendant care through Community First Choice (CFC). To qualify, the person must either be eligible for Health First Colorado under the State Plan and meet an institutional level of care, meaning their needs would otherwise require a nursing home, hospital, intermediate care facility, or inpatient mental health facility, or be enrolled in an HCBS waiver and receiving at least one waiver service per month. A case manager confirms level of care through an assessment, but if your loved one is already on a waiver, they meet it automatically.

3
Step 3

Choose CDASS or IHSS

Decide who should be the employer. Under CDASS you (or your loved one) hire and manage the attendant directly; under IHSS a contracted agency is the legal employer and handles payroll and supervision. Both let you pay a spouse or family member.

4
Step 4

Set up payment

For CDASS, select a Financial Management Services vendor (Palco or Public Partnerships) to run payroll and tax withholding. For IHSS, the agency handles it. Your attendant is paid at or above the $17.00-per-hour 2026 base wage.,

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 limit that applies to any family member or legal guardian. Ask your HCPF case manager or support coordinator to add respite hours to the approved plan.

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.,

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.

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.

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 starts from the OPM GS-4, Step 1 annual rate for the veteran's locality, divided by 12 to give a monthly base, and it is not an hourly wage. 38 CFR 71.40(c)(4)(i) then multiplies that base by a factor, and there is more than one. In the current program the factor is 0.625, or 1.00 if the VA determines the veteran is unable to self-sustain in the community. For a legacy participant or legacy applicant, meaning a household connected to PCAFC before October 1, 2020, the factor comes from the sum of the veteran's 2019 clinical ratings instead, with no self-sustain determination required: 1.00 at a sum of 21 or higher, 0.625 at 13 to 20, and 0.25 at 1 to 12. A veteran who meets both sets of criteria is paid whichever amount is higher, a legacy participant's stipend is held at no less than what the caregiver was eligible for the day before October 1, 2020 while the veteran remains at the address on record, and the legacy schedule lapses October 1, 2028. Because the base is locality-adjusted, a Colorado family should look up their own locality's rate rather than rely on a number quoted for another state, and a legacy household should not treat 0.625 as its ceiling. The full grid is in How to Get Paid as a Family Caregiver in Colorado.

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.

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. VA publishes these as annual maximums and pays one-twelfth of the yearly award each month. A single veteran with Aid and Attendance receives up to $29,093 per year; a veteran with one dependent up to $34,488 per year. The pension goes to the veteran, who typically pays a family caregiver from it.

You do not have to file alone. Colorado veterans can get free claims help through the County Veterans Service Office that every Colorado county maintains, and its Service Officers specialize in assisting veterans and their family members with claims, applications, and appeals to the VA. The Colorado Division of Veterans Affairs strongly recommends that anyone considering requesting services or submitting an application to the VA contact their County Veterans Service Office first.

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.

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.

VA PCAFC Stipend

The PCAFC monthly stipend is federal tax-free and is not reported on a W-2.

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.,,,

Health First Colorado Member Contact Center Confirms Medicaid enrollment and is the first call to start Community First Choice, CDASS, or IHSS if you don't yet have a case manager. 1-800-221-3943 (State Relay 711) www.healthfirstcolorado.gov
CDHS Aging and Adult Services Routes you to your regional Area Agency on Aging for free NFCSP respite, adult day referrals, training, and counseling (no income test). 1-844-265-2372
DRCOG Area Agency on Aging (Veteran-Directed Care) Enrolls Denver-metro veterans in Veteran-Directed Care so a veteran can pay a family caregiver from a VA budget; email vdc@drcog.org. 720-278-2351 www.drcog.org/area-agency-aging/veteran-support
VA Caregiver Support Line Reaches a VA Caregiver Support Coordinator for the PCAFC stipend and Veteran-Directed Care. 1-855-260-3274 www.caregiver.va.gov
Colorado Division of Veterans Affairs Connects you with a County Veterans Service Officer who files VA pension and Aid and Attendance claims at no cost. vets.colorado.gov/services/claims

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get paid to care for my spouse in Colorado?

Yes. Under CDASS, a family member including a spouse may be hired and paid as the member's attendant. Colorado is one of the few states that does not bar a spouse from being the paid Medicaid attendant. No family member or legal guardian can be paid for more than 40 hours of CDASS per 7-day week, and a spouse counts as a family member because Colorado defines the term as anyone related by blood, marriage, adoption, or common law. If the spouse lives in the same household, they may be paid only for extraordinary care as determined by the case manager, and homemaker work by a legally responsible person is limited to 10 hours a week rather than 40.

What is the difference between CDASS and IHSS?

CDASS makes the member (or their representative) the employer: they hire, train, schedule, and set pay within a budget, with a Financial Management Services vendor handling payroll. Under IHSS a contracted agency is the legal employer and handles hiring and payroll, while the member still directs the care; IHSS also covers Health Maintenance Activities. Both allow family members to be paid, and both now run through Community First Choice.,

Do I need an HCBS waiver to start CDASS or IHSS?

Not anymore for new members. As of July 1, 2025, CDASS and IHSS are delivered through Community First Choice (CFC), a Medicaid State Plan benefit. A new enrollee accesses them directly through CFC after meeting an institutional level of care, rather than waiting for an HCBS waiver slot. A waiver is still one of the two ways in, though: someone enrolled in an HCBS waiver who receives at least one waiver service a month qualifies for CFC on that basis alone, and automatically meets the level-of-care test.

How much do CDASS and IHSS pay in 2026?

Effective January 1, 2026, the statewide HCBS direct-care base wage is $17.00 per hour, with higher floors of $19.29 in Denver and $18.17 in Edgewater. Under CDASS the member sets the attendant's pay rate within their allocated budget, at or above the base wage.

Is there free respite in Colorado without Medicaid?

Yes. The National Family Caregiver Support Program provides free respite through Colorado's 16 Area Agencies on Aging with no income test. Call CDHS Aging and Adult Services at 1-844-265-2372 or dial 211.,

How do I find my regional Area Agency on Aging?

Call CDHS Aging and Adult Services at 1-844-265-2372, or dial 211 for the broader social-services network. Colorado has 16 AAAs serving every county; they handle NFCSP respite grants, adult day referrals, and caregiver training.

Learn More

CaregiverCaregiver Programs: The 50-State GuideA directory of caregiver programs in all 50 states: paid family caregiver pathways, respite, NFCSP grants, and VA benefits. Find your state's complete guide. CaregiverMedicaid Self-Direction and Consumer-Directed ServicesHow Medicaid self-direction lets a family member be your paid caregiver: employer authority, budget authority, the 1915(j) spouse rule, and how to get started. CaregiverThe National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP): A Complete GuideWhat the National Family Caregiver Support Program funds, who is eligible, and how to reach respite and caregiver support through your Area Agency on Aging. CaregiverHow to Get Paid as a Family Caregiver in ColoradoHow to get paid to care for a family member in Colorado in 2026: CDASS self-direction, IHSS, the spouse-pay angle, Community First Choice, and the VA options. CaregiverRespite Care in ColoradoColorado pays for respite care through CDASS and IHSS Medicaid (which can pay a spouse), free NFCSP grants with no income test, and the VA. See who qualifies. CaregiverCaregiver Burnout: Signs, Stages, and How to Get SupportHow to recognize caregiver burnout, why it happens, and what actually helps, from respite care to evidence-based programs like REACH II and Powerful Tools. VA BenefitsVA Aid and Attendance in ColoradoVA Aid and Attendance in Colorado for 2026: who qualifies, monthly rates up to $2,874, how to apply, and free help from county veterans service offices. MedicaidMedicaid Planning StrategiesSee which assets you keep, how the 5-year look-back works, and the legal moves that qualify you for Medicaid long-term care without losing the house.
Your next step Ready to start? Call the Health First Colorado Member Contact Center at 1-800-221-3943 (State Relay 711) to confirm enrollment and ask about Community First Choice, the pathway into CDASS and IHSS. Or chat with Brevy's care navigator for a plan built around your loved one's Medicaid enrollment, veteran status, and whether a spouse or family member will be the paid caregiver.

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.

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Brevy Care Team

Expert eldercare guidance from Brevy's team of healthcare professionals and researchers.