Connecticut pays a live-in family caregiver a tax-free monthly stipend through Adult Family Living, and pays others through Community First Choice. Add respite grants and VA benefits.
If you are caring for an aging parent, a spouse, or an adult child with a disability in Connecticut, 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.
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
- Connecticut Caregiver Programs at a Glance
- Programs That Pay Family Caregivers
- Respite Care Programs
- Support, Training, and the Infoline
- VA Caregiver Benefits in Connecticut
- Taxes for Connecticut Caregivers
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Learn More
Connecticut Caregiver Programs at a Glance
| Program | What It Offers | Who Qualifies | Cost to You |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Family Living (AFL) | Tax-free monthly stipend to a live-in caregiver (not spouse/guardian) | Recipient 65+ or disabled, needs help with 1+ ADL, lives with caregiver | Free (paid by Medicaid) |
| Community First Choice (CFC) | Member self-directs a paid personal care attendant (not spouse/guardian) | HUSKY members at institutional level of care | Free (paid by Medicaid) |
| NFCSP respite grants | Free in-home respite, adult day vouchers, training, counseling | Caregivers of adults 60+ or person with ADRD; no income test | Free |
| VA PCAFC | Monthly tax-free stipend; pays spouses | Veteran with 70%+ disability in VA health care | Free (VA benefit) |
| VA Aid and Attendance | Pension up to $2,424/mo 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
Connecticut delivers paid family care through the Department of Social Services (DSS), primarily under the Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders (CHCPE) and the Personal Care Assistance (PCA) Waiver.
Adult Family Living (AFL)
Adult Family Living pays a live-in caregiver a non-taxable monthly stipend to provide ongoing personal care to an older or disabled adult in a shared home. The caregiver and care recipient must live together. The caregiver cannot be the recipient's spouse, conservator, legal guardian, or health care representative, but can be an adult child, grandchild, other relative, or friend who lives with the person. Eligibility generally requires the recipient to be age 65 or older (or have a disability) and need help with at least one activity of daily living. The stipend is set by DSS at one of four care levels based on assessed complexity. AFL is offered under both CHCPE and the PCA Waiver.
Community First Choice (CFC)
Community First Choice (CFC) is a Medicaid state plan option under Section 1915(k), administered by DSS. It lets eligible HUSKY members who need an institutional level of care self-direct their own Personal Care Attendant services while living in the community: the member (or their representative) is the employer who hires, trains, schedules, and supervises the attendant. As a state plan benefit, CFC has no enrollment waitlist. A spouse or legal guardian cannot be hired; a friend or relative, including an adult child, can. A fiscal intermediary handles payroll and employer paperwork.
For the full guide to paid pathways: How to Get Paid as a Family Caregiver in Connecticut.
Respite Care Programs
Medicaid Respite (CHCPE and CFC)
CHCPE and CFC can authorize in-home respite within the member's care plan. Under the CFC self-directed option, a non-spouse family member can be the respite worker. Ask the DSS care coordinator to add respite hours.
NFCSP Grants Through Connecticut's 5 Area Agencies on Aging
The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP), funded by Title III-E of the Older Americans Act, flows through DSS to 5 regional Area Agencies on Aging. Connecticut also operates a Statewide Respite Care Program that supplements NFCSP. Services include in-home respite, adult day vouchers, caregiver training, and counseling, with no income test for respite services. Call the Infoline at 1-800-994-9422.
For the full respite guide: Respite Care in Connecticut.
Support, Training, and the Infoline
The Connecticut Infoline at 1-800-994-9422 (also reachable by dialing 211) is the statewide front door for caregiver support. It routes to your regional Area Agency on Aging for NFCSP respite, the Statewide Respite Care Program, caregiver counseling, and CHCPE or CFC eligibility screening.
Connecticut also operates the Money Follows the Person (MFP) program, which helps people transition from institutional care back into the community with enhanced support; ask the Infoline about MFP if your loved one is moving home from a facility.
VA Caregiver Benefits in Connecticut
Veterans enrolled in VA health care in Connecticut have access to caregiver support programs that are separate from Medicaid and often more generous.
VA Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC)
The PCAFC pays a monthly stipend to the Primary Family Caregiver of an eligible veteran. The stipend is calculated from the federal GS-4, Step 1 annual rate for the veteran's locality, divided by 12, then multiplied by a level factor. It is federal tax-free and allows paid spouses. To qualify, the veteran needs a service-connected disability rating of 70 percent or higher, a need for in-person personal care for at least six continuous months, and enrollment in VA health care.
Because AFL and CFC both exclude spouses, the PCAFC stipend and Veteran-Directed Care are often the only routes through which a Connecticut spouse can be paid to provide care.
Connecticut VA facilities: The VA Connecticut Healthcare System operates the West Haven and Newington campuses, the main VA medical facilities in the state.
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.
The Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs and town Veterans Service Officers help file at no cost.
VA Caregiver Support Line: 1-855-260-3274
Taxes for Connecticut Caregivers
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 Connecticut CFC arrangements. The AFL stipend is structured as non-taxable. Talk to a tax preparer familiar with the rules before filing.
Connecticut State Income Tax
Connecticut levies a graduated individual income tax. Because Connecticut starts from federal adjusted gross income, the IRS Notice 2014-7 exclusion generally flows through to the Connecticut return. Confirm the current rates with the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services.
VA PCAFC Stipend
The PCAFC monthly stipend is federal tax-free and is not reported on a W-2.
Not sure which Connecticut caregiver program fits your family? Chat with Brevy's care navigator for a personalized comparison based on your loved one's Medicaid enrollment, veteran status, and whether you live together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not through Adult Family Living or Community First Choice, both of which exclude a spouse, conservator, and guardian from being the paid caregiver. If your spouse is a veteran enrolled in VA care, the PCAFC stipend and Veteran-Directed Care can pay a spouse.
AFL pays a live-in caregiver a non-taxable monthly stipend to provide ongoing personal care to an older or disabled adult in a shared home. The caregiver can be an adult child, grandchild, other relative, or friend (not a spouse or guardian) who lives with the person. The stipend is set at one of four care levels by DSS.
AFL pays a live-in caregiver a daily-equivalent monthly stipend for comprehensive support. CFC is an hourly self-directed model where the member hires and directs a personal care attendant. Both exclude spouses and guardians, and both run under CHCPE or the PCA Waiver.
Yes. NFCSP grants and the Statewide Respite Care Program provide free respite through Connecticut's 5 Area Agencies on Aging with no income test. Call the Infoline at 1-800-994-9422 or dial 211.
Call the Infoline at 1-800-994-9422 or dial 211. It routes to your regional AAA for NFCSP respite, the Statewide Respite Care Program, caregiver counseling, and CHCPE or CFC screening.
Learn More
- How to Get Paid as a Family Caregiver in Connecticut
- Respite Care in Connecticut
- Caregiver Burnout: Signs, Stages, and How to Get Support
- VA Senior Care Benefits in Connecticut
- Medicaid Planning Strategies
Find personalized help navigating Connecticut caregiver programs at brevy.com.
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.