Michigan caregiver programs fall into four groups: ones that pay a family member, ones that fund respite and training, ones that cut your taxes, and ones that protect your legal authority.

You don't have to piece this together alone.

In This Guide

Find out in 2 minutes See if you qualify for paid family caregiving
Check my eligibility

Michigan Caregiver Programs at a Glance

Program What it offers Who it pays (spouse?) How to apply
Home Help Medicaid-funded personal care, $17.13/hr An individual caregiver; not a spouse caring for a spouse or a parent caring for a minor child Active Medicaid first (MI Bridges), then an in-person MDHHS assessment
MI Choice Waiver (self-determination) 1915(c) waiver; participant hires their own caregiver; a priority waiting list can apply Qualified family or friends; not a spouse, guardian, or representative under self-determination (a spouse only as an agency-hired Community Living Supports worker, for extraordinary care) Regional MI Choice waiver agency
VA PCAFC Monthly stipend, at least 30 days of respite a year, and CHAMPVA if no other health plan applies One primary caregiver, 18 or older, who is family (spouse allowed) or lives full time with the veteran, or will if VA designates them VA Caregiver Support Line, 1-855-260-3274
VA Veteran-Directed Care Flexible budget the veteran or family caregiver manages, to hire personal care aides Aides the veteran hires, which VA says might include a family member or neighbor The veteran's VA social worker; offered only in certain locations
VA Aid & Attendance Pension ceiling of $29,093 a year for a veteran with no dependents, minus countable income The veteran or surviving spouse, as part of their own monthly pension Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency or a county Veterans Service Officer

Which Michigan Programs Pay Family Caregivers?

In Michigan Medicaid, Home Help can pay a family member or friend 18 or older, and MI Choice self-determination can pay qualified family or friends. For a veteran, PCAFC and Veteran-Directed Care can pay a caregiver, covered below., Compare them side by side in the full paid caregiver guide.

Michigan Home Help Program

Home Help is an MDHHS-run, Medicaid-funded program that provides personal care to people who need hands-on help with activities of daily living. An MDHHS adult services worker assesses need in person at the client's home, a medical provider must certify the medical need, and Medicaid will not authorize payments if the client's Medicaid eligibility is inactive. Beginning with January 1, 2026 services, the individual caregiver rate is $17.13 an hour, up from $15.88.

The client chooses the caregiver and is the employer. The caregiver must be 18 or older, pass a criminal history screen before providing care, and enroll in Michigan's CHAMPS Medicaid system. MDHHS does not pay a responsible relative, meaning a spouse caring for a spouse or a parent caring for a minor child. A responsible relative must also be unable or unavailable to give the care for the client to be eligible.

Because Home Help needs active Medicaid, apply for Medicaid first if the person isn't enrolled: online through MI Bridges, or in person, by mail, or by phone. The Home Help guide covers assessment and enrollment.

MI Choice Waiver Self-Determination Option

The MI Choice Waiver is Michigan's 1915(c) Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver for people who meet a nursing-facility level of care. Its self-determination option lets the participant hire and direct their own caregivers, including qualified friends or family members. Like Home Help, it will not pay a spouse as a self-directed worker, and it also bars the participant's guardian or representative. A spouse can be paid one way: as a Community Living Supports provider hired through a network home care agency, only when the participant requires extraordinary care and the arrangement is in the participant's best interest.

Level of care is not the whole test: the applicant must also be 65 or older or an adult 18 or older with a disability, establish financial eligibility for Medicaid, be categorically eligible for Medicaid as aged or disabled, and pass the online Michigan Medicaid Nursing Facility Level of Care Determination (LOCD).

MI Choice also covers Community Living Supports (help with bathing, eating, dressing, laundry, and meals), respite, Adult Day Health, home modifications such as ramps and grab bars, home-delivered meals, and a Personal Emergency Response System (PERS).

When MI Choice is at capacity, screened applicants join a waiting list worked in four priority categories, not first come, first served. Nursing facility residents who want to return home, and applicants facing an imminent nursing facility admission (including a qualified applicant with an active Adult Protective Services case), rank ahead of the general queue, so say which applies at screening. The MI Choice guide lists all four categories.

Apply through the MI Choice waiver agency for your region; MDHHS's Waiver Agency Region Map shows the one serving your community.

Michigan Medicaid Money Rules for Long-Term Care

  • Assets: MDHHS sets a 2026 limit of $9,950 for an asset group of one ($14,910 for two) in certain categories, including MI Choice and Extended-Care nursing-home Medicaid. Other SSI-related categories stay at $2,000, so ask MDHHS which limit applies. One vehicle and household and personal goods are not counted, and neither is the home unless its equity tops $752,000 with no spouse, child under 21, or blind or disabled child living there.
  • Income: the Extended Care and Waiver income limit is $2,982 a month, three times the $994 federal SSI benefit rate. For MI Choice, gross countable income above $2,982 a month rules out the waiver, because income eligibility cannot be established by meeting a deductible. For a nursing home, the $2,982 is not by itself a bar: Michigan's Group 2 (deductible) pathway remains, so take the numbers to MDHHS.
  • The 5-year look-back: Michigan looks back 60 months at resources transferred for less than fair market value. A divestment brings a penalty period, not ineligibility: Medicaid will not pay for long-term care, MI Choice or PACE waiver services, Home Help, or home health during it, but other covered services continue, and MDHHS is directed not to apply a penalty that creates an undue hardship.

See the Michigan nursing home Medicaid guide for spousal protections.

Electronic Visit Verification (EVV)

Federal law requires states to use Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) for Medicaid personal care that involves an in-home visit, including services under a 1915(c) waiver such as MI Choice. The federal minimum is met by capturing where the service starts and stops, not a caregiver's movements through the community, and GPS is not required, though a state may choose to require more. Live-in caregivers employed by the Home Help client or agency provider can be exempt from EVV when the home is the caregiver's permanent and primary residence, but MDHHS must approve the exemption. See the EVV guide for family caregivers.

Respite, Training, and Support

National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP)

The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) is federally authorized under the Older Americans Act and delivered through Michigan's AAAs. It funds information, help accessing services, counseling and caregiver training, respite care, and limited supplemental services for caregivers of adults 60 and older and of people of any age with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. Respite and supplemental services require that the older person be unable to perform at least two activities of daily living without substantial help, or need substantial supervision because a cognitive impairment makes their behavior a serious health or safety hazard. Services are provided by an area agency on aging or an entity it contracts with, so ask your AAA what respite is available in your county.

Michigan's Area Agencies on Aging

MDHHS says caregiver services through your local AAA may include adult day care, counseling, respite care, support groups, and training, and it tells families to contact their local AAA both to learn what is offered and to see if they qualify. For free, unbiased Medicare counseling, the Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program (MMAP), Michigan's State Health Insurance Assistance Program, takes calls at 1-800-803-7174, the same number as the MI Options line.,

To find your AAA, use the federal Eldercare Locator or call 1-800-677-1116.

Other Ways to Get a Break

Other respite options, each with its own rules:

  • MI Choice respite: for an enrolled participant, respite is a covered service at home or in a Medicaid-certified hospital, nursing facility, or licensed adult foster care facility. Respite outside the home is capped at 30 days per calendar year, and MI Choice will not pay a spouse to provide respite.
  • Lifespan Respite: this federal program funds state respite systems for caregivers of children and adults of all ages; it aims to expand and coordinate access to respite, not to be its sole payer. Which states hold grants changes each grant cycle, so ask your AAA what is offered locally or search ARCH's locator at archrespite.org.
  • VA respite: VA may furnish limited-duration respite care to a veteran enrolled in VA health care who has a chronic illness and lives primarily at home, either without an overnight stay or as a stay in a hospital, domiciliary, or nursing home. Unless the veteran is exempt, a copay can apply after the first 21 days of VA extended care in a 12-month period.
  • Medicare hospice respite: if the person you care for is on Medicare hospice, the benefit covers short-term inpatient respite, up to 5 days at a time on an occasional basis, when the hospice team decides it is needed and arranges it. You may pay 5% of the Medicare-approved amount.

See Respite Care in Michigan for more.

Dementia Support

The Alzheimer's Association serves the whole state through one Michigan Chapter. Its free 24/7 Helpline, 1-800-272-3900, connects you with a live person for information, local resources, crisis help, and emotional support, in more than 200 languages.

See Dementia Care in Michigan for more.

Key Numbers to Keep by the Phone

MI Options Line Free long-term care options counseling, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday. It is not a MI Choice application line. 800-803-7174 www.michigan.gov/mdhhs
VA Caregiver Support Line Free help and referrals for family caregivers of veterans, weekdays 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern. 1-855-260-3274 www.caregiver.va.gov
Alzheimer's Association Helpline Free, confidential, and staffed by a live person around the clock. 1-800-272-3900 www.alz.org/gmc
Michigan Long Term Care Ombudsman Free, confidential help with quality-of-care and quality-of-life problems for residents of nursing homes, homes for the aged, and adult foster care homes. 1-866-485-9393 www.michigan.gov/mdhhs

If the person you care for says they feel hopeless, or you're worried they may harm themselves, call or text the 24-hour 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

VA Caregiver Benefits in Michigan

PCAFC and Veteran-Directed Care are both for veterans enrolled in VA health care.,

PCAFC: A Monthly Stipend for the Primary Caregiver

The Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) pays a monthly stipend to a veteran's designated Primary Family Caregiver. VA's first screen requires all of these: a VA disability rating of 70 percent or higher, a discharge from the U.S. military or a date of medical discharge, a need for at least six months of continuous, in-person personal care, and enrollment in VA health care. Meeting them is not approval: you and the veteran apply together, and VA's application process decides eligibility.

The caregiver must be at least 18 and either a family member (a spouse, son, daughter, parent, stepfamily member, or extended family member) or someone who lives full time with the veteran, or is willing to if VA designates them. The Primary Family Caregiver may also receive at least 30 days of respite care a year, free legal and financial planning help, and CHAMPVA health care benefits if not already qualifying under another health care plan. The stipend is not a flat national figure: VA starts from the federal GS-4, step-1 annual rate for the veteran's locality and applies a factor set in 38 CFR 71.40. See the PCAFC stipend guide for more.

The VA Caregiver Support Line is not a crisis line: anyone in crisis or having thoughts of suicide should call 988 and press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line.

Veteran-Directed Care

Veteran-Directed Care (VDC) gives the veteran a flexible budget, managed by the veteran or the family caregiver, to hire their own personal care aides, which VA says "might include their own family member or neighbor." It is open to enrolled veterans who meet the clinical need, but VA notes it "is only available in certain locations," so ask the veteran's VA social worker whether a Michigan VA medical center near you offers it.

Aid and Attendance: Added Pension for Help with Daily Activities

Aid and Attendance (A&A) is a higher VA pension rate, paid as part of the veteran's or surviving spouse's own monthly pension. A veteran or surviving spouse who gets a VA pension may be eligible by meeting at least one of VA's listed needs, such as help with daily activities. The pension itself is for wartime veterans within VA's age-or-disability, income, and net-worth limits. For 2026 (December 1, 2025 through November 30, 2026), the maximum annual A&A rate is $29,093 for a veteran with no dependents, $34,488 for a veteran with one dependent, and $18,697 for a surviving spouse with no dependents, and VA pays the ceiling minus countable income. The net worth limit is $163,699, not counting the primary residence, the car, or basic home items. See the Michigan VA Aid & Attendance guide for how to apply.

Not sure where to start? Map your situation with Brevy to match your family's needs to the right programs.

Other Michigan Programs and Protections

MI Coordinated Health (MICH) replaced MI Health Link on January 1, 2026. It is a health plan for people who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid, covering all Medicare and most Medicaid benefits, including long-term services and supports. It launched in some regions in 2026 and expands statewide on January 1, 2027. See the MI Coordinated Health guide.

PACE

PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) covers all Medicare- and Medicaid-covered services, plus anything else its care team decides is needed, including adult day primary care with meals and recreational therapy. To enroll, a person must be 55 or older, live in a PACE organization's service area, need a nursing-facility level of care as determined by the state, meet any added PACE program conditions, and be able to live safely in the community when they join. PACE is offered only in some states, under Medicaid. With Medicaid, there is no monthly premium.

Time Off Work: FMLA

The federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) gives an eligible employee up to 12 workweeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in a 12-month period to care for a spouse, a parent, or a child (under 18, or an adult child who cannot care for themselves because of a disability) with a serious health condition. A parent-in-law is not covered. Eligibility takes 12 months and 1,250 hours with the employer, at a worksite with 50 or more employees within 75 miles. No federal law provides or guarantees paid family leave for private-sector workers.

What Michigan Taxes Mean for Your Caregiver Pay

  • IRS Notice 2014-7 (the big one): payments to a caregiver under a 1915(c) Medicaid waiver such as MI Choice can be excluded from federal gross income as difficulty-of-care payments, but only for care given in the caregiver's own home, where the care recipient also lives, not when the caregiver has a separate home where they reside. The exclusion is from federal gross income only and is not the same as tax-free: whether Social Security and Medicare taxes apply depends on whether the caregiver is an employee of an agency, an employee of the care recipient, or an independent contractor. Home Help is a Medicaid state plan benefit (its rate is set by state plan amendment), not a 1915(c) waiver. For other Medicaid programs the IRS says the answer depends on the nature of the payments and the purpose and design of the program, so ask a tax preparer how your Home Help pay is treated federally and on your Michigan return.
  • Credit for Other Dependents (federal): up to $500 for each dependent who is not a qualifying child, which is how an adult child who claims a parent as a dependent can get it. It is non-refundable and starts to shrink above $200,000 of adjusted gross income ($400,000 married filing jointly).
  • Medical expense deduction (federal): unreimbursed medical expenses for you, your spouse, or a dependent count only above 7.5% of adjusted gross income, and only if you itemize. Paying an unlicensed relative for long-term care services does not count.
  • Dependent-care FSA (federal): for 2026, up to $7,500 of employer-provided dependent care assistance can be excluded from income, capped at earned income. Money paid to a caregiver whom you or your spouse claim as a dependent, or to your own child under 19, does not qualify.
  • Michigan Homestead Property Tax Credit: an income-tested, refundable credit claimed on Form MI-1040CR that covers property taxes above a share of total household resources; renters count part of their rent. For tax year 2025 the maximum is $1,900 for most claimants, and no credit is allowed above $71,500 of total household resources.

Get these documents in place while the person you care for can still sign them:

  • Health care power of attorney: names one trusted person, the agent, to make medical decisions when the person can't. Name one or two backups in case the first choice can't be reached.
  • Financial power of attorney: a separate document. A health care agent has no control over money, so paying a nursing-home bill or dealing with a bank takes a financial power of attorney the person set up in advance.
  • Living will: states which life-sustaining treatments the person would or would not want, such as CPR, a ventilator, or tube feeding. It is not the same as a last will and testament.
  • Do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order: a medical order telling providers not to perform CPR if the person's breathing or heartbeat stops.

Advance directives are state-specific. Most states require a witness at signing, and a document accepted in one state may not be accepted in another, so check Michigan's rules. CaringInfo offers free state-specific forms with instructions.

Where to Start if You're New to Caregiving

1
Step 1

Call your Area Agency on Aging

to ask about NFCSP respite, caregiver training, or a support group.

2
Step 2

Apply for Medicaid through MI Bridges

if the care recipient might qualify.

3
Step 3

Call for veteran help if the care recipient is a veteran

the VA Caregiver Support Line, 1-855-260-3274, for caregiver help and referrals. For an Aid and Attendance pension claim, the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, 1-800-MICH-VET (1-800-642-4838), connects you with an accredited Veteran Service Officer.

4
Step 4

Get a health care and a separate financial power of attorney signed

now, before either is needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Michigan pay family caregivers?

Yes. Home Help pays $17.13 an hour for January 1, 2026 services but does not pay a spouse caring for a spouse. The MI Choice Waiver bars a spouse from the self-determination route; a spouse can be paid only if hired by a network home care agency, for extraordinary care., For a veteran, the VA PCAFC stipend and VA Veteran-Directed Care can pay a caregiver., VA Aid and Attendance instead adds to the veteran's or surviving spouse's own pension. See the full paid caregiver guide for the side-by-side comparison.

Where do I report suspected elder abuse in Michigan?

If the person is in immediate danger, call 911. Otherwise, report to Adult Protective Services (APS), the state or local agency that protects vulnerable adults from abuse, neglect, and exploitation; the National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA) can help you find it. For a problem in a nursing home, home for the aged, or adult foster care home, the Michigan Long Term Care Ombudsman Program is free and confidential at 1-866-485-9393.

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 to Care for a Family Member in MichiganSix Michigan programs that pay family caregivers in 2026: Home Help, MI Choice, VA benefits, and more. Who qualifies, what they pay, how to apply. CaregiverMichigan Home Help ProgramMichigan's Home Help Program pays a caregiver the client chooses $17.13/hr in 2026. Who can be paid (not a spouse), who qualifies, and how to apply. MedicaidMI Choice Waiver ProgramMI Choice Waiver pays for in-home care, respite and adult day for Michigan adults who need nursing-home care. 2026 income limit $2,982/month; how to apply. CaregiverDementia Care in MichiganA 2026 guide to dementia care in Michigan: the free Alzheimer's helpline, MI Choice Medicaid respite, getting paid, VA benefits, and who pays for what. CaregiverRespite Care in MichiganRespite care in Michigan for family caregivers: MI Choice Medicaid respite, NFCSP respite through your Area Agency on Aging, adult day, and VA respite. VA BenefitsMichigan VA Senior Care BenefitsA guide to VA senior care benefits in Michigan for 2026: Aid & Attendance, Veteran-Directed Care, the PCAFC stipend, State Veterans Homes, and how to apply. VA BenefitsMichigan VA Aid & AttendanceMichigan VA Aid and Attendance pays up to $2,874/month to qualifying veterans and spouses in 2026. Who qualifies, how to apply, and free help from the MVAA. CaregiverCaregiver Burnout: Signs and 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.
Your next step Not sure which Michigan program fits your family? Call the MI Options line at 800-803-7174 for free long-term care options counseling, or map your options with Brevy.

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.

Still have questions?

Brevy answers from this guide and every other guide here, and can check what you qualify for.

BC

Brevy Care Team

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