Oregon is one of the few states with a Spousal Pay Program that pays a spouse to provide care. Add the K Plan, CEP self-direction, respite, and VA benefits.

If you are caring for an aging parent, a spouse, or an adult child with a disability in Oregon, 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

Oregon Caregiver Programs at a Glance

Program What It Offers Who Qualifies Cost to You
Spousal Pay Program Pays a spouse to provide care Recipient needs full help in 4+ of 6 ADLs, lives at home with spouse Free (paid by Medicaid)
K Plan / CEP self-direction Family or friend hired as paid homecare worker Medicaid in-home services recipients Free (paid by Medicaid)
NFCSP respite grants (OFCSP) 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

Oregon delivers paid in-home care through the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) Aging and People with Disabilities, with payroll handled by the Oregon Home Care Commission (OHCC), which oversees the state's publicly funded home care workforce.

The K Plan and Consumer-Employed Provider (CEP) Program

Oregon's K Plan is the state's Community First Choice (CFC) option, a Medicaid state plan benefit under Section 1915(k). As a state plan entitlement, there is no waitlist for eligible participants.

Under the Consumer-Employed Provider (CEP) program, the care recipient is the employer of their homecare worker. Friends and family members aged 18 or older, including adult children, siblings, other relatives, and friends, can be hired and paid to provide care. The OHCC handles payroll and taxes.

Spousal Pay Program

Oregon's Spousal Pay Program (OAR 411-030-0080) is a Medicaid in-home services pathway that pays a spouse to provide care, a benefit most states do not allow. To qualify, the care recipient must:

  • Be married to the caregiver, both residing together in their own home (not a nursing facility or assisted living);
  • Require full assistance in at least four of the six activities of daily living (mobility, eating, elimination/toileting, dressing/grooming, bathing, and cognition/behavior);
  • Have a medically diagnosed debilitating condition; and
  • Require care that would otherwise necessitate nursing facility services.

The service need must exceed, in both extent and duration, the usual and customary services one spouse renders to another. The spouse enrolls as a homecare worker through the OHCC and the Consumer-Employed Provider Program, passes a background check, and provides the majority of the service-plan hours. Authorized hours equal all assessed ADL hours plus one-half of the assessed IADL hours, paid at the standard homecare worker rate.

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

Respite Care Programs

Medicaid Respite (K Plan)

The K Plan authorizes in-home respite as part of the care plan, delivered by a hired homecare worker through the OHCC. Ask your APD case manager to include respite hours.

Oregon Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP)

The Oregon Family Caregiver Support Program (OFCSP) is the state's implementation of the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP), funded by Title III-E of the Older Americans Act and administered through Area Agencies on Aging. Services include in-home respite, adult day vouchers, caregiver training, and counseling, with no income test for respite services. Call 1-855-673-2372 (OR-ADRC).

For the full respite guide: Respite Care in Oregon.

Support, Training, and the OR-ADRC

Oregon's Aging and Disability Resource Connection (OR-ADRC) is the statewide front door for caregiver support that is not tied to a Medicaid waiver. It connects you to your regional Area Agency on Aging for NFCSP/OFCSP respite, caregiver counseling, benefits screening, and local resources.

Call 1-855-673-2372 (OR-ADRC) or dial 211 for the broader social-services network. These calls are free. Oregon also runs Oregon Project Independence, a non-Medicaid in-home support program for older adults who do not qualify for Medicaid; ask the OR-ADRC about eligibility.

VA Caregiver Benefits in Oregon

Veterans enrolled in VA health care in Oregon 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.

Veteran-Directed Care (VDC) is also available in Oregon, including through the VA Portland Health Care System, letting the veteran direct a flexible budget toward caregiver pay.

Oregon VA facilities: The VA Portland Health Care System and the VA Roseburg Healthcare System are the main VA medical centers.

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 Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs and county Veterans Service Officers help file at no cost.

VA Caregiver Support Line: 1-855-260-3274

Taxes for Oregon 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 Oregon CEP and Spousal Pay arrangements. Talk to a tax preparer familiar with the rule before filing.

Oregon State Income Tax

Oregon levies a graduated individual income tax. Because Oregon starts from federal taxable income, how the IRS Notice 2014-7 exclusion interacts with the Oregon return is worth confirming with a tax preparer. Oregon has no statewide general sales tax.

Medicaid Look-Back

Oregon 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.

Not sure which Oregon 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 a spouse or family member would be the paid caregiver.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, through the Spousal Pay Program (OAR 411-030-0080), one of the few state Medicaid pathways that pays a spouse. The care recipient must need full assistance in at least four of six activities of daily living, have a medically diagnosed debilitating condition, and live at home with the spouse. The spouse enrolls as a homecare worker through the Oregon Home Care Commission.

Under the Consumer-Employed Provider (CEP) program, friends and family members aged 18 or older, including adult children, siblings, other relatives, and friends, can be hired and paid as the homecare worker, with the care recipient as the employer.

The K Plan is Oregon's Community First Choice option, a Medicaid state plan benefit under Section 1915(k) that funds in-home personal care. As a state plan entitlement, there is no waitlist for eligible participants.

Yes. The Oregon Family Caregiver Support Program, the state's NFCSP implementation, provides free respite through Area Agencies on Aging with no income test. Call 1-855-673-2372 (OR-ADRC).

Call 1-855-673-2372 (OR-ADRC), Oregon's statewide connection to NFCSP/OFCSP respite, caregiver counseling, and local resources, or dial 211.

Learn More

Find personalized help navigating Oregon 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.

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Brevy Care Team

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