Home / Get paid to care
Get paid to care for your own family member
Virginia Medicaid's consumer-directed option allows many people to hire a relative or trusted friend as their paid attendant. If you are already doing the work, this is worth twenty minutes of your time.
How consumer-directed care works
Virginia Medicaid offers two ways to receive personal care at home. In the agency-directed model, an agency like ours employs the caregiver and sends them to the home. In the consumer-directed model, the person receiving care, or the family member acting on their behalf, selects, hires and directs their own attendant. In many cases that attendant can be an adult child, a relative or a family friend.
A services facilitator helps set the plan up and a fiscal agent handles payroll and taxes, so the attendant is paid properly and legally for the approved hours.
Who usually qualifies
- Your loved one has Virginia Medicaid, or is likely to be eligible
- They have been screened and approved for the CCC Plus Waiver, or need that screening arranged
- They need hands-on help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, toileting, transfers or eating
- They can direct their own care, or have a family member who can act as their representative
Important limits, stated plainly
Program rules restrict who may be paid. In particular, a spouse and, for an adult, a legal guardian are generally not permitted to be the paid attendant, and the attendant must be legally able to work in the United States. Rules change, and Medicaid and your health plan decide eligibility. We will tell you quickly if your situation does not fit.
What we do for you
We handle the parts that make people give up
1. Check eligibility
One phone call. We ask about your loved one's health, income and current coverage, and tell you what is realistic, including if the answer is no.
2. Screening and paperwork
We help request the Medicaid screening through your local Department of Social Services, and sit with you through the applications, forms and health plan calls. In Amharic if that is easier.
3. Training and payroll setup
Once approved, we help the family caregiver complete the required orientation and get set up with the fiscal agent so hours are recorded and paid correctly.
Common questions
Can I be paid to care for my mother or father?
Often, yes. Adult children are among the most common paid attendants under the consumer-directed option, provided your parent is approved for the waiver and the program's rules are met. Eligibility is determined by Medicaid and the health plan.
Can I be paid to care for my husband or wife?
Generally no. Spouses are excluded from being the paid attendant under these programs. Another relative or a friend may be able to serve instead, and your spouse can still receive agency-directed care from us.
How much does it pay?
The hourly rate and the number of approved hours are set by Virginia Medicaid and the member's health plan, based on an assessment of how much help the person needs. We can explain the current rates for your situation when we speak.
What if my parent does not have Medicaid yet?
That is very common. We will help you apply and request the screening. Approval takes time, so the sooner the application starts, the better. In the meantime we can discuss private-pay hours to cover the gap.
Do I have to speak English to do this?
No. Our staff will work with you in Amharic or English, and we help with interpretation on calls with Medicaid, the health plan and the services facilitator.
Not sure where to start? Just call us.
Tell us what is going on at home. We will explain your options in plain language, in English or Amharic, and tell you whether we are the right fit. The consultation is free and there is no obligation.
Speak with a care coordinator
Mon–Fri, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
After-hours line for current clients