If you're already helping a parent, grandparent, friend or neighbor with bathing, dressing or getting around the house, you may be able to get paid for it. Michigan Medicaid's Home Help program, run by MDHHS, pays caregivers to give hands-on personal care at home to people who want to stay in their own homes instead of moving into a nursing facility or adult foster care home. It's one of the main ways to become a paid family caregiver in Michigan.
Whether you need in-home care in Detroit, home care in Wayne County, Macomb County or Oakland County, or senior home care anywhere in Michigan, this guide explains in plain English who qualifies for Home Help, who can be the paid caregiver and how to apply. If the person who needs care is dual eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, we also explain a second route through their health plan, called MI Coordinated Health (MICH). And you don't have to figure it out alone: families can call Together At Home for help at any step.
Not sure where to start? Call us at (313) 698-7700. We'll help you figure out the next steps and get the process started.
What is the Michigan Home Help program?
MDHHS Home Help is run by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). It pays for personal care for Medicaid members who need hands-on help with everyday tasks. MDHHS describes it as a program for people "who wish to live safely and independently in their home rather than live in an adult foster care home, home for the aged or nursing facility." [1]
Home Help can pay for help with:
- Activities of daily living (ADLs): bathing, dressing, eating, grooming, mobility, toileting and transferring (for example, bed to chair) inside the home.
- Instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs): light housework, laundry, taking medication, meal preparation, and shopping for food and medication.
- Complex care tasks, such as catheter care, feeding tube care, range of motion exercises, wound care and specialized skin care. [1]
It does not pay for heavy housework, home repairs, yard work, transportation, supervision, or just reminding someone to do a task. [1]
Who qualifies for Home Help in Michigan?
Under MDHHS policy, the person receiving care (MDHHS calls them the "client") needs all of the following [2]:
- Active Michigan Medicaid. Qualifying coverage includes full Medicaid and the Healthy Michigan Plan, among others. People with a Medicaid deductible ("spend-down") may still qualify through what MDHHS calls the personal care option. [2]
- A medical certification. A Medicaid-approved medical provider (a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, occupational therapist, physical therapist or clinical nurse specialist) completes form MDHHS-6200, Adult Services Medical Needs Certification. [1]
- A real need for hands-on help. An MDHHS adult services worker visits the home and assesses the person's needs. To qualify, the person must need hands-on help with at least one activity of daily living at "level 3 or greater" on the state's assessment scale. [3]
Don't have Medicaid yet? You can apply at MI Bridges (Michigan.gov/MiBridges) or at your local MDHHS office. [1]
Can I get paid to care for my parent in Michigan?
Often, yes, if the person who needs care qualifies. MDHHS says the client can choose "an individual caregiver (family member or friend who is at least 18 years old) or an agency provider." [1] Adult children, grandchildren, siblings, nieces and nephews, friends and neighbors can all be paid caregivers.
There are a few firm rules. The paid caregiver [1][4]:
- Cannot be the client's spouse, even if they are separated.
- Cannot be a parent caring for their own minor child.
- Must be 18 or older.
- Cannot also receive Home Help services themselves.
- Must enroll in CHAMPS (Michigan Medicaid's provider system) and pass a criminal history screen before they can be paid.
The client is the employer, not the State of Michigan. That means the client can hire, fire or change caregivers at any time. [1]
Home Help caregivers are paid through Michigan Medicaid at a set hourly rate. There is no set maximum number of hours: the adult services worker approves hours for each person based on the assessment of what they actually need, so two people with different needs can be approved for very different amounts of care. [1][5] If a family caregiver works through a home care agency, the agency is their employer and pays them. Ask any agency, including ours, how it pays caregivers and what it handles for them.
How do I apply for Home Help in Michigan?
Here is the process MDHHS lays out [1]:
- Make a referral. The person who needs care, or someone on their behalf, contacts the Adult Services unit at the MDHHS office in the county where the person lives. You can make the referral by phone, mail, fax or in person. Find your county office (Wayne, Oakland, Macomb or any other) at Michigan.gov/MDHHS under County Offices.
- Complete the paperwork. An adult services worker sends the DHS-390, Adult Services Application (signed by the client or guardian) and the MDHHS-6200 medical form for the doctor or other approved provider to fill out.
- Have the home visit. The worker visits the home to do the assessment. If you've already picked a caregiver, it's best if they're there too.
- Get a decision. MDHHS sends a written decision within 45 days. If you disagree with it, you can request a hearing.
Meanwhile, the caregiver should start their CHAMPS enrollment through MiLogin. All caregivers need to be approved in CHAMPS and have a provider ID before they can be paid. [1][4]
A note on visit tracking: Michigan uses Electronic Visit Verification (EVV), a mobile app that records when care visits happen. Caregivers who live with the client are exempt from EVV. Individual caregivers also keep recording their services in CHAMPS or on paper, as before. [5]
Have questions about applying? Call us at (313) 698-7700 and we'll help you through the process, step by step. You can also request care online.
Can dual eligible Medicare and Medicaid members get home care?
Yes. If the person who needs care has both Medicare and full Medicaid (often called "dual eligible") and lives in Wayne or Macomb County, there may be a second way to get in-home help: MI Coordinated Health, or MICH.
MICH replaced MI Health Link on January 1, 2026. It's a special kind of Medicare Advantage plan that combines Medicare and most Medicaid benefits, including long-term care at home, in one plan with one card. In-network services have no copays or deductibles, except some Part D drug costs in certain cases. [6][7]
- Who can join: adults 21 or older with full Medicare and full Medicaid who live in a MICH county. People with only partial Medicaid help (such as QMB-only or SLMB-only) or a Medicaid spend-down can't join. [7]
- Where: in Southeast Michigan, MICH is in Wayne and Macomb counties only. Oakland County is not part of MICH in 2026. It's also offered in parts of Southwest Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. [6][7]
- Plans available in Wayne and Macomb: MDHHS lists eight health plans offering MICH there (in alphabetical order): Aetna, AmeriHealth Caritas, HAP CareSource, Humana, Molina, Priority Health, UnitedHealthcare and Wellcare-Meridian. [6]
- Personal care comes from your plan, not Home Help. MICH members get personal care services, such as help with bathing, dressing and meals, through their MICH plan. You can't have MDHHS Home Help and MICH at the same time. If you join MICH, your Home Help case is closed. If you leave MICH, you can reapply for Home Help the next month. [7]
- You may be able to keep your family caregiver. MDHHS requires MICH plans to "make every effort" to bring a member's existing Home Help caregiver into their network. The caregiver has to meet the plan's rules, including a criminal background check, and contact the plan to sign up as a network provider. [7]
- Your care coordinator is the starting point. Every MICH member has a care coordinator who assesses their needs and builds a care plan. Members who need a nursing-home level of care can also get extra waiver services at home, such as Expanded Community Living Supports, respite, home-delivered meals and adult day programs. [6][7][8]
Together At Home is an independent home care agency and is not affiliated with or endorsed by MDHHS or any health plan. Plan availability varies by county.
If you're already in a MICH plan, call the member services number on the back of the plan card and ask the care coordinator about an in-home personal care assessment. For unbiased help understanding or choosing a plan, call Michigan's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) at 1-800-803-7174, or visit Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE. [9]
Questions about home care? Call Together At Home at (313) 698-7700. We'll help you understand how in-home personal care works and what to ask your plan. Your plan decides what it covers and which caregivers are in its network.
Where can I find home care in Detroit, Wayne, Macomb and Oakland counties?
Home Help is a statewide program, so the same rules apply whether you need in-home care in Detroit or home care anywhere else in Michigan. [1] What changes by county is which MDHHS office handles the case and whether MI Coordinated Health is an option:
- Detroit and Wayne County: Home Help through your local Wayne County MDHHS office. MICH is available for dual eligible members. [6]
- Macomb County: Home Help through the Macomb County MDHHS office. MICH is available. [6]
- Oakland County: Home Help through the Oakland County MDHHS office. MICH is not offered in Oakland County in 2026. [6]
- The rest of Michigan: Home Help is available in every county. MICH is offered only in parts of Southwest Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. [6]
Should a family caregiver work with a home care agency?
An individual caregiver can enroll directly with Michigan Medicaid. They can also choose to be associated with an enrolled Home Help agency. [5] Going through an agency can make sense if you want help with:
- CHAMPS enrollment (an agency may complete the application for caregivers who work for it) [5]
- Understanding the assessment, forms and visit verification
- Having backup care, or trained in-home caregivers, if your family member can't cover every shift
Already getting Home Help? This section is for families who are just getting started. MDHHS does not allow agencies to recruit current Home Help clients or their individual caregivers, and a caregiver who moves to an agency generally can't care for the same client through that agency for 90 days. [10]
At Together At Home, we offer two paths, both through Michigan Medicaid's Home Help program for people MDHHS approves:
- The Family Caregiver Program: if a relative, friend or neighbor already helps you, we help them through the steps to apply to be your paid caregiver.
- Professional Agency Care: if you don't have someone in mind, we match you with one of our vetted, trained caregivers.
We provide senior home care and personal care at home for families across Detroit, Wayne, Macomb and Oakland counties and throughout Michigan. Read more about us.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get paid to take care of my mom or dad in Michigan?
Often, yes. If your parent has Michigan Medicaid and MDHHS approves them for Home Help after its assessment, they may choose you as their paid caregiver. You must be 18 or older, not their spouse, enrolled in CHAMPS, and pass a criminal history screen. [1][4]
How do I apply for Home Help in Michigan?
Contact the Adult Services unit at the MDHHS office in the county where the person who needs care lives. An adult services worker sends the DHS-390 application and the MDHHS-6200 medical form, then visits the home to assess needs. MDHHS sends a written decision within 45 days. [1]
Can a spouse get paid to be a caregiver through Home Help?
No. MDHHS policy does not pay a \"responsible relative\": a spouse caring for a spouse (even if separated), or a parent caring for their own minor child. Adult children, grandchildren, other relatives, friends and neighbors who are 18 or older may be paid caregivers if they meet MDHHS requirements. [4]
How are Home Help caregivers paid?
Home Help caregivers are paid through Michigan Medicaid at a set hourly rate, for the hours the adult services worker approves. There is no set maximum number of hours; hours depend on the person's assessed needs. A caregiver who works through a home care agency is paid by the agency. [1][5]
I have both Medicare and Medicaid. Can I still get Home Help?
You may. Having Medicare doesn't by itself rule out Home Help; it depends on your Medicaid coverage and the MDHHS assessment. If you're enrolled in a MI Coordinated Health (MICH) plan, personal care at home comes through the plan instead, and the two can't be used at the same time. [2][7]
Is Home Help available in Detroit, Wayne, Macomb and Oakland counties?
Yes. Home Help is a statewide Michigan Medicaid program, so it's available in Detroit, Wayne County, Macomb County, Oakland County and every other county. MI Coordinated Health is different: in Southeast Michigan it's offered only in Wayne and Macomb counties, not Oakland. [1][6]
Ready to get started?
Not sure where to start? Call us at (313) 698-7700. We'll help you figure out the next steps and walk you through the process, step by step. You can also email office@tahcare.com or request care online.
This article is general information, not legal, medical or benefits advice. Eligibility is decided by MDHHS or your health plan. Program rules can change. Together At Home is an independent home care agency and is not affiliated with or endorsed by MDHHS or any health plan. Last reviewed November 2026.
Sources
- MDHHS, "Home Help" (Adults and Seniors): https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/adult-child-serv/adults-and-seniors/independent
- MDHHS Adult Services Manual, ASM 105, Eligibility Criteria (10-1-2025): https://mdhhs-pres-prod.michigan.gov/olmweb/ex/AS/Public/ASM/105.pdf
- MDHHS Adult Services Manual, ASM 120, Home Help Comprehensive Assessment (7-1-2026): https://mdhhs-pres-prod.michigan.gov/olmweb/ex/AS/Public/ASM/120.pdf
- MDHHS Adult Services Manual, ASM 135, Home Help Caregivers (7-1-2026): https://dhhs.michigan.gov/olmweb/ex/AS/Public/ASM/135.pdf
- MDHHS, "Individual Caregivers" (Home Help providers): https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/doing-business/providers/providers/other/homehelp/individual-providers/individual-caregivers
- MDHHS, "MI Coordinated Health (MICH)" and "Program Eligibility": https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/doing-business/providers/mi-coordinated-health and https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/doing-business/providers/mi-coordinated-health/program-eligibility
- MDHHS Adult Services Manual, ASM 126, MI Coordinated Health Program (1-1-2026): https://dhhs.michigan.gov/OLMWEB/EX/AS/Public/ASM/126.pdf
- MDHHS, MI Coordinated Health "Home and Community-Based Services": https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/doing-business/providers/mi-coordinated-health/home-and-community-based-services
- MDHHS, "State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)": https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/adult-child-serv/adults-and-seniors/acls/state-health-insurance-assistance-program
- MDHHS Adult Services Manual, ASM 136, Home Help Agency Providers (7-1-2026), "Recruitment and Marketing": https://dhhs.michigan.gov/olmweb/ex/AS/Public/ASM/136.pdf