Can a Family Member Be a Paid Caregiver in Colorado?

What is a paid family caregiver in Colorado?

Colorado's Medicaid program — Health First Colorado — allows family members to be paid for personal care and homemaking they provide to a loved one with a qualifying medical need. Parents of minor children with disabilities, adult children caring for aging parents, spouses, siblings, and other relatives can all be eligible depending on the waiver and the client's care plan.

Which family members can be paid?

It depends on the relationship, the person’s age, and the program their plan uses. These are the situations families ask us about most:

• Adult child caring for a parent — commonly allowed once the parent is enrolled and services are authorized.
• Parent of an adult child with a disability — commonly allowed under qualifying programs.
• Parent of a minor child — possible in specific programs for medically complex children; rules are narrower, so confirm with the case manager.
• Spouse — allowed in some service-delivery options and restricted in others.
• Siblings, grandchildren, and other relatives — often eligible if they meet the agency’s hiring and training requirements.

Program rules change, and only the State and the member’s case management agency can confirm what a specific plan allows. We are happy to review your situation on a free call.

How pay and hours are decided

Two things set what a family caregiver earns: the hours authorized on the care plan, and the pay rate for the service being provided.

• Authorized hours come from an assessment done through the case management agency — not from the home care agency. They reflect the level of help the person needs each week.
• Service type matters: homemaking (HMK), personal care (PCP), and health maintenance activities (HMA) are authorized and paid separately.
• Pay is for hours worked and documented, generally through Electronic Visit Verification, on the agency’s regular pay cycle.

Because rates depend on the program and service type, we quote them on a call rather than publishing a single number that may not apply to your plan.

Programs that pay family caregivers

• Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers

  Cover personal care, homemaking, and respite for adults and children with disabilities or complex medical needs.

• Children's Home and Community-Based Services (CHCBS)

  Designed for medically complex kids who would otherwise need institutional care. Parents can often be paid caregivers.

• Consumer Directed Attendant Support Services (CDASS)

  Lets the client (or their authorized representative) hire and direct their own caregivers, including family.

• In-Home Support Services (IHSS)

  Agency-based model where a family member is employed as the caregiver and the agency handles training, payroll, and oversight.

Who qualifies as a paid family caregiver?

Eligibility is based on the client (the person receiving care), not the family member. Generally, the client must:

• Be enrolled in Health First Colorado (Medicaid).
• Be approved for a waiver such as HCBS-EBD, HCBS-SLS, HCBS-CES, or CHCBS, with a documented level of care need.
• Have a service plan that authorizes Homemaker, Personal Care, or In-Home Support Services hours.

Most family members — including parents of adult children, adult children of aging parents, siblings, grandparents, and in some cases parents of minor children — can be hired through an approved agency once the client is enrolled.

Training and certification

You don't need to be a nurse to be paid as a family caregiver. Through an agency like Aventra Care you'll complete training appropriate to your loved one's needs:

• Personal Care Provider (PCP) training — covers bathing, dressing, mobility, toileting, and medication reminders.
• Homemaker (HMK) training — light housekeeping, laundry, meal prep, and home safety.
• Health Maintenance Activities (HMA) training — delegated nursing tasks such as medication administration, tube feedings, and other health-related supports performed under RN oversight.
• Background check, TB screening, CPR/First Aid as required by the program.

How to enroll: a step-by-step path

1. 1. Confirm Medicaid and waiver eligibility

   Your loved one must be enrolled in Health First Colorado and approved for a relevant waiver. A case manager from your local Case Management Agency (CMA) coordinates this.

2. 2. Pick an agency

   Choose a Medicaid-approved home care provider (like Aventra Care) that offers IHSS, HMK, and PCP services and is comfortable employing family caregivers.

3. 3. Complete onboarding and training

   The agency walks you through orientation, training, background checks, and any program-specific requirements (including Electronic Visit Verification requirements, and whether any exemption may apply).

4. 4. Build a care plan and schedule

   We align the authorized hours on the service plan with a schedule that fits your family's routine.

5. 5. Start getting paid

   You begin providing care under the agency's supervision and get paid on a regular pay cycle for the hours you work.

Why families choose Aventra Care

• Approved Health First Colorado home care provider.
• Hands-on enrollment support — we guide you through every form, training, and case-manager conversation.
• Flexible scheduling, including 24/7 and round-the-clock support when authorized.
• Experience working with parent caregivers, adult-child caregivers, and pediatric clients across Colorado.

Frequently asked questions