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National question: Can a family caregiver get paid? Official programs decide eligibility.

Arkansas ARChoices in Homecare (1915(c) Waiver) and IndependentChoices Self-Direction (1915(j))

Arkansas offers self-directed Medicaid services through two related but distinct programs: IndependentChoices, a 1915(j) State Plan Services option, and ARChoices, a 1915(c) HCBS waiver. Self-direction lets participants or representatives manage certain services with support, including employer authority over who provides care and budget authority over approved spending. ARChoices serves adults ages 21-64 with physical disabilities and seniors age 65 or older who meet financial criteria, require intermediate nursing-home level of care, and need at least one available service.

Arkansas self-direction operates through two Medicaid paths: IndependentChoices (1915(j) State Plan Services) and ARChoices (1915(c) HCBS Waiver Services). Participants choosing self-direction can recruit, hire, train, and supervise the people who furnish services and may have authority over how an approved Medicaid budget is spent. ARChoices provides home and community-based services for adults ages 21-64 with a physical disability and seniors age 65 or older; listed services include attendant care, home-delivered meals, PERS, adult day services, respite, and environmental modifications.

Eligibility

  • Asset limit of $2,000
  • Care recipient must have a qualifying disability
  • Care recipient age: at least 21
  • Relationship: parent, child, sibling, grandparent, other relative, non relative

Questions to ask the program

These are questions to ask the program, not a verdict on your eligibility. Confirm the current rules directly with the program.

  • Does the person receiving care live in Arkansas? — Residency is usually the first thing a program checks.
  • Does your relationship to the person — parent, child, sibling, grandparent, other relative, or non relative — count for this program?
  • What are the current income and asset limits, and whose income counts? — Our record lists gross monthly limit around $2,982 for a household of one or an asset limit around $2,000 — limits change, so confirm the current figures.
  • Is the person receiving care in the covered age range (21 or older)?
  • What counts as a qualifying disability or level of care need, and what documentation shows it?
  • Is there a caregiver-specific department, coordinator, or support line? Ask for it by name. — Many agencies have one that isn’t advertised on the website.
  • What documents do you need from us to start an application?
  • Is there a waitlist right now, and how long is it?

Services

Arkansas self-direction operates through two Medicaid paths: IndependentChoices (1915(j) State Plan Services) and ARChoices (1915(c) HCBS Waiver Services). Participants choosing self-direction can recruit, hire, train, and supervise the people who furnish services and may have authority over how an approved Medicaid budget is spent. ARChoices provides home and community-based services for adults ages 21-64 with a physical disability and seniors age 65 or older; listed services include attendant care, home-delivered meals, PERS, adult day services, respite, and environmental modifications.

How to apply

Use the official program page for application details: official program page.