Paid Family Caregiver¶
Paid Family Caregiver allows relatives 18 years of age or older to be paid for providing care through the Medicaid pathway or the WA Cares Fund program. Caregivers earn at least $22.52 per hour and must complete required safety training. Care recipients must qualify for Apple Health Medicaid long-term care services.
Eligibility¶
- U.S. citizenship or qualified immigrant status required
- Care recipient must have a qualifying disability
- Applicant age: at least 18
- Relationship: spouse, other 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 Washington? — Residency is usually the first thing a program checks.
- Does your relationship to the person — spouse or other relative — count for this program?
- What counts as a qualifying disability or level of care need, and what documentation shows it?
- Which citizenship or immigration statuses does the program accept, and which documents show 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?
What this record does not yet say¶
- a direct application link
How to apply¶
- The person you care for must qualify for Apple Health Medicaid LTSS, then apply to become an Individual Provider on the Consumer Direct Care Network of Washington website (Medicaid pathway); under WA Cares, the beneficiary applies for benefits first, then the caregiver becomes an employee of CDWA or a registered home care agency