Home Help gets talked about almost entirely in the context of aging parents — but it applies just as much to grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other relatives raising a child with a significant disability or medical condition. Most kinship caregivers never hear this option mentioned. Here’s how it works.
At a Glance
– Home Help isn’t only for aging parents — it can apply to a child with a qualifying disability or medical need too.
– Grandparents and other relatives, but not the child’s legal parent, can potentially be paid caregivers.
– The child must be enrolled in Michigan Medicaid Fee for Service and need hands-on help with an age-appropriate ADL.
– A parent of a minor child generally cannot be the paid caregiver under Home Help — but a grandparent or other relative often can.
– The same CHAMPS enrollment, background check, and assessment process applies regardless of the caregiver’s relationship to the child.
When a Child Qualifies for Home Help
The core requirement is the same as it is for adults: Michigan Medicaid Fee for Service enrollment, plus a documented need for hands-on help with an Activity of Daily Living — evaluated in an age-appropriate way for a child. A child with a significant medical condition, developmental disability, or chronic illness that creates real hands-on care needs beyond typical parenting can meet this bar.
Why a Grandparent Can Often Be Paid When a Parent Can’t
Home Help specifically excludes a parent from being paid to care for their own minor child — but that exclusion doesn’t extend to grandparents, aunts, uncles, or other relatives providing that same care. This mirrors the logic in our guide on getting paid to care for a disabled adult child, just applied to a minor being raised by kin rather than a parent.
Getting Started as a Kinship Caregiver
The process runs the same as it does for any Home Help applicant: confirm the child’s Medicaid status, go through the in-home assessment, and complete CHAMPS enrollment and a background check as the caregiver. See our full eligibility criteria for the underlying requirements this all builds on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a grandmother raising her grandchild get paid through Home Help?
Often yes, if the child has a qualifying Medicaid-covered condition and a hands-on ADL need, and the grandparent isn’t the child’s legal parent.
What if I have legal guardianship but I’m not a biological relative?
The relevant exclusion is generally about not being the child’s parent, not about the specific family relationship — a legal guardian or relative caregiver may well qualify. Confirm your specific situation with a free eligibility check.
Does the child’s age matter for eligibility?
Home Help isn’t age-restricted the way some programs are, but younger children are evaluated for age-appropriate ADL needs rather than adult norms — the assessment accounts for what’s typical at that age versus what’s a genuine extra need.
Is the pay rate different for caring for a child versus an adult?
No — Michigan’s 2026 individual-provider rate of $17.13 per hour applies the same way. See our full pay rate guide.
Raising a Grandchild With Extra Needs? Let’s Talk
Kinship caregivers get overlooked in a lot of caregiving conversations — we don’t overlook you. Start the free eligibility check or call 313-251-1767.