Get Paid to Care for a Family Member in Grand Rapids

Caring for an aging parent in Grand Rapids while holding down a job on the Medical Mile, in a Wyoming warehouse, or anywhere in between is a second full-time job — one most West Michigan families do for free. Michigan’s Medicaid Home Help program pays family caregivers $17.13 per hour in 2026, and Mozyne Health walks Kent County families through the entire enrollment in about 60 days.

Free Eligibility Check — 2 minutes →

Home Help in Kent County

The program is statewide, but your application runs through Kent County adult services: a caseworker completes an in-home assessment at your loved one’s house — in Grand Rapids proper, Kentwood, Wyoming, Walker, or out in the townships — and that assessment sets the number of paid weekly hours. The rate doesn’t change by county; the hours are where everything is decided. We prepare families so the assessment captures a real bad day, not a polished good one.

How the process works, step by step.

Who Qualifies

Your loved one needs Medicaid Fee for Service and hands-on help with at least one daily activity — bathing, dressing, eating, transferring, toileting, or moving around the house. You need to be 18+, pass a background check, and register in CHAMPS. Spouses can’t be paid under Home Help (though other programs can pay spouses); adult children, siblings, grandchildren, and friends can.

Full eligibility criteria · 2026 rates

After a Corewell or Trinity Discharge

A hospital stay is where many West Michigan families realize the care load has permanently changed. If your parent is coming home from Corewell Health (Butterworth/Blodgett), Trinity Health Grand Rapids, or Mary Free Bed rehab and the discharge plan quietly assumes “family will handle it” — Home Help is the program that pays family for handling it. Starting the eligibility check before or right after discharge saves weeks.

Why West Michigan Families Choose Mozyne

Enrollment is the beginning, not the product. After you’re paid, Mozyne caregivers get a dedicated 1:1 care coach, 24/7 AI coaching, peer support, and dementia-specific training built on the clinical research of co-founder Dr. Malaz Boustani. If you’re caring for a parent with Alzheimer’s while raising kids in Forest Hills, support isn’t a luxury — it’s what keeps home care possible.

Grand Rapids Caregiver Questions

How much does Home Help pay in Grand Rapids?

$17.13/hour in 2026 — the same statewide rate as everywhere in Michigan. Monthly totals depend on the hours Kent County approves.

Is there a waitlist in Kent County?

No — Home Help is an entitlement. If your loved one qualifies, services must be provided.

Can my dad qualify if he’s on the Healthy Michigan Plan?

Not directly — Home Help requires Medicaid Fee for Service. Here’s how families make that switch.