The in-home assessment is the single event that determines how many hours a week you’ll get paid for. It’s not a test to pass or fail so much as an accurate snapshot — and preparing for it well is one of the highest-leverage things you can do in the whole process.
At a Glance
– A county or MDHHS adult services worker visits the home, typically for 45–90 minutes.
– They evaluate each Activity of Daily Living through questions and observation — not a physical exam.
– The weekly hours you’re authorized for come directly from this visit’s findings.
– You should be present to help describe a realistic day, not just a good one.
– If the assessment undercounts needs, reassessment is available later as things change.
Before the Assessment
Gather the basics ahead of time — see our full documents checklist — and spend a few days paying attention to what a genuinely hard day looks like for your loved one, not just a good one. Assessors work from what they’re told and what they observe in the moment, so vague or overly optimistic answers tend to undercount real needs.
It helps to know, going in, exactly which Activities of Daily Living apply to your situation so you can speak to them specifically rather than in generalities.
During the Visit
The assessor walks through each ADL — bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, transferring, grooming, mobility — asking how your loved one currently manages each one and what kind of help, if any, is involved. They may also observe directly, for example watching how someone gets up from a chair.
This is not an adversarial process, but it is a documentation process: whatever gets written down in this visit becomes the basis for the hours you’re authorized. Be specific, be honest about hard days, and don’t downplay difficulty out of pride or habit — families do this more often than you’d expect, and it costs them hours they actually need.
After the Assessment — What Happens Next
Once the assessment is complete, MDHHS uses it to authorize a specific number of weekly hours. From there, the remaining steps — CHAMPS enrollment for the caregiver and setting up Electronic Visit Verification — can run in parallel so you’re not waiting on one thing at a time. See our full step-by-step process for the whole timeline, start to first paycheck.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the Home Help assessment take?
Most in-home visits run 45 to 90 minutes, though it can vary by county and by how much support the person needs.
Should I exaggerate needs to try to get more hours?
No — both overstating and understating needs cause problems down the line. Accurate, specific answers about real day-to-day difficulty are what actually get your loved one the hours they need, and they hold up better if hours are ever reviewed.
What if I disagree with the hours that get authorized?
You have options. If the number feels wrong for your loved one’s actual needs, see our guide on appeals and what’s fixable — “too few hours” is appealable, not just outright denials.
Does the caregiver need to be present for the assessment?
It’s not always mandatory, but it’s strongly recommended. Having the person who sees day-to-day reality in the room tends to produce a far more accurate assessment than the client answering alone.
Get Assessment-Ready Before They Knock
We walk families through exactly what to expect and how to prepare so the visit reflects real needs, not a good day. Start the free eligibility check or call 313-251-1767.