When more than one family member shares caregiving duties, a natural question comes up: can the hours — and the pay — be split too? In many cases, yes. Here’s how it actually works in practice.
At a Glance
– Authorized weekly hours belong to the care recipient, not to a single caregiver — they can potentially be divided among more than one approved caregiver.
– Each caregiver must independently complete CHAMPS enrollment and a background check.
– Splitting hours doesn’t increase the total hours available — it divides the same authorized pool.
– Coordination and clear logging matter more with multiple caregivers, since EVV tracks who worked when.
– This can be a good fit for siblings sharing duties, or for reliable backup coverage.
How Hour-Splitting Works in Practice
The weekly hours authorized at assessment belong to your loved one, not to any one specific caregiver. That means, with the right enrollment in place, two (or more) family members can each log and get paid for a portion of those same authorized hours — useful when siblings live nearby and want to share the work, or when one caregiver needs regular backup.
What Each Caregiver Needs to Do
There’s no shortcut here: every caregiver who wants to be paid needs to independently complete CHAMPS enrollment and pass a background check, just as the primary caregiver did. There isn’t a simplified path for a second or third caregiver.
Coordinating EVV With More Than One Caregiver
Because Electronic Visit Verification logs exactly who provided care and when, multiple caregivers sharing hours need clear, honest coordination so logs don’t overlap or contradict each other. See our EVV guide for how the logging system works day to day, and our pay schedule guide for how that logging turns into paychecks for each caregiver individually.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does splitting hours mean more total pay for the family?
No — total authorized hours stay the same regardless of how many caregivers share them. The income simply divides between whoever logs and provides the care.
Can any relative or friend be a second paid caregiver?
Generally yes, if they independently meet the standard requirements — 18 or older, pass a background check, and aren’t the client’s spouse or the parent of a minor receiving care. See our full eligibility criteria.
Do both caregivers need separate CHAMPS enrollment?
Yes — each caregiver enrolls individually in CHAMPS; there’s no shared or family-level enrollment.
What if family members disagree on how to split the hours?
That’s a family coordination matter rather than something MDHHS manages for you — clear communication and accurate, honest logging up front tends to prevent most conflicts before they start.
Coordinating Care Between Multiple Family Members?
We can walk your whole family through how splitting hours works for your specific situation. Start the free eligibility check or call 313-251-1767.