Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: Can You Get Paid as a Caregiver in Michigan?

This is a different situation than the more common "can I get paid to care for my aging parent" question. Here, the grandparent is the caregiver and legal guardian, and the grandchild — often with a disability or significant medical need — is the one receiving care. Michigan's Home Help Program can still apply, but the details matter.

The "parent" exclusion, and why it usually doesn't apply to grandparents

Home Help's self-direction rules generally exclude a parent from being paid to care for their own minor child. A grandparent serving as a legal guardian or kinship caregiver is not the legal parent in that exclusion — even though they're filling a parental role day to day. In most kinship care arrangements, a grandparent-guardian can be considered as the paid caregiver, though the specifics depend on documentation of the guardianship or custody arrangement.

What has to be true about the grandchild's eligibility

The grandchild needs to be Medicaid-eligible and have a documented need for hands-on help with Activities of Daily Living or Instrumental Activities of Daily Living beyond what's typical for their age. Home Help isn't limited to older adults — it applies to Medicaid-eligible children with qualifying needs too, most often related to a disability or significant medical condition.

Documentation that matters here specifically

• Legal guardianship, custody, or kinship care documentation establishing your role.
• The grandchild's Medicaid enrollment status (often through MIChild or another children's Medicaid pathway).
• Medical documentation describing the specific disability or condition and its functional impact.

How pay works in this arrangement

Once approved, the same self-direction structure applies as with any Home Help case: a Fiscal Intermediary processes payroll at the statewide 2026 rate of $17.13/hour under self-direction, per MDHHS Adult Services Bulletin ASB 2026-002. As with any Home Help arrangement, the caregiver generally needs to be at least 18 years old and pass the program's standard background check.

Getting started

Start by confirming your grandchild's Medicaid status, then request an MDHHS Adult Services assessment. Having your guardianship paperwork organized and ready to present will help move things along.