Most conversations about MDHHS Home Help center on aging parents and spouses, which makes sense — that's the majority of cases. But the program is not limited by age. A Medicaid-eligible child with a qualifying disability or significant medical need can also be evaluated for Home Help, and understanding how that works matters for the families navigating it.
How eligibility applies to a minor
The same two-part test applies regardless of age: Medicaid financial eligibility and a documented hands-on functional need with Activities of Daily Living. For a child, that functional need typically stems from a disability, chronic medical condition, or developmental need that requires genuine physical assistance with bathing, dressing, toileting, mobility, eating, or grooming — beyond what's developmentally typical for the child's age. An MDHHS Adult Services Worker (the same role that evaluates adult cases) conducts the in-person assessment and documents approved hours the same way, via form MDHHS-5534.
Who can be the paid caregiver
This is where a child's case differs meaningfully from an adult case. Under Home Help's self-direction framework, parents of minor children receiving care are typically excluded from being paid caregivers for that specific child — the same exclusion that applies to spousal caregiving for adults. This means a parent generally can't be paid to provide their own child's Home Help care under self-direction.
However, other eligible relatives and caregivers — a grandparent, an adult sibling, an aunt or uncle, or another qualifying adult in the child's life — may be able to serve as the paid caregiver, either through self-direction or as an employee of a provider agency, depending on the specifics of the case.
Where care can take place
As with adult cases, Home Help follows the child wherever they live — typically the family home, but potentially a relative's home or another appropriate setting, depending on the family's situation.
How pay works
Pay structure follows the same statewide framework used across the program: self-directed caregivers are paid Michigan's 2026 rate of $17.13/hour, while agency-employed caregivers can be paid more, funded by the higher $27.00/hour rate MDHHS pays to provider agencies. See our full pay breakdown for the current numbers.
What to do next if this describes your family
Pediatric Home Help cases involve some nuances that benefit from a direct conversation — every child's situation, diagnosis, and family structure is different, and confirming exactly how the program applies to your specific circumstances is worth a conversation with MDHHS or a knowledgeable provider agency before assuming either way. A free consultation is a low-pressure way to get a clear answer for your family's specific situation.
Check current rules before you act. Home Help requirements, forms, and payment procedures can change. Use MDHHS Home Help guidance as the final source for current program details.