Paid Family Caregiver Programs in Georgia

What Has Changed

• This update adds Support Options as a direct non-Medicaid family-caregiver payment route because Georgia’s current ADRC guidance names it alongside Structured Family Caregiving.
• The Medicaid financial screening figures were rechecked against Georgia’s July 2026 limits.
• Georgia MMIS now lists the main EDWP General Services manual with a July 1, 2026 release date. This update avoids presenting older January reimbursement figures as if they were the latest caregiver take-home pay.

How Family Caregiver Pay Works in Georgia

Georgia does not have one universal caregiver paycheck. Instead, family payment can come through a Medicaid home- and community-based service, a non-Medicaid consumer-directed program, a veterans program, or a private family arrangement.

For Medicaid long-term care, Georgia says eligible people may receive help at home or in the community when they meet income, resource, functional, medical, residency, and other rules. The state’s long-term services page explains that waiver applicants must also qualify for the level of care provided in an institution such as a nursing facility.

The main Medicaid pathway for older adults is EDWP, which includes the Community Care Services Program (CCSP) and SOURCE. Georgia’s EDWP policy says applicants are referred to the Area Agency on Aging for screening and may be placed on a waiting list when program funding is not available.

For a broader view of long-term care costs while you wait, see our Georgia home-care funding guide.

Structured Family Caregiving

What it helps with: Structured Family Caregiving (SFC) supports an EDWP member who needs substantial daily help and has a family caregiver living in the same home. The enrolled provider oversees the service and pays the caregiver a stipend.

Who may fit: Current Georgia aging-network guidance says the caregiver must live in the same home, be at least 18, meet background and program requirements, and provide substantial daily care. It also says a spouse, legal guardian, parent of a minor child, or conservator cannot serve as the paid structured family caregiver. A regional Area Agency on Aging summarizes this SFC guidance for families.

Where to start: Call ADRC and ask for an EDWP screening and SFC review. If the older adult is not already on Medicaid, ask how to start the Medicaid application at the same time. Our Georgia Area Agencies guide can help you understand the local aging network.

Reality check: Do not plan a household budget around an online “up to” payment claim. Georgia’s provider manual index lists a July 1, 2026 EDWP General Services manual. Ask the case manager or SFC agency for the current caregiver stipend and conditions in writing before making work or housing changes.

Support Options: A Non-Medicaid Route

What it helps with: Georgia’s Division of Aging Services says Support Options is a non-Medicaid consumer-directed care program that can allow family members to receive payment for care. That makes it especially important for families who do not qualify for Medicaid or who are still waiting on an EDWP decision.

Who may fit: The state does not promise statewide availability. The ADRC caregiver FAQ says services vary by location. Funding, local program capacity, and the older adult’s needs can affect whether Support Options is available.

Where to start: Call 1-866-552-4464, option 2, and ask, “Is Support Options available in my county, and can my family caregiver be the paid worker?” If it is not available, ask what other non-Medicaid in-home services your local Area Agency on Aging can offer. Georgia also lists respite, adult day services, and caregiver support through its caregiver programs.

Reality check: Support Options is not a guaranteed statewide cash benefit. Ask who employs the worker, what tasks can be paid, the hourly or budget limit, whether there is a waiting list, and what happens if local funds run out.

Consumer-Directed Personal Support Services

What it helps with: Consumer-Directed Personal Support Services (CD-PSS) lets an eligible EDWP member or representative take more control over hiring, training, scheduling, supervising, and ending the worker relationship. A fiscal intermediary handles payroll and tax tasks.

Who may fit: Georgia’s CD-PSS fact sheet says the member must be enrolled in EDWP and have received Personal Support Services for six months or longer. The member must be able to direct care or choose a representative who can perform the employer duties.

Can a relative be hired? Georgia’s CD-PSS fact sheet explains that the member or representative can recruit and hire a worker, but the fact sheet does not say that every relative is eligible. Ask the case manager to confirm whether your specific family member can be hired before you rely on caregiver pay.

Reality check: Self-direction means more control, but also more responsibility. Ask the case manager about worker qualifications, backup coverage, payroll rules, overtime, background checks, and the approved service budget before hiring anyone.

Who May Qualify for Medicaid Care at Home

Caregiver payment through EDWP begins with the older adult’s eligibility, not with the caregiver’s need for income. Georgia reviews both financial and functional rules.

For 2026, Georgia’s July ABD Medicaid policy lists the Medicaid cap used for long-term care at $2,982 gross monthly income for one person and $5,964 for a couple. The general resource limits are $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a couple. These figures are screening numbers, not a complete eligibility decision. Married applicants may have special spousal rules.

The older adult must also meet EDWP level-of-care and service-need rules. Georgia’s Medicaid fact sheets explain that admission depends on continued financial eligibility, need for nursing-home level of care, and available funding.

Other Routes That Can Pay or Reduce Care Costs

Veteran-Directed Care

The Department of Veterans Affairs says Veteran-Directed Care gives eligible veterans a budget for home- and community-based services and may let them hire a family member or neighbor. Eligibility depends on clinical need, enrollment, community-care rules, and local availability. Ask the veteran’s VA social worker before assuming the program is available at a specific facility.

VA Family Caregiver Program

The PCAFC program can provide a monthly stipend and other supports to an approved primary family caregiver. Current VA rules include a 70% or higher service-connected disability rating and a need for at least six continuous months of in-person personal care, plus other requirements. Georgia families can also use our Georgia veteran benefits guide and contact GDVS benefits assistance.

Private Family Care Agreements

A family may privately pay a relative when public programs do not fit or while an application is pending. Use a written agreement that states duties, hours, pay, timekeeping, and how either side can end the arrangement. Do not transfer large sums informally if the older adult may later apply for Medicaid.

The IRS explains that family caregiver pay can create employment-tax issues, while certain live-in Medicaid waiver payments may be excluded from federal gross income in qualifying situations. The tax result depends on the payment and facts, so ask the payer what tax form will be issued.

How to Start Without Wasting Time

1. Write down the care tasks. List bathing, dressing, toileting, eating, transfers, medication help, supervision, wandering, falls, and nighttime needs.
2. Call ADRC. Ask for the family-pay routes in your county and an EDWP screening if the older adult may need nursing-home-level care.
3. Start Medicaid if needed. Georgia Medicaid lists 1-877-423-4746 for member help. Its basic eligibility page links to current application and financial-limit information.
4. Name the caregiver relationship. Say whether the proposed worker is a spouse, adult child, sibling, other relative, friend, or live-in caregiver. The answer can change which route fits.
5. Ask for the pay terms in writing. Before anyone leaves a job or changes housing, confirm the approved hours or stipend, employer, tax handling, start date, and backup-care rule.
6. Work two tracks when needed. While Medicaid is pending, also ask about Support Options, respite, meals, transportation, and veteran benefits.

For more ways to reduce household care pressure, see our respite care options and paid caregiver overview.

Documents and Information to Gather

• Photo ID, Social Security number, Medicare card, and Medicaid information if already enrolled.
• Proof of Georgia residence.
• Recent income proof, bank statements, insurance information, and other requested resource records.
• Doctor names, medication list, hospital or rehabilitation discharge papers, and home-health records.
• A written list of daily care tasks and how often help is needed.
• The proposed caregiver’s name, relationship, address, and work schedule.
• Power of attorney or guardianship papers if someone acts for the older adult.
• For self-direction, ask which worker forms, background checks, CPR/First Aid records, and health screenings are required now.

Reality Checks

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Starting with a commercial caregiver ad instead of ADRC or the responsible agency.
• Assuming every relative can be paid under the same rules.
• Quitting a job before the program, rate, start date, and caregiver approval are confirmed.
• Ignoring Support Options because the older adult does not qualify for Medicaid.
• Using an old income chart instead of the current Georgia Medicaid limits.
• Paying a relative informally without records when Medicaid planning may matter later.
• Waiting for caregiver burnout before asking for respite and backup services.

Phone Scripts You Can Use