The Michigan Home Help program is not only for older adults. Any Michigan Medicaid recipient assessed as needing hands-on help with daily activities may qualify, at any age — including adults living with physical or developmental disabilities, and children under 18 cared for by a parent.
Eligibility under Home Help turns on functional need, not on age or diagnosis. What MDHHS assesses is whether the person requires hands-on assistance with activities of daily living. Someone with a spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, a developmental disability, or long-term effects of a stroke may need that help throughout adulthood rather than only in later life.
For families raising a child with significant disabilities, the program explicitly recognizes a parent as a possible approved caregiver for a child under 18. Parents in this situation are often providing intensive daily personal care while trying to hold down employment, and the program can pay for that care directly.
Long-term disability caregiving differs from elder care in one practical respect: it is measured in decades rather than years. That makes the difference between unpaid and paid care compounding — it can determine whether a parent or spouse is able to keep providing that care at all instead of burning out or losing income.
What this covers
Personal care — bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting
Transfers and mobility assistance
Meal preparation and help with eating
Medication reminders and tracking
Light housekeeping and laundry
Support for a parent caring for a child under 18
Common questions
Is Home Help only for seniors?
No. Eligibility is based on functional need rather than age. Any Michigan Medicaid recipient assessed as needing hands-on help with activities of daily living may qualify, including younger adults and children.
Can a parent be paid to care for a disabled child?
The program does recognize a parent caring for a child under 18 as a possible approved caregiver. The specifics depend on the child’s assessed needs and your household circumstances, so this is worth confirming on a call rather than assuming either way.
Does a specific diagnosis qualify someone automatically?
No diagnosis qualifies or disqualifies someone by itself. What matters is the MDHHS in-home assessment of how much hands-on assistance the person actually needs with daily activities.
