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Getting paid to care for a parent in Georgia

Updated 2026-08-10 · Every figure below is dated and sourced · Rules change — confirm with the agency
The short answer: Georgia's door is Structured Family Caregiving (SFC) — a service inside Georgia's Elderly & Disabled Waiver Program, delivered through the Community Care Services Program (CCSP) and SOURCE (Service Options Using Resources in a Community Environment). Both waivers also offer a consumer-directed Personal Support Services option that lets the family hire the caregiver by the hour., run by Georgia Department of Community Health (Medicaid) administers the waivers; intake runs through the Georgia Department of Human Services Division of Aging Services and the regional Area Agencies on Aging (ADRC network).. Pay: SFC pays a tax-free daily stipend, roughly $65-$80/day (about $2,000-$2,400/month) in 2026. Basis: Medicaid pays the SFC provider agency a per-diem and the agency passes 50-65% of it to the caregiver, so the exact amount is agency-set and varies with the parent's assessed care level (Passion to Care advertises $67+/day, 2026; SFC of Georgia confirms the 50-65% split; Brevy cites ~$80/day). Hourly pay under CCSP/SOURCE consumer-directed Personal Support Services is set by the individual care-plan budget — no single published hourly rate could be confirmed.

One or more details on this page could not be fully confirmed against official sources at publish time — confirm specifics with the agency below.

Who can be the paid caregiver

Adult children, grandchildren, siblings, in-laws, and other relatives by blood, marriage, or adoption — the caregiver must be 18+, live in the same home as the parent, pass a criminal background check, and the parent must need at least 5 hours of hands-on help per day (for SFC). Consumer-directed Personal Support Services can also pay relatives or non-relatives who do not live in. Excluded: spouses, legal guardians/conservators, and parents of minor children.

The spouse question

No. Georgia Medicaid will not pay a spouse under any pathway — SFC, CCSP/SOURCE consumer direction, or ICWP all exclude spouses (the state treats spousal care as a legal duty). The only Georgia routes that can pay a spouse are federal VA programs (PCAFC for qualifying veterans).

Waitlist reality

Neither waiver is an entitlement. CCSP commonly carries a waitlist that varies by region; SOURCE has historically operated without one (or with minimal waits), which makes SOURCE the faster door for a parent who is already on or eligible for full Medicaid/SSI. The AAA screens callers and assigns waitlist priority by need level. Realistic total timeline from first call to first SFC paycheck: roughly 2-6 months (SOURCE typically 6-12 weeks; CCSP up to 6 months).

Worth knowing: Disqualifiers to state plainly: spouses can never be the paid caregiver under Georgia Medicaid; the SFC caregiver must LIVE WITH the parent (no live-out SFC — use the hourly consumer-direction option instead); the parent must meet nursing-home level of care AND, for SFC, need 5+ hours of daily help; income above ~$2,982/month (2026) requires a Qualified Income (Miller) Trust; assets above $2,000 (single) disqualify until spent down. The SFC stipend is federal-tax-free for live-in caregivers (IRC 131) but the caregiver generally cannot hold outside full-time work, since they must be the primary caregiver. Confidence is 'partial' solely because the caregiver take-home rate is agency-set (50-65% of a Medicaid per-diem) and DCH publishes no official caregiver pay figure — the $65-$80/day range comes from provider agencies and established guide sites, corroborated but not from an official fee schedule; hourly consumer-direction rates also could not be pinned to a published number. Program structure, spouse rule, exclusions, ADRC phone, and intake path are all confirmed from official Georgia sources. Recent context: SFC was added to CCSP/SOURCE effective 2019 and is now well established with multiple statewide agencies.

Other doors in Georgia

ProgramWhat to know
CCSP/SOURCE Personal Support Services — Consumer DirectionHourly alternative to SFC inside the same waivers: your parent (or you as representative) hires and schedules the aide, and a fiscal agent runs payroll. Adult children can be hired; spouses cannot. Good fit when the caregiver does not live with the parent.
Independent Care Waiver Program (ICWP)Self-directed waiver for adults 21-64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury — relevant only if your 'parent' is under 65. Family (not spouses) can be paid attendants. Intake: Alliant GMCF, 800-982-0411.
VA Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC)If your parent is a veteran rated 70%+ service-connected: monthly tax-free stipend (roughly $3,000-$3,200/month at Level 2 in Georgia, 2026) and the ONLY route that can pay a spouse. Apply via caregiver.va.gov (Form 10-10CG); Caregiver Support Line 1-855-260-3274.
Veteran-Directed Care (VDC)Honest status: Georgia's three VA medical centers (Atlanta, Augusta, Dublin) appear on ACL's VDC list but were flagged as not yet referring veterans as of Aug 2026. Call your VAMC to confirm before counting on it.
Non-Medicaid Home & Community-Based Services (AAA)State-funded respite, meals, and homemaker help through Area Agencies on Aging for families who miss Medicaid limits — it supports caregivers but does NOT pay them a wage.

Wartime veteran or surviving spouse in the family? VA Aid & Attendance stacks on top of state programs — see the national guide.

How to apply — step by step

  1. 1. Call Georgia's Aging & Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) at 1-866-552-4464. Ask for a waiver screening for BOTH CCSP and SOURCE and say you want the Structured Family Caregiving service. The ADRC routes you to your regional Area Agency on Aging.
  2. 2. If your parent is not already on Medicaid, apply at gateway.ga.gov or the local DFCS office. 2026 waiver financial limits: about $2,982/month income and $2,000 in countable assets for a single applicant (spousal protections apply if one spouse stays in the community).
  3. CCSP: ~$2,982/month income limit (300% FBR, 2026), Miller Trust available; SOURCE: applicant must qualify for full Medicaid at the SSI level (~$994/month single, 2026). Source: medicaidplanningassistance.org/georgia-medicaid-source-program/ and /georgia-medicaid-ccsp/ (checked 2026-08-05).
  4. 4. Once enrolled in CCSP or SOURCE, elect Structured Family Caregiving and choose a contracted provider agency — e.g., Careforth (866-470-3217), Structured Family Caregiving of Georgia (866-938-3738), Health Force of Georgia, or Passion to Care.
  5. 5. The caregiver completes a background check and short training; the agency then pays the stipend weekly by direct deposit (generally federal-tax-free for live-in caregivers under IRC 131).

Where to start: Aging & Disability Resource Connection (ADRC), Georgia Division of Aging Services — 1-866-552-4464 (aging.georgia.gov/programs-and-services/adrc)

Do it yourself vs. get help

Free, accredited help first, always: your Area Agency on Aging (eldercare.acl.gov) walks families through these applications at no charge, and your county Veterans Service Officer files VA claims free. Where Resbit fits: if you're working a job and don't have hours for hold music, Resbit finds what your family qualifies for, fills out the paperwork down to the signature line, and does the chasing — flat $49/month, and the screener that starts it is free.

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Sources & dates checked: Program rules and payment rates change. Everything here is educational — real eligibility is decided by the agencies, based on your family's details.