Georgia Medicaid caregiver pay
Last checked: May 18, 2026
Quick answer: Georgia has a Medicaid self-directed route called Consumer-Directed Personal Support Services under the Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program, also called EDWP. EDWP includes CCSP and SOURCE. It may let the person getting care hire and supervise a worker of choice, but not every family member can be paid. Georgia also lists Structured Family Caregiver as an EDWP service for some waiver members who have a live-in family caregiver.
The fastest first call is usually Georgia’s Aging and Disability Resource Connection or your local Area Agency on Aging. Ask for an EDWP assessment, then ask the care coordinator about Consumer-Directed Personal Support Services and Structured Family Caregiver.
Important: Rules can change. Counties, Area Agencies on Aging, SOURCE sites, care coordinators, waiver contractors, payroll agencies, and provider agencies may use different names. Always confirm the current rule with an official Georgia source before you plan on family caregiver pay.
Start here
- Call Georgia ADRC or your Area Agency on Aging. Ask for an EDWP screening for CCSP or SOURCE. The statewide Georgia Aging and Disability Resource Connection number listed by Georgia is 1-866-552-4464.
- Use the right words. Say: “I want to ask about EDWP, CCSP or SOURCE, Consumer-Directed Personal Support Services, and Structured Family Caregiver.”
- Gather papers before the call. Have Medicaid cards, Medicare cards, income papers, bank statements, doctor information, medicine list, proof of address, and notes about daily care needs.
For more help with the first call, see phone scripts for caregivers and caregiver checklists.
Quick answer
Yes, Georgia has Medicaid paths that may involve a family caregiver. The main older-adult and disability waiver is the Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program, or EDWP. EDWP includes CCSP and SOURCE.
The self-directed service name to ask about is Consumer-Directed Personal Support Services, often shortened to CD-PSS. Georgia’s public EDWP fact sheet says the consumer hires and supervises worker or workers of choice and must choose a Financial Management Services provider to issue paychecks and handle tax rules.
Georgia also lists Structured Family Caregiver as an EDWP service. This is different from CD-PSS. It is for some waiver members whose family caregiver lives in the home and works with a provider’s health coach.
Do not assume a spouse, legal guardian, or every relative can be paid. Ask the care coordinator and payroll agency to confirm the current rule for your exact case in writing.
Main Georgia programs and routes
| Program or route | Who it may help | Where to start |
|---|---|---|
| EDWP Consumer-Directed Personal Support Services | People in EDWP who need personal support at home and can act as the employer, or have a representative who can do it. | Call Georgia ADRC or your Area Agency on Aging. Ask for EDWP, CCSP or SOURCE, and CD-PSS. |
| EDWP Structured Family Caregiver | Some EDWP members who have a family caregiver living in the home and need support, education, and oversight through an SFC provider. | Ask the EDWP care coordinator if SFC is open in your area and whether your household meets the current rules. |
| Traditional EDWP agency care through CCSP or SOURCE | People who need home and community care but do not want to be the employer of a worker. | Start with Georgia ADRC, your Area Agency on Aging, or a SOURCE site if the person already has full Medicaid. |
| Independent Care Waiver Program | Some adults ages 21 through 64 with severe physical disabilities or traumatic brain injury who meet the program’s level-of-care rules. | Contact the ICWP entry point listed by Georgia Medicaid. Ask whether consumer direction is available for the person’s case. |
| NOW and COMP waivers | People with intellectual or developmental disabilities. | Start with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities regional office. |
If you are not sure which route fits, start with the Area Agency on Aging for an older adult or a person with a physical disability. If the person has an intellectual or developmental disability, ask DBHDD about NOW or COMP.
What self-directed care means
Self-directed care means the person getting care has more control over who provides some services and how the worker is scheduled. In Georgia’s EDWP self-directed route, the service to ask about is Consumer-Directed Personal Support Services.
Personal support can include help with daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, meals, hygiene, light housekeeping, needed errands, and in-home respite when the care plan allows it.
Self-direction does not mean Medicaid gives the family cash to spend any way they want. The care plan, service hours, budget, worker rules, training, timesheets, and payment process still have to follow Georgia Medicaid rules.
The person getting care, or an approved representative, usually has employer duties. This can include choosing the worker, training the worker on the person’s care, setting a schedule, signing timesheets, keeping records, and telling the care coordinator when something changes.
If you want a broad plain-English guide to waiver basics, read Medicaid HCBS waivers explained.
Program name in Georgia
The main Georgia Medicaid waiver name for many older adults and adults with physical care needs is the Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program, or EDWP.
Georgia’s EDWP fact sheet says SOURCE and CCSP are part of EDWP. These programs help eligible people stay in their homes or communities instead of moving to a nursing facility.
The self-directed name to ask for is:
- Consumer-Directed Personal Support Services
- CD-PSS
- Consumer-directed option for personal support
The family-caregiver service name to ask about is:
- Structured Family Caregiver
- SFC
These names matter. If you call and say only, “Can I get paid as a caregiver?” you may get a quick no. Try the program names above.
You can also use Can I get paid to be a caregiver? and the paid caregiver quiz to sort the next step.
Who controls the care plan or budget?
Georgia’s EDWP process still runs through assessment and care coordination. The care coordinator and the member or representative work together to decide which services are needed.
For CD-PSS, the member or approved representative takes on employer duties for the worker. The care coordinator helps with the care plan and training steps. The Financial Management Services provider handles payroll tasks.
The member or representative does not get to add hours on their own. They must stay within the approved care plan and budget. If the worker provides care outside the approved plan, the worker may not be paid.
Who can be hired?
Georgia’s EDWP fact sheet says Consumer-Directed Personal Support Services lets the consumer hire and supervise worker or workers of choice. That can make it possible for some relatives or trusted helpers to be considered.
But the worker must be approved before work starts. The worker should expect employment papers, identity and work authorization checks, background checks, training, and timesheets.
Ask these questions before you count on payment:
- Can this exact family member be hired under CD-PSS?
- Can a live-in relative be paid under this route?
- Is Structured Family Caregiver a better fit?
- Can the same person be both representative and paid worker?
- Can a legal guardian be paid?
- Are there limits on hours for a family worker?
- What background checks are required?
- What training must be finished before the first shift?
Get the answer from the care coordinator and the Financial Management Services provider. Ask them to point to the current Georgia Medicaid rule or provider manual section.
Spouse and adult child rules
This is the part that families need to check very carefully.
Spouses: Do not assume a spouse can be paid through Georgia Medicaid self-direction. Georgia’s public EDWP fact sheet confirms CD-PSS and SFC exist, but it does not clearly list every spouse rule in the public fact sheet. Older Georgia Medicaid consumer direction training materials say a spouse or parent may not be paid under the Consumer Directed Care option. Ask the EDWP care coordinator and payroll agency for the current spouse rule before you plan around spouse pay.
Adult children: An adult child may have more room to qualify than a spouse, but approval is not automatic. The adult child may need to meet worker rules, pass checks, complete training, avoid conflicts of interest, and stay within the care plan.
Legal guardians and representatives: Be careful if the family member is also a legal guardian, power of attorney, or employer representative. Many self-directed programs do not let the same person approve care and get paid for that care. Ask if the person can be both representative and worker. Get the answer in writing.
Parents of minor children: EDWP is generally for adults age 21 and older. If you are caring for a child, ask about a child-specific Medicaid program instead of EDWP.
Live-in family caregivers: Structured Family Caregiver is the Georgia EDWP service that clearly mentions a family caregiver who lives in the home with the waiver member. The public fact sheet says the live-in family member works with an SFC provider’s health coach. Ask whether your county or care coordination agency has SFC providers and what relationship rules apply.
If Medicaid income or asset rules are blocking approval, read Medicaid spend-down and Medicaid look-back period. Then talk with a qualified elder law attorney before moving money or signing a trust.
Payroll and timesheets
Self-directed care has payroll rules. Georgia’s EDWP fact sheet says CD-PSS clients must choose a Financial Management Services provider. This is often called an FMS provider, payroll agency, or fiscal intermediary.
The FMS provider does not make every care decision. Its job is usually to help with payroll, tax withholding, paychecks, and payment records. The worker still must be approved and the hours still must fit the care plan.
Before a worker can be paid, expect forms such as:
- worker information form
- Form W-4 for tax withholding
- Form I-9 for work authorization
- background check release
- record check release
- Adult Protective Services consent or screening forms when required
- direct deposit form, if offered
- service agreement or employment agreement
Georgia’s EDWP CD-PSS skills checklist also points to training on risks and duties, provider choice, individual rights, budget calculation, job descriptions, hiring workers, CPR, first aid, basic care skills, confidentiality, environmental safety, fire safety, backup staffing, incident reporting, and returning to traditional services.
Timesheets matter. A worker may not be paid if forms are missing, training is not done, the shift was not approved, the timesheet is late, or the hours go over the care plan.
For tax questions about being paid as a caregiver, see caregiver tax deductions. For a rough view of care costs, use the care cost calculator.
How to switch from agency care
If your loved one already gets agency aide services through CCSP or SOURCE, do not stop the agency on your own. Call the care coordinator first.
Ask for a meeting about CD-PSS. The care coordinator should explain whether the person can direct care, whether a representative is needed, what training is required, which FMS providers are available, and when the change can start.
Ask these questions:
- Can we switch from agency Personal Support Services to CD-PSS?
- Can we keep agency backup care?
- When is the earliest start date?
- Do we need to give written notice to the agency?
- Will there be a gap in care?
- Can the current aide be hired through CD-PSS?
- What happens if the worker fails the background check?
Some families do better with agency care. Some do better with self-direction. The right answer depends on the worker, backup plan, care needs, and paperwork burden.
If the main issue is caregiver relief, also ask about respite care for caregivers.
Phone script for Georgia caregivers
Use this when you call Georgia ADRC, the Area Agency on Aging, SOURCE site, or the EDWP care coordinator.
Hello. I am calling about Medicaid home care in Georgia. My family member needs help at home with daily care. I want to ask about the Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program, CCSP or SOURCE, Consumer-Directed Personal Support Services, and Structured Family Caregiver. Can you screen us or tell me who does the EDWP assessment for our county?
If the person is already on EDWP, use this:
My family member already receives EDWP services. We want to ask if CD-PSS or Structured Family Caregiver is available. Can the care coordinator explain the current family caregiver rules, spouse rules, live-in rules, payroll steps, and worker approval process?
Documents to gather
Have these ready before the screening or care plan meeting:
- Medicaid card, if the person already has Medicaid
- Medicare card and other insurance cards
- Social Security award letter or income proof
- bank statements and other asset papers
- proof of Georgia address
- photo ID
- doctor names and clinic phone numbers
- medicine list
- hospital, rehab, home health, or nursing home papers
- notes on bathing, dressing, toileting, meals, walking, transfers, memory, behavior, and safety
- power of attorney, guardianship papers, or representative papers, if any
- current aide schedule, if already receiving home care
- name and contact information for the family member who wants to be considered as a paid worker
If the person is not yet on Medicaid, apply or check the case through Georgia Gateway or your county DFCS office. Georgia Medicaid says Georgia Gateway can be used to apply for and manage benefits.
Common problems
The worker starts before approval
Do not start paid work until the care coordinator and payroll agency say the worker is approved. Medicaid may not pay for work done before the start date.
The family member is not allowed to be paid
A relative may be blocked because of spouse rules, legal responsibility rules, guardianship, conflict rules, background check results, training, or the care plan. Ask whether another family member or agency worker can be used.
The timesheet is late or wrong
Late, missing, or incorrect timesheets can delay pay. Keep copies of all timesheets and note the date submitted.
The care plan does not include enough hours
Ask for a reassessment if the person’s needs changed. Give examples: falls, hospital stays, new diagnosis, more help with toileting, more night care, or unsafe time alone.
The person is in the hospital or nursing facility
Self-directed home care hours usually cannot be billed while the person is admitted to a hospital or nursing facility. Tell the care coordinator when the person is admitted and discharged.
There is no backup worker
Self-direction often requires a backup plan. If the worker gets sick or quits, the family needs a safe plan. Ask if agency backup care can stay in place.
Who to call first in Georgia
For EDWP, CCSP, SOURCE, CD-PSS, or SFC: Start with Georgia Aging and Disability Resource Connection or your local Area Agency on Aging. Georgia lists ADRC information specialists at 1-866-552-4464.
For a Medicaid application or renewal: Use Georgia Gateway or contact DFCS. Ask about Aged, Blind, and Disabled Medicaid if the person is age 65 or older, blind, disabled, or needs nursing facility level care.
For a person with an intellectual or developmental disability: Ask DBHDD about NOW or COMP waiver services.
For ICWP: Use the entry point listed on Georgia Medicaid’s waiver page. ICWP is not the main older-adult route.
FAQ
Can I get paid to care for my mother in Georgia?
Maybe. If your mother is eligible for EDWP and needs approved personal support, ask about Consumer-Directed Personal Support Services and Structured Family Caregiver. You must be approved before payment can start.
Can a spouse be paid as a caregiver in Georgia Medicaid?
Do not assume yes. Georgia’s public EDWP fact sheet does not clearly list every spouse rule. Ask the EDWP care coordinator and payroll agency for the current spouse rule in writing.
Can an adult child be paid?
An adult child may be possible in some cases, but it is not automatic. The adult child must meet the worker rules and the care plan must allow the service.
What is the difference between CD-PSS and Structured Family Caregiver?
CD-PSS is the consumer-directed personal support route. The person getting care or representative hires and supervises the worker. Structured Family Caregiver is an EDWP service for some waiver members whose family caregiver lives in the home and works with an SFC provider’s health coach.
Will Medicaid pay me directly?
Usually no. In CD-PSS, a Financial Management Services provider handles payroll and paychecks after approval, forms, training, and timesheets are complete.
Can we hire a friend instead of a relative?
Possibly. Ask the care coordinator. The worker still needs approval, checks, training, and timesheets.
Can we keep agency care and also use a paid family caregiver?
Ask the care coordinator. Some services may not overlap. The care plan and budget decide what can be paid.
What if my loved one is not on Medicaid yet?
Start the Medicaid application through Georgia Gateway or DFCS. At the same time, ask the Area Agency on Aging about EDWP screening and waitlist steps.
Resumen en espanol
Georgia tiene una opcion de Medicaid llamada Consumer-Directed Personal Support Services dentro de EDWP. Puede permitir que la persona que recibe cuidado escoja y supervise a un trabajador, pero no todos los familiares pueden recibir pago.
Llame a Georgia ADRC o a su Area Agency on Aging y pida una evaluacion para EDWP, CCSP o SOURCE. Pregunte tambien por Structured Family Caregiver si el familiar cuidador vive en la misma casa.
Official sources used
- Georgia Medicaid: Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program fact sheet, updated 2025
- Georgia Medicaid: Waiver Programs
- Georgia Department of Community Health: Home and Community Based Services
- Georgia Department of Human Services Division of Aging Services: Caregiving
- Georgia.gov: Georgia Gateway
- Georgia Medicaid: How to Apply
- Georgia Medicaid/GAMMIS: EDWP CD-PSS Skills Inventory/Training Checklist
- Medicaid.gov: Self-Directed Services
- Medicaid.gov: Understanding Medicaid Fair Hearings
About this guide
This guide was written for family caregivers who need clear next steps for Georgia Medicaid home care and family caregiver pay. It focuses on official program names, first calls, worker rules, payroll steps, and what to ask before applying or switching services.
Disclaimer
This is general information, not legal, tax, medical, or financial advice. For legal or tax questions, talk with a qualified professional in your state. Rules can change, and official Georgia sources should confirm the current rule for your case.
