Getting Started

How to Become a Paid Family Caregiver in Michigan

If you're already helping a loved one with daily care, "becoming" a paid caregiver isn't about starting something new — it's about getting recognized and paid for what you're already doing. Here's what it actually takes to qualify in Michigan.

By Kinwell · 2 min read · Last updated: July 29, 2026

Key Takeaways

You generally need to be 18+, and a relative, friend, or neighbor of the person receiving care — spouses and parents of minor children are ineligible.
Every caregiver goes through a standard background check via CHAMPS — most people pass without issue, though certain serious or recent convictions can affect eligibility.
The person you care for needs Michigan Medicaid and hands-on help with at least one daily activity — confirmed through an in-home assessment, not self-reported.
Kinwell's process has five steps, and most caregivers start receiving pay within 1–2 months.

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Who qualifies as a caregiver

You generally need to:

Be at least 18 years old
Be a relative, friend, or neighbor of the person receiving care

Per MDHHS, a spouse or a parent caring for their own minor child cannot be paid under this program.

Background and criminal history screening

Per MDHHS, every caregiver is screened through CHAMPS before providing paid services.¹ Health care fraud, patient abuse or neglect, and controlled-substance felonies are permanent federal exclusions, no exceptions. Beyond those, a felony within 10 years or misdemeanor within 5 — violent crimes, weapons offenses, financial crimes like embezzlement — also disqualifies.

Self-directed recipients can sign a waiver to keep a caregiver despite one of those convictions — agency caregivers, including Kinwell's, don't have that option. Screening also continues after enrollment, not just at the start.

Who you can be paid to care for

The person receiving care generally needs to:

Be eligible for Michigan Medicaid
Require physical assistance with at least one activity of daily living, confirmed through an in-home assessment

Minor children aren't excluded either, though the bar is stricter. See what qualifies →

What kind of care qualifies

Per MDHHS, these activities of daily living (ADLs) count:

Eating or feeding
Bathing
Dressing
Grooming
Moving throughout the home
Transferring from one position to another
Using the toilet

More clinical-sounding tasks — wound care, catheter care, and similar needs — can also count as complex care, but only once a physician documents the need and the caregiver is specifically trained. See the full breakdown →

How to Apply

Kinwell's process has five steps:

Check your eligibility (about 2 minutes)
Your loved one signs the application paperwork online
A clinician reviews the application and confirms medical necessity
An in-home assessment reviews the actual care needs and sets the approved hours
Once approved, Kinwell starts you on pay — most caregivers begin receiving it within 1–2 months

Check your eligibility →

References

Cited in this article

1
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). ASM 135 — Home Help Individual Provider Requirements. mdhhs-pres-prod.michigan.gov. Retrieved July 28, 2026, from https://mdhhs-pres-prod.michigan.gov/olmweb/ex/AS/Public/ASM/135.pdf