Michigan Home Help Application: Forms, Phone Numbers and Offices
The MDHHS Home Help application starts with a phone call to the Adult Services unit at your county MDHHS office, not with a form you download. If your loved one has Medicaid, ask for a Home Help assessment; if not, apply through MI Bridges first. The only paper form most families handle is the doctor’s Medical Needs form.
On this page
Key takeaways
- There is no online Home Help application. You request an assessment through your county MDHHS office.
- Medicaid must be active first, and that application is done on MI Bridges.
- The doctor completes the Medical Needs form; the caregiver enrolls online through CHAMPS.
- Each of Michigan’s 83 counties has its own MDHHS office and phone number, listed in the state’s online directory.
- Knowing what to say on the first call keeps the request from being misrouted.
Where do you start the MDHHS Home Help application?
Home Help is administered by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services through its county offices. The program has no public online application. Instead, an Adult Services Worker opens a case after you call, then visits the home to assess need. Our Medicaid home care page explains the program itself; this post is about the paperwork and the people you will talk to.
Before you call, confirm two things. First, does your loved one have active Michigan Medicaid? If not, that comes first. Second, do they need hands-on help with at least one daily activity such as bathing, dressing, eating, toileting or moving around? If both are true, you are ready.
How to apply for Home Help in Michigan, step by step
- Check Medicaid eligibility. Use our Medicaid eligibility check to see whether income, assets and age or disability fit a category.
- Apply for Medicaid on MI Bridges. Create an account, complete the health coverage application and upload proof of income and identity. Our MI Bridges walkthrough covers every screen.
- Call your county MDHHS office. Ask for Adult Services and say you want to request a Home Help assessment for an adult who needs help with daily activities.
- Get the Medical Needs form signed. The worker provides the form, MSA-1904. A physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner completes it to confirm the need.
- Complete the in-home assessment. The worker visits, scores each daily task and sets monthly hours. Read what happens at the assessment visit to prepare.
- Enroll the caregiver in CHAMPS. The person who will provide care creates a MiLogin account, completes provider enrollment and passes a background check. Our CHAMPS enrollment guide walks through it.
- Start care and log visits. Once the service plan is approved and the provider is linked, visits are recorded through electronic visit verification and paid by MDHHS.
Which forms are involved?
Families searching for a “DHS Home Help application” usually expect a single packet. In practice the paperwork is split among three people.
| Form or step | Who completes it | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
| Medicaid application | The care recipient or a helper | MI Bridges online, or a paper application from the county office |
| Medical Needs form (MSA-1904) | The doctor, PA or nurse practitioner | Returned to the Adult Services Worker |
| Comprehensive assessment | The Adult Services Worker, during the home visit | Kept in the MDHHS case file |
| Individual provider enrollment | The caregiver | Online through CHAMPS with a MiLogin account |
| Provider agreement and background check consent | The caregiver | Given to the worker or completed in CHAMPS |
Do not pay anyone for a Home Help application form. MDHHS provides everything at no cost, and the caregiver enrollment is done online.
How do you find your county MDHHS office?
Every Michigan county has at least one MDHHS office, and large counties such as Wayne have several. The MDHHS website has a county office directory with each location’s address and phone number. Search for “county offices” on the site, choose your county, and look for the Adult Services or Home Help contact. Here is which county handles each city we serve.
| City | County office to call |
|---|---|
| Detroit | Wayne County MDHHS (several district offices) |
| Dearborn | Wayne County MDHHS |
| Warren | Macomb County MDHHS |
| Sterling Heights | Macomb County MDHHS |
| Ann Arbor | Washtenaw County MDHHS |
| Flint | Genesee County MDHHS |
| Lansing | Ingham County MDHHS |
| Grand Rapids | Kent County MDHHS |
If you cannot reach the local office, the Michigan Medicaid Beneficiary Help Line at 1-800-642-3195 can confirm Medicaid status and point you to the right county contact. Our home care service area pages list local details for each city.
What should you say when you call?
County phone lines are busy and the first person you reach may handle food assistance or child services. A clear script helps.
- “I am calling to request a Home Help assessment for my mother, who has Medicaid and needs hands-on help with bathing and dressing.”
- Give the care recipient’s full name, date of birth and Medicaid ID number.
- Say whether a family member plans to be the paid provider, and give that person’s name.
- Ask for the name and direct number of the Adult Services Worker assigned to the case.
- Ask how the Medical Needs form will be sent to you and where to return it.
- Write down the date of the call and the name of the person you spoke with.
If the care recipient cannot speak for themselves, a family member, guardian or authorized representative can make the call. Supportive Solutions Homecare makes these calls with families every week and can join by phone in English, Arabic or Spanish.
How long does the Home Help application take?
The timeline has three parts, and each depends on how quickly paperwork moves.
- Medicaid approval, if not already active, often takes up to 45 days after a complete MI Bridges application, longer if a disability determination is needed.
- Assessment and decision usually follow within a few weeks of the call, once the Medical Needs form is returned.
- Caregiver enrollment in CHAMPS, including the background check, runs alongside and typically takes a few weeks.
The fastest applications are the ones where the doctor’s form and the CHAMPS enrollment are started the same week as the call. If Home Help is denied or the hours are too low, you have appeal rights with short deadlines; see our guide to what to do if Home Help is denied.
About these figures: Pay rates, income and asset limits, costs, office details and timelines on this page are averages or estimates based on publicly available program information. They change over time and depend on your situation, and they are not a guarantee of pay, eligibility or approval. Call us at (313) 977-6888 for current rates and to check your specific case.
Frequently asked questions
How do I apply for the Michigan Home Help program?
Make sure your loved one has active Medicaid, then call the Adult Services unit at your county MDHHS office and request a Home Help assessment. A worker visits the home, the doctor signs a Medical Needs form, and the chosen caregiver enrolls online through CHAMPS. There is no online Home Help application; the county office opens the case for you.
What is the MDHHS Home Help phone number or local office?
There is no single statewide Home Help number. Each county MDHHS office has its own phone number and an Adult Services unit that handles Home Help requests. Find yours in the county office directory on the MDHHS website. The Michigan Medicaid Beneficiary Help Line at 1-800-642-3195 can confirm coverage and direct you to the right office.
How do I apply for Medicaid in Michigan?
Apply online at MI Bridges, the state’s benefits portal, by creating an account and completing the health care coverage application with proof of income, identity and residency. You can also file a paper application at any county MDHHS office. Medicaid must be active before Home Help hours can be approved, so start this step first.
Is there a paper DHS Home Help application?
Not in the way most people expect. Home Help does not use a public application form. The county Adult Services Worker opens the case after your call and completes the assessment during the home visit. The paper form families do handle is the Medical Needs form, which the doctor completes, and the caregiver’s enrollment happens online in CHAMPS.
How long does Home Help approval take?
If Medicaid is already active, families often receive a decision within a few weeks of the assessment visit, once the Medical Needs form is returned. Caregiver pay starts after CHAMPS enrollment and the background check clear, which typically takes a few weeks as well. Starting the doctor’s form and enrollment on the same day as your call shortens the wait.
Let us make the calls with you
Supportive Solutions Homecare helps Michigan families reach the right county office, complete the Medicaid and Home Help steps, and enroll a family member as the paid caregiver. Learn how to become a paid caregiver.
Check your eligibility or call (313) 977-6888.