In-Home Respite and Care for Autism in Michigan: Who Pays

In-home respite care for autism in Michigan is most often paid for by Medicaid through your county Community Mental Health (CMH) agency. Autistic children and adults may also qualify for paid help with daily tasks through the Home Help program. We are not an ABA provider. We help families apply for in-home care and match caregivers who fit the person’s routines.

On this page

1. What does in-home care for an autistic child or adult look like?
2. Does Michigan Medicaid cover autism services at home?
3. Can I get paid to take care of my autistic child in Michigan?
4. How Supportive Solutions matches caregivers for autistic children and adults
5. When does an autistic person need more than home care?
6. Frequently asked questions

What does in-home care for an autistic child or adult look like?

Good autism care at home is built around predictability, because a change in order, timing or even the brand of soap can turn a simple task into a hard one. A caregiver might:

• Follow a visual schedule or first-then board through morning and bedtime routines.
• Help with bathing, hair washing and tooth brushing in a sensory-aware way, adjusting water temperature, lighting or noise.
• Support mealtimes and toileting steps the person cannot yet do alone.
• Prepare for transitions, like getting on the school bus.
• Stay alert to wandering or bolting and keep doors and outings safe.
• Go along to the park or store, and give parents and siblings a break.

If a clinician has written a behavior plan, a caregiver can follow the parts shared with them, such as agreed calming strategies. Therapy itself stays with the clinical team.

Does Michigan Medicaid cover autism services at home?

Yes, through several separate routes.

Route	What it covers	Age	Who arranges it
Medicaid autism benefit	Autism evaluation and ABA therapy (behavioral health treatment)	Under 21	County CMH and its ABA providers
CMH supports	Respite, community living supports, family training	Children and adults who meet CMH criteria	County CMH
Home Help	Hands-on help with daily activities	Any age	MDHHS county office
Supportive Solutions	Help applying, assessment prep, caregiver enrollment or matching	Any age with Medicaid	Us, alongside the programs above

The Medicaid autism benefit (ABA)

Michigan Medicaid covers applied behavior analysis for children and young adults under 21 who have an autism diagnosis and meet medical necessity criteria. Coverage ends the day before the 21st birthday. Start with an intake at your county CMH, which arranges an evaluation and, if approved, a contracted ABA provider.

We are not an ABA provider. For ABA, call your CMH access line; the Autism Alliance of Michigan can also help families navigate. We help with the daily care and respite side.

CMH respite and community living supports

Autistic children and adults who meet CMH eligibility can get respite, so the family has planned time off, and community living supports, where a worker helps the person with daily skills and community activities. With self-determination, the family can choose the staff. Some autistic people with intellectual disability also qualify for the Habilitation Supports Waiver or the Children’s Waiver Program, explained on our special needs and developmental disabilities page. See also who pays for respite care in Michigan.

Home Help for autistic adults and children

Home Help is based on what the person cannot do safely alone, not on the diagnosis. The person needs full Medicaid, a medical needs form (DHS-54A) completed by a doctor, PA or NP, and an in-home assessment by an MDHHS adult services worker.

One detail matters a lot for autistic people. Reminders or verbal prompting on their own are ranked below the level Home Help pays for. To qualify, the assessment has to find a need for at least some hands-on help with at least one daily activity. Many autistic adults do, for example with rinsing hair, shaving, wiping after toileting or cutting food. Describe a typical day in detail. See our guides to the assessment visit and the Home Help program.

Can I get paid to take care of my autistic child in Michigan?

Under 18: Michigan treats a parent of an unmarried minor as a responsible relative. That parent cannot be paid as the Home Help caregiver, and CMH generally does not pay parents of minors for community living supports either. A grandparent, adult sibling or family friend can be paid instead.

18 and older: you can be the paid Home Help caregiver for your autistic adult son or daughter if they have Medicaid and qualify for Home Help. You would enroll as a provider in CHAMPS, record visits through EVV and be paid for the hours MDHHS authorizes. Through CMH, paying a relative may be possible under self-determination, though CMH generally will not pay a legal guardian for community living supports. See get paid to care and how to apply for Medicaid.

How Supportive Solutions matches caregivers for autistic children and adults

Whether you want to be the paid caregiver or need someone from outside the family, we handle the process: an eligibility check, help applying for Medicaid, preparing for the Home Help assessment, CHAMPS enrollment, EVV setup and paying the caregiver. Caregiver pay typically starts about 30 days after approval. We stay involved for reassessments and appeals.

When you need a caregiver from outside the family, fit matters as much as availability. Tell us about these when we talk:

• Consistency: a steady caregiver and predictable schedule, since frequent new faces are hard on most autistic people.
• Routines: the order of the day, the visual supports your family uses and the words that work, so the caregiver can follow them from the start.
• Sensory needs: what helps and what overwhelms, from touch and noise to smells and clothing.
• Language: the languages used at home. Our team speaks English, Arabic and Spanish.
• Training: we only place background-verified, MDHHS/CHAMPS-enrolled caregivers whose training and certifications match the person’s needs.

New inquiries are answered within 24 hours, and our dedicated team of associates is available every day from 8 AM to 8 PM. We serve all of Michigan. See how it works, or read about respite care and companionship care.

When does an autistic person need more than home care?

A caregiver provides non-medical daily support. Get more help when:

• Behavior is getting less safe: for self-injury, aggression or frequent bolting, ask CMH about behavioral assessment and crisis services.
• Medical needs grow: seizure care, a feeding tube or other skilled tasks belong with nurses through Medicaid or home health.
• Mental health concerns appear: CMH or the person’s doctor can arrange treatment for anxiety or depression.
• The family can no longer provide care at home: CMH can talk through supported living or residential options.

Keep in mind that Medicare does not cover long-term personal care at home. See home care vs home health care.

Frequently asked questions

Is there in-home respite care for autism in Michigan?

Yes. Medicaid pays for respite for many autistic children and adults through county Community Mental Health, as part of a person-centered plan. Respite can take place at home, so a worker stays with your family member while you rest or work. Call your CMH access line to request an intake and ask about respite.

Does Supportive Solutions provide ABA therapy?

No. We are not an ABA provider. ABA for Medicaid members under 21 is arranged through your county CMH and delivered by its contracted ABA providers. We focus on non-medical daily care: helping families apply for Home Help and other programs, enrolling family caregivers, and matching trained caregivers for personal care and respite. Many families use ABA and in-home care side by side.

Can I get paid to take care of my autistic child?

If your child is 18 or older, has Medicaid and qualifies for Home Help, yes, you can be the paid caregiver after enrolling in CHAMPS. For a child under 18, a parent cannot be the paid Home Help provider, and CMH community living supports generally exclude parents of minors too. A grandparent, adult sibling or family friend can be paid instead.

Does an autistic adult qualify for Home Help if they only need reminders?

Usually not on reminders alone. Home Help pays when the assessment finds a need for hands-on help with at least one daily activity, and verbal prompting by itself is ranked below that level. Many autistic adults do need some hands-on help, for example with hair washing, shaving, toileting hygiene or cutting food. Describe those tasks specifically at the assessment and on the medical needs form.

Does Medicaid cover autism services after age 21?

The Medicaid autism benefit for ABA ends the day before the 21st birthday. After that, autistic adults can still get CMH services such as community living supports and respite if they meet CMH criteria, and Home Help if they need hands-on help with daily activities. Plan for the change well ahead.

How do you choose a caregiver for an autistic child?

We start with the person, not just the schedule. We ask about routines, communication, sensory sensitivities, the languages spoken at home and what a hard moment looks like. We only place background-verified, CHAMPS-enrolled caregivers whose training matches the person’s needs. You can also choose your own caregiver, such as a relative, and we handle the enrollment.