Home Care in Grand Rapids, MI: Home Help and MI Choice Options

Home care in Grand Rapids, MI is paid for by Michigan Medicaid through two programs. Home Help, run by the Kent County MDHHS office, pays a family member or agency caregiver for personal care hours. The MI Choice Waiver, run by the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan, covers more services for people who need nursing-home level of care.

On this page

1. Home care in Grand Rapids, MI: Home Help or MI Choice?
2. How the Home Help program works in Kent County
3. How the MI Choice Waiver works in Grand Rapids
4. Where are the Kent County offices for Home Help and MI Choice?
5. How to apply for Medicaid home care in Grand Rapids
6. Grand Rapids and Kent County communities we serve
7. Frequently asked questions

Home care in Grand Rapids, MI: Home Help or MI Choice?

Both programs can pay a relative to provide care at home. They differ in who qualifies, how long enrollment takes, and what else is covered.

	Home Help program	MI Choice Waiver
Who runs it in Kent County	Kent County MDHHS office, Adult Services	Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan (waiver agent)
Medical requirement	Needs hands-on help with at least one daily activity	Meets nursing-facility level of care
Financial requirement	Active Michigan Medicaid	Medicaid plus waiver income and asset rules
Waiting list	No	Often, depending on regional funding
What is covered	Personal care and some household tasks	Personal care plus respite, adult day services, home modifications, medical equipment, care coordination
Family caregiver paid?	Yes, except spouse or parent of a minor	Yes, through the self-determination option

Rule of thumb: if your loved one needs help with a few daily tasks and has Medicaid, start with Home Help. If they would otherwise move into a nursing facility, ask about MI Choice at the same time. Our MI Choice Waiver guide covers the screening.

How the Home Help program works in Kent County

Home Help is a Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) benefit. An Adult Services worker from the Kent County office visits the home, scores how much help is needed with bathing, dressing, toileting, eating, mobility and household tasks, and authorizes a monthly number of hours.

The care recipient picks the caregiver, often an adult child in Wyoming, Kentwood or Walker, or a relative who has moved into the home. The caregiver enrolls with MDHHS as an individual provider through CHAMPS and is paid for the authorized hours. Through Supportive Solutions, caregivers earn a minimum of $18 per hour.

If no relative is available, we can provide an agency caregiver under the same authorization. Read our Home Help program guide for statewide rules.

How the MI Choice Waiver works in Grand Rapids

MI Choice is Michigan’s home and community-based waiver for people who qualify for nursing-facility care but want to stay home. In Kent County, the waiver agent is the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan, which also serves Allegan, Ionia, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Montcalm, Newaygo and Osceola counties.

After a phone screening, a nurse and social worker visit the home to confirm level of care. A supports coordinator then builds a care plan that can include personal care from a family member, respite hours, home-delivered meals, a ramp or bathroom modification, and an emergency response system.

The trade-off is time: when funding is tight, the region keeps a waiting list, so we usually enroll Grand Rapids families in Home Help first. Details are on our MI Choice Waiver page.

Where are the Kent County offices for Home Help and MI Choice?

• Kent County MDHHS office in Grand Rapids handles Medicaid applications, Home Help assessments and case reviews for the whole county. Confirm the current address and hours through the locator at michigan.gov/mdhhs.
• Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan in Grand Rapids handles MI Choice screening, the waiting list and caregiver support programs.
• MI Bridges is the online portal for Medicaid applications, renewals and document uploads, offered in English, Spanish and Arabic.

Grand Rapids has a large Spanish-speaking community on the southwest side and in Wyoming. Supportive Solutions Homecare handles intake and enrollment in Spanish, as well as Arabic and English.

How to apply for Medicaid home care in Grand Rapids

1. Check eligibility. Use our Medicaid eligibility check to see whether income and assets fit. If Medicaid is not active yet, apply through MI Bridges.
2. Request a Home Help assessment. Call the Kent County MDHHS office, ask for Adult Services, or let us submit the request.
3. Screen for MI Choice at the same time. If your loved one has significant needs, call the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan and ask for a MI Choice intake screening.
4. Enroll the caregiver. The relative who will provide care completes MiLogin, CHAMPS provider enrollment and a background screening. Our CHAMPS enrollment guide walks through it.
5. Start care and log visits. Once hours are authorized, visits are recorded with EVV and payments begin on MDHHS’s regular schedule.

To have us run every step, start at become a paid caregiver.

Grand Rapids and Kent County communities we serve

We serve the City of Grand Rapids, including Heritage Hill, Eastown, Creston, Roosevelt Park and the West Side, plus Wyoming, Kentwood, Walker, Grandville, East Grand Rapids, Comstock Park, Rockford, Byron Center and Ada.

Our Michigan service area also includes Detroit, Dearborn, Warren, Sterling Heights, Ann Arbor, Flint and Lansing. See our home care in Grand Rapids, MI page for services, languages and contact details.

Frequently asked questions

Which is better in Grand Rapids, Home Help or MI Choice?

Neither is better; they fit different needs. Home Help starts faster, has no waiting list and pays a family caregiver for personal care hours. MI Choice requires nursing-facility level of care but adds services like adult day care, home modifications and respite. Many Kent County families start with Home Help and apply for MI Choice as needs grow.

Who handles MI Choice in Kent County?

The Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan is the MI Choice waiver agent for Kent County and surrounding West Michigan counties. It screens applicants for nursing-facility level of care, manages the regional waiting list and assigns a supports coordinator once someone is enrolled. Confirm current coverage on its website or through MDHHS.

Can I get paid to care for my mother in Wyoming or Kentwood?

Yes. Home Help covers all of Kent County, and MI Choice covers the West Michigan region, so Wyoming, Kentwood, Walker, Grandville and East Grand Rapids families use the same offices as Grand Rapids. Supportive Solutions Homecare serves all of these communities.

Do I need a hospital referral from Corewell Health to start home care?

No. A hospital discharge planner can request a Home Help assessment, and it often speeds things up, but any family can request one directly from the Kent County MDHHS office. If your loved one was just discharged, tell the Adult Services worker; recent hospitalization is strong evidence of functional need.

How much does Home Help pay in Grand Rapids?

MDHHS sets one statewide rate for Home Help individual providers. Through Supportive Solutions, caregivers earn a minimum of $18 per hour. Total monthly pay depends on the hours authorized at the assessment, not on the city you live in.