In Home Support Services Colorado
Empowering Families to Provide Personalized Home Care
Colorado offers a unique home-based care program called In-Home Support Services (IHSS) under Health First Colorado (Medicaid). This program is particularly designed to enable family members, including parents and spouses, to become integral caregivers for their loved ones, ensuring they receive the most comfortable and familiar care at home.
We Pay IHSS Family Caregivers the highest rates:
Homemaker
Starting at $17hr
Personal Care
Starting at $17hr
Health Maintenance
Starting at $21/hr
Eligibility and Focus
This program is integrated into various Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) waivers, including:
EBD Waiver services
This waiver helps people who are 65 or older with a functional impairment, or 18-64 with a physical disability or HIV/AIDS. It provides extra health benefits to stay in your home or community. Services include homemaker, personal care, health maintenance (skilled care with no license required) and more. Family members (including parents and spouses) are allowed to be hired and paid to be care providers.
CHCBS Waiver services
This waiver is for children with significant medical needs at risk for institutional care. It provides additional benefits on top of regular Health First Colorado services. It's for children under 18, and services include health maintenance (skilled care with no license required) and more. Family members (including parents) are allowed to be hired and paid to be care providers.
CIH Waiver services
For adults over 18 living with conditions like spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, brain injury, etc., and who can't walk independently. It offers services like life skills training, homemaker, personal care, health maintenance (skilled care with no license required) and more. Family members can be hired and paid for some services, although parents of minor children and spouses are restricted.
Eligibility is for Health First Colorado members who need care services and prefer to have their family involved in their care management.
Become a Family Caregiver
Do you want to be paid to take care of your family member? Get in touch with us today to learn more!
Why Choose Us?
First-class Service
Getting the right care shouldn't be a difficult process. Our friendly intake coordinators are available 24/7 by phone, text, or email to guide and support you. We will match you with services that meet your individual care requirements.
Experience & Trust
We care about people. As Colorado's premier home care provider, you can trust us to provide you with loving and experienced caregivers. All of our caregivers go through rigorous background checks and are fully trained to provide care you need.
Empowered Staff
Happy caregivers mean better care, so we create an environment that supports our team. Community Trust: As a local Colorado-based agency, we're dedicated to earning the trust of our community with every visit.
IHSS: A Family-Driven Approach
Family Members as Caregivers:
IHSS allows family members, including parents and spouses, to take on the role of personal caregivers. What is really unique is it allows family members to provide skilled care (called Health Maintenance) without a nursing license. This means that the care and support comes from the patient’s most trusted and loving caregivers.
Tailored Care by Loved Ones:
Whether it's personal care, homemaking, or health maintenance services, family members can be trained and empowered to provide these services, fostering a nurturing and comfortable environment. (CHCBS is a children’s waiver and only allows Health Maintenance)
Services Tailored for Families
Homemaking by Loved Ones
Family members assist with household tasks, maintaining a healthy and loving home environment.
Health Maintenance from Home
Family members can perform health-related skilled activities, with flexibility in training and qualifications to accommodate family caregivers. NO CNA, LPN, or RN LICENSE REQUIRED
Personal Care by Family
Assistance with daily activities provided by a family member, enhancing comfort and familiarity.
Take Care of Your Family With Our Services
We are eager and devoted to providing Colorado families with high-quality care and first-class service.
IHSS Service Examples
Light Housekeeping
Meal Preparation
Ambulation
Hygiene
Feeding
Dressing
Transferring and Positioning
Recovery from Surgery
Skincare
Respiratory Care
Bathing
Grooming
Medication Reminders and Administration
Partnering with IHSS
Collaborative Planning with Case Managers
Families work together with case managers at their local SEP (Single Entry Point agency) to enroll in a waiver that suits their unique family dynamics.
Support from IHSS Agencies
While family members provide the care, IHSS agencies like us are there for support, offering training, backup services, and necessary oversight.
Empowering Independence and Family Bonds
The program not only supports the independence of the member but also strengthens family bonds through shared responsibility and care.
Is IHSS Better Than Parent CNA For Many Colorado Families?
IHSS
- No license required (The Nurse Practice Act is waived, allowing unlicensed caregivers to perform care only a CNA or RN would typically be allowed to do. An RN validates your skills to ensure they are being performed safely and correctly.)
- Caregivers are paid for Health Maintenance care, which in many cases is beyond what a CNA license allows.
- Under the EBD & SCI waivers, family members can be paid for Personal Care tasks. (CHCBS allows only Health Maintenance)
- Does not require a nurse in your home every 60 days.
- Your local Case Management agency enrolls you in IHSS
- We pay IHSS caregivers better than other agencies pay Parent CNAs.
Parent CNA
- CNA license required (You must complete a school program with 75 hours of training including 16 hours of in-person labs and 16 hours of in-person clinical instruction. Then you must take a state written exam and a skills exam. If you fail you pay for each attempt.)
- Only pays for CNA level tasks (unless you are an RN)
- Does not pay family members to do Personal Care tasks.
- Requires a nurse to come into your home every 60 days for a recertification assessment.
- Your home health agency enrolls you in Parent CNA (over 20 years old go through the Case Management Agency.)
Have Questions?
Medicaid covers services for many Colorado families with no out-of-pocket costs. If you don’t qualify, we have very competitive private pay rates. Call (719) 619-3600 to speak to one of our intake coordinators.
Contact one of our intake coordinators to guide you through the process and answer any questions you may have (719) 619-3600.
No, Colorado has the IHSS program in place, which allows family caregivers to be paid for providing services normally only a CNA or nurse would be allowed to perform. The CHCBS waiver is a wonderful alternative to programs like the Parent CNA program which require you to enroll in a school and get licensed.
Contact your local case management agency to get enrolled in the applicable waiver.
Have your case manager send us your referral.
We hire you so you can begin getting paid to provide service.
We believe our purpose is to help improve the lives of families who need it the most. That means making sure you get the best pay possible. Many years of experience have taught us how to develop very efficient processes that ensure we can pay better than other agencies.