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Get paid to care for a family member in Illinois

In Illinois, family members, including spouses, can be paid in some state programs, but usually only through a provider agency that hires and supervises them. In the Home Services Program, customers hire personal assistants directly.

Carevo editorial team Updated October 27, 2026 Source checked by Carevo editorial team, October 27, 2026

In Illinois, a family member can be paid to give care through several state programs. The Department on Aging says Community Care Program providers may hire any family member, including a spouse, who meets qualifications, passes a background check and completes 24 hours of pre-service training. The rules differ for each program.

Where family can be paid

The Illinois Department on Aging's In-Home Care page has a section titled "Hiring a Family Member or Friend to be your Caregiver." It says some programs allow family members or friends to be paid to provide in-home care, and lists three.

Community Care Program (Department on Aging), for people 60 and older. Any family member (including a spouse), a Power of Attorney, representative payee, legal guardian, friend or neighbor must meet qualifications, pass a background check, complete 24 hours of pre-service training, and be hired and supervised by an In-Home Services agency before serving as a paid caregiver. The Department says not all In-Home Service agencies employ family members. Find a Care Coordination Unit with the Department's map tool or call the Senior HelpLine at 1-800-252-8966. See the Community Care Program page.

Developmental Disabilities (DHS Division of Developmental Disabilities). Personal Support Workers (PSWs) may be selected, employed and supervised by individual customers, who must use a Financial Management System (FMS) agency to help with employer duties when they hire directly. Through a PSW agency, a family member or friend must meet qualifications, pass background checks, complete approved pre-service training and be hired and supervised by the agency. The Department's page points to Independent Service Coordination agencies.

Home Services Program (DHS Division of Rehabilitation Services), for people under 60 with severe disabilities. Personal Assistants (PAs) are selected, employed and supervised by individual customers. For homemaker services, a family member or friend must meet qualifications, pass a background check, complete pre-service training and be hired and supervised by a provider agency. See the Home Services Program page.

Who qualifies for the underlying program

The person receiving care has to qualify for the program first. For CCP, the Department on Aging lists age 60 or older, Illinois residency, a non-exempt asset limit, an assessed need for long-term care and enrollment in Medicaid if eligible. For the Home Services Program, DHS says it serves people with severe disabilities under age 60. We do not describe DDD eligibility because we did not read those pages.

Hiring a caregiver directly

The Department on Aging says depending on the payor, some caregivers are employed by an agency and assigned to you, and others are hired directly by you. It says if an agency employs the caregiver, the agency is responsible for background checks, training and supervision. If you hire a caregiver directly, check the Illinois Department of Public Health Health Care Worker Registry to confirm the caregiver is eligible to work in home care.

What a family caregiver should ask

  • Is this program paying family members right now, and does the agency hire them?
  • What qualifications and background check does my relative need, and who pays for the 24 hours of training?
  • Who is the employer, and who handles payroll?
  • How many hours are authorized, and what is the pay?

We do not state a pay rate. The pages we read do not give one.

Complaints and abuse reports

The Department on Aging lists complaint contacts by program on its In-Home Care page. It gives the Adult Protective Services hotline, 1-866-800-1409, for reports of abuse, neglect, self-neglect or exploitation of an adult age 18 to 59 with a disability or an older adult age 60 or older living in the community.

Carevo is a connection platform and directory. We do not enroll anyone in a program or advise on eligibility. See the Illinois overview, or home care in Illinois for private-pay options.

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Common questions

Can I be paid to care for my parent in Illinois?

Possibly. If your parent is 60 or older and enrolled in the Community Care Program, an In-Home Service provider may choose to hire you as a home care aide if you meet qualifications, pass a background check, complete 24 hours of pre-service training and agree to be supervised by the provider.

Can a spouse be paid?

Under the Community Care Program, the Department on Aging says any family member, including a spouse, can be hired by an In-Home Service provider that chooses to hire family. Not all providers do.

Do I work for the agency or for the person I care for?

In CCP, for the provider agency, which hires and supervises you. In the Home Services Program, DHS says personal assistants are selected, employed and supervised by individual customers. For Developmental Disabilities PSWs, a customer may hire directly with a Financial Management System agency, or a PSW agency can hire a family member or friend.

Is training required?

Under CCP, 24 hours of pre-service training. Under the DDD PSW agency route, an approved pre-service training. Under HSP homemaker services, pre-service training.

What if the person receiving care is under 60?

The Department of Human Services runs the Home Services Program for adults under 60 with severe disabilities, and the Division of Developmental Disabilities runs programs for people with developmental disabilities.

Do family caregivers need to be listed on the health care worker registry?

The Department on Aging says if you hire a caregiver directly, you should check the Illinois Department of Public Health Health Care Worker Registry to make sure the caregiver is eligible to work in home care. If an agency employs the caregiver, the agency handles background checks, training and supervision.

Sources

Review status: Carevo checked this page against the primary sources listed above. It has not been professionally reviewed by a registered nurse, licensed social worker, benefits counselor or attorney. See our editorial standards.

This page is general information, not financial, legal or medical advice. Rules and services vary by state and by individual circumstances. Use the official sources and decision-maker named on the page. Carevo is a connection platform, not a care provider.