Structured family caregiving in Ohio: what PASSPORT now pays for

Ohio's PASSPORT waiver includes a service called structured family caregiving, added in October 2024. The Ohio Department of Aging says it lets agency providers employ or contract a caregiver who lives with the participant and gives daily care and support based on the participant's daily care needs.

What the service is

The Department of Aging's PASSPORT page lists structured family caregiving among the services available through PASSPORT and describes it as a new waiver service added to the program as of October 2024. The service allows agency providers to employ or contract a caregiver who resides with the individual to provide daily care and support to the individual, based on the individual's daily care needs.

The Department's wording says the caregiver "resides with the individual." It does not say the caregiver must be a relative, although the service name points to family caregivers. Ask your case manager who can be the caregiver under the rule before you plan around a particular person.

ODM's September 2025 PASSPORT fact sheet lists "Structured family caregiving" with Ohio Administrative Code Rule 5160-44-33. ODM's Ohio Home Care Waiver participant handbook, last updated July 2026, also lists Structured Family Caregiving among the waiver's services, so ask about it if you are on that waiver.

How it differs from self-direction

With self-direction, the participant is the employer and an FMS vendor processes pay. Structured family caregiving is different: agency providers employ or contract the caregiver. That means an agency, not the participant, is responsible for the working arrangement. If you want to hire and manage your own caregiver, see self-direction in Ohio. Self-direction is described for the Ohio Home Care Waiver and MyCare in ODM's materials.

Who qualifies for PASSPORT

ODM's fact sheet lists three requirements:

• meet the Medicaid financial criteria, determined by your local county Job and Family Services office;
• meet a nursing facility level of care; and
• be 60 or older.

ODM is the administrative agency for PASSPORT. The Department of Aging is the operating agency, and PASSPORT Administrative Agencies provide case management.

The Department of Aging describes PASSPORT as having two parts. First, a pre-admission screening over the phone, where staff determine if you may qualify for Medicaid and how much care you are likely to need. Second, home care: once you are found eligible, a case manager works with you to develop a package of in-home services from local providers and checks in regularly.

How to request services

ODM says there are several ways to request PASSPORT. Submit form ODM 02399, "Request for Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Waiver," to your county Department of Job and Family Services. You can also visit the Ohio Benefits Self Service Portal or call 1-844-644-6582 to learn more.

Once you are enrolled, ask your case manager whether structured family caregiving can replace or reduce other PASSPORT services in your plan.

What we could not confirm

We did not find on the pages we read:

• who qualifies as the live-in caregiver, including whether a spouse can be the caregiver;
• how the daily payment is set or what share reaches the caregiver;
• how many days a month are authorized.

We therefore state no payment figure. The rule text, Ohio Administrative Code 5160-44-33, was not available to our fetch tools when we wrote this. Read it on the Ohio Laws and Administrative Rules site, or ask your case manager.

Related

See the Ohio overview, paid family caregiver in Ohio, and the paid family caregiver guide. Carevo is a connection platform and directory. We do not arrange the service, enroll anyone or pay caregivers. For help outside the waiver, see home care in Ohio.

More about care in Ohio

• All Ohio Medicaid programs for care at home
• Paid family caregiver in Ohio
• Home care providers in Ohio