How Long Does It Take to Get Paid as a Caregiver in Michigan’s Home Help Program?
A Step-by-Step Guide by Care Plan Inc
If you're a family caregiver or planning to become one through Michigan’s Home Help Program, one of the most common questions is:
“How long does it take to get paid as a caregiver?”
At Care Plan Inc, we support you through every step—from enrollment to weekly payments—so you can focus on what matters most: caring for your loved one. Here's exactly how long the process usually takes.
📄 Step 1: Submit the Required Forms
To start the Home Help Program, you must submit:
• DHS-390 – Adult Services Application
• DHS-54A – Medical Needs Form (signed by your doctor or provider)
Estimated Time: 0–10 business days
🏠 Step 2: Home Visit & Assessment
A state Adult Services Worker (ASW) will contact you to schedule a home visit. They’ll complete an in-home assessment and determine your approved care needs.
Estimated Time: 1–3 weeks (varies by county)
✅ Step 3: Approval & Hours Assigned
After the assessment, MDHHS will issue an approval and assign caregiving hours. At this point, you're ready to select a caregiver.
Estimated Time: 1–2 weeks
👥 Step 4: Caregiver Enrollment with Care Plan Inc
Once hours are approved, your chosen caregiver will:
• Be enrolled in CHAMPS
• Complete a background check
• Set up direct deposit
Care Plan Inc handles this entire process for you.
Estimated Time: 1–2 weeks
📝 Step 5: Submitting Hours & Weekly Pay
After enrollment is complete, caregivers start working. Each week, they submit their hours directly to Care Plan Inc. We:
• Review hours for accuracy
• Enter them into the State system
• Handle submission deadlines
Caregivers never need to access the state’s logging system, we take care of it all.
💵 Step 6: Getting Your First Paycheck
Once hours are approved, Care Plan Inc pays caregivers weekly via direct deposit.
Estimated time from start to first pay: 6–10 weeks
(assuming no delays or errors)
📊 Timeline Summary
• Forms submitted → 0–10 business days
• Home visit → 1–3 weeks
• Approval issued → 1–2 weeks
• CHAMPS enrollment → 1–2 weeks
• First hours processed → 1 week
• First pay: approximately 6–10 weeks total
⚠️ Important Disclaimer
These are estimated timelines based on the State of Michigan's process.
Care Plan Inc does not control the state's timing.
Timeframes may vary based on:
• County workload
• Form completion
• Background check timing
• State holidays or processing delays
These timelines are subject to change.
🌟 Why Care Plan Inc?
• We manage the caregiver’s CHAMPS and background check
• We log hours for you, no caregiver setup needed
• We submit everything to the state on your behalf
• We pay every single week
• We provide full support, start to finish
🚀 Ready to Start?
👉 Check your eligibility now with Care Plan Inc
📞 Or call us at (313) 982-3795