Getting paid to care for a family member in Minnesota

CFSS will replace personal care assistance (PCA) and the Consumer Support Grant. It covers the same main services as PCA, and you can use a provider agency (the agency model) or be the employer of your workers (the budget model).

Source: Community First Services and Supports (CFSS) fact sheet, DHS-8477A-ENG (Minnesota Department of Human Services, 10-24)Checked Nov 2, 2026

People enrolled in Medical Assistance (with some exceptions), the Alternative Care program or an elderly or disability waiver, who need help with at least one activity of daily living, or have Level I behavior, as found in an assessment by a certified assessor, and who are not on a family support grant.

CFSS covers help with activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living and health-related tasks, and observation and redirection of behavior.

Source: Minnesota Statutes 2026, section 256B.85, Community First Services and SupportsChecked Nov 2, 2026

Yes. Yes. Your PCA or CFSS worker can be a friend, neighbor or relative, if they meet the requirements every worker must meet: pass a background study, pass a standardized training and test, be enrolled with DHS and affiliated with your provider agency or financial management services provider, and be able to do the tasks in your plan and communicate with you and your providers.

A worker cannot be your paid legal guardian or your participant's representative. In the agency model a provider agency employs your workers; in the budget model you are the employer and pick a financial management services provider to help with payroll.

Source: CFSS and PCA frequently asked questions (Minnesota Department of Human Services, updated 2026-01-06)Checked Nov 2, 2026

Depends. Only for help beyond a spouse's ordinary responsibilities. Since Oct. 1, 2024, a spouse can be paid as a PCA or CFSS worker, but not for things a spouse would typically do, such as ordinary household upkeep (house cleaning, meal preparation, laundry). In CFSS, a spouse can be billed for at most 60 hours in a seven-day period, and in the budget model the spouse's pay, including wages, benefits and payroll taxes, cannot exceed the CFSS unit rate.

While working, the spouse must act as a paid worker, meet every worker requirement and record the hours worked. In CFSS, the case manager or care coordinator (or, if you have neither, the consultation services provider) reviews a spouse's services every six months.

Source: CFSS Policy Manual, Paying a spouse or parent of a minor for PCA/CFSS services (Minnesota Department of Human Services, updated 10/21/24)Checked Nov 2, 2026

Depends. Not a paid legal guardian. CFSS does not cover services provided by the participant's paid legal guardian or by the participant's representative, and a participant's representative cannot be the support worker.

The statute does not address a guardian who is not paid for guardianship.

Source: Minnesota Statutes 2026, section 256B.85, Community First Services and SupportsChecked Nov 2, 2026

A spouse or parent of a minor cannot receive a wage higher than the current rate for a CFSS support worker, including wages, benefits and payroll taxes.

Source: Minnesota Statutes 2026, section 256B.85, Community First Services and SupportsChecked Nov 2, 2026

A spouse working as your support worker can provide up to 60 hours of Medical Assistance home and community-based services in a seven-day period. This does not raise your total authorized budget or units.

Source: Minnesota Statutes 2026, section 256B.85, Community First Services and SupportsChecked Nov 2, 2026