Family members in Wyoming can get paid for caregiving. Seniors can hire family members to work as their caregivers under the beneficiary-directed Community Choices Waiver program, which is the state’s home and community-based choice option for Medicaid beneficiaries.

How Does the Community Choices Waiver Work?

Seniors in Wyoming who need in-home care can get the help they need through a Medicaid home and community-based care waiver. Wyoming’s program is called the Community Choices Waiver, which pays an hourly wage to caregivers who help seniors age in place in their own homes. Under this beneficiary-directed plan, seniors enrolled in the program can designate a family member, friend or professional caregiver agency to provide needed in-home support. Enrollees have a set number of work hours authorized each month, which they can sign off on for the caregiver to submit to the state for payment. Beneficiaries retain control over hiring, scheduling and retention decisions.

Who Can Work as a Paid Caregiver?

Wyoming allows seniors to direct their own care, which includes designating the caregiver of their choice. Once a waiver beneficiary is accepted into the program and allotted their monthly hours, they can choose almost anyone they’re comfortable with to work as their caregiver. Seniors who don’t have a preference for someone they know can retain a state-approved caregiver agency and accept or reject staff caregivers that way. A caregiver must have a valid CPR card and attend an orientation program before starting work, and they must pass a criminal background check prior to authorization.

Eligibility for a Community Choices Waiver

Seniors can apply for a Wyoming Community Choices Waiver if they’re enrolled in Medicaid and have a medical or age-related disability that would normally require placement in assisted living or a nursing home. As part of the intake process, a case manager performs an inspection of the senior’s home and assesses their needs to determine care hours for the program. All the beneficiary’s needs must be met at home with caregiver assistance, with or without the home modifications, transportation assistance and other benefits available through the waiver program.