How to Become a Paid Family Caregiver
Through the WA Cares Fund, if the person you're caring for has earned WA Cares benefits, you can become a paid caregiver—even if you're caring for your own spouse.
Become a paid family caregiver
Did you know beginning in July 2026, WA Cares Fund can be used to pay family caregivers? This can help offset caregiving expenses and lost wages.
What to consider
- Am I ready and able to have my loved one rely on me for care?
- Will I take direction well from my loved one?
- Am I okay with my loved one being my boss?
- What if I don’t agree with what they are asking me to do for them?
- Am I okay with signing a care agreement that my loved one fills out about their care needs?
- What will I do if I start to feel burned out, or like I can’t do certain things for them anymore?
- Can I physically do the things that my loved one needs help with?
- Do I have the time, or appropriate availability, to work when they need me?
How to get started
First, in order to be paid to provide care through WA Cares, the person you’re caring for must be eligible for WA Cares benefits. Once their application is approved, they will be able to choose you as their provider and pay you for the care you provide. The next step is for you to become an employee of either Consumer Direct Care Network of Washington or a home care agency registered with WA Cares.
Steps to become a paid caregiver
WA Cares benefits become available July 1, 2026. Here’s how the process for becoming a paid family caregiver will work:
1 Check to see if your loved one is eligible to use their to the WA Cares Fund benefits
Your loved one must meet WA Cares contribution and care needs requirements in order to use this benefit.
2 Your loved one will apply to access their benefit
Once their application is approved, they will be able to use their benefit to pay you for the care you provide.
3 You apply to work as a caregiver
You will become an employee of Consumer Direct Care Network of Washington or a registered home care agency. WA Cares will provide more detail on this process as July 2026 approaches.
4 Start getting paid for providing care to your loved one
Once you are hired as a caregiver, your loved one can approve an authorization for the care you provide.
Employer options
Consumer Direct Care Network of Washington
- CDWA will be a registered provider so beneficiaries can hire individual providers for personal care
- The beneficiary will be the managing employer of the individual provider including:
- Selecting who to hire
- Setting the schedule
- Assigning care tasks (through a care agreement)
- Dismissing or firing
- If a beneficiary were to transition to Medicaid, the family caregiver may continue to be paid to provide care (not including spouses and registered domestic partners)
- Will offer a set 'standard' rate and a set 'family' rate
- Standard rate includes employee benefits and unlimited hours as determined by the beneficiary
- Family rate is only for family/spouse IPs, excludes employee benefits and must be under 20 hours/week
Home care agency
- Can be employed by a home care agency registered with WA Cares
- Supervised by agency, tasks assigned based on agency-created plan of care, as directed by beneficiary
- Will vary depending on agency you work for:
- Hourly wage and frequency of pay
- Health insurance and other benefits
- Union status
- If unable to support your loved one when scheduled to do so, back-up care may be available
Caregiver Stories
Sisters Sun-Hee and Yunhee stepped back from their nursing careers to provide daily care for their mom.
Maria works part time so she can care for her aging parents, but knows many families can’t afford to make that choice.
