Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders: 2026 Guide
Key Takeaways
- Basic eligibility starts simple. CHCPE generally requires Connecticut residency, age 65 or older, an assessed need for help with daily tasks, and meeting one of several financial routes.
- One program, more than one route. CHCPE has a Medicaid waiver route, a state-funded route, and a couple of smaller categories. Each has its own income and asset rules.
- Cost sharing depends on your route. People on the state-funded route pay 3% of the cost of their care, and some participants on either route may also owe what Connecticut calls Applied Income once their monthly income passes a set amount.
- Family pay is possible, but program-specific. A relative may get paid through Adult Family Living or Community First Choice. The rules differ by program, and a spouse generally cannot be paid under Adult Family Living.
- Fast, hands-on support, even for complex situations, at no cost to you. Whether your relative already has Medicaid or you need help exploring coverage, Cottage can help with paperwork, follow-up, and care arrangements, and can explain whether a paid family-caregiving option may fit. Your first consultation and eligibility review are free.
The Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders (CHCPE) pays for home-based services so a Connecticut resident age 65 or older can stay at home instead of moving to a nursing facility. It can support an adult child, a spouse, or another family caregiver helping a relative, and it can also help an older adult look into coverage for their own care directly. This guide covers who may qualify, what CHCPE can cost, how to apply, and whether a family member can be paid to help.
In This Guide
What is the Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders?
CHCPE is not one single benefit. It is an umbrella covering several eligibility categories, run by the Department of Social Services: some funded through Medicaid, some funded directly by the state, each with its own income and asset rules. A separate, related category (Category 4) covers adults under 65 with a specific degenerative neurological condition who do not qualify for Medicaid. That category is not the focus of this guide.
Who qualifies for CHCPE?
Age, residency, and daily care needs
Your relative must be a Connecticut resident, age 65 or older, and at risk of nursing home placement. How much help counts depends on the category and on DSS's own assessment, not one fixed number. DSS's general CHCPE brochure describes needing help with 3 daily tasks, such as bathing, dressing, eating, transferring, or toileting. It also allows 2 of those tasks plus a specific need, like medication help or supervision for a cognitive or behavioral condition. Some categories, like the entry-level state-funded tier, may accept a lower level of need. Categories built around a nursing-facility level of care generally need more. Not sure if your relative's needs are enough? DSS's own assessment is the way to find out. A lower level of need is still worth a screening. Sources: DSS's CHCPE brochure and Connecticut OPM, 2026.
State-funded and Medicaid financial rules
Here is where most confusion starts. "CHCPE has no income limit" is only true for part of the program. The table below shows the main categories based on current state guidance.
CHCPE financial eligibility by route
| Route |
Who it generally fits |
Monthly income limit |
Asset limit |
| State-funded elder route (Categories 1 and 2) |
Elders above Medicaid's limits who need limited to intermediate home care |
No income limit |
$48,798 individual; $65,064 combined for a couple (effective 2026) |
| Medicaid waiver (Category 3) |
Elders who meet a nursing-facility level of care and Medicaid's financial rules |
$2,982 per month (effective 1/1/2026) |
$1,600 individual; $1,600 per spouse if both get services |
| Category 5 (enrolled in a qualifying Medicaid group) |
People 65+ already enrolled in specific categorically needy Medicaid coverage, not a separate insurance plan, who also need CHCPE-level home care |
$1,958 per month |
$1,600 |
This table does not cover every CHCPE situation, and the figures are not all dated the same way. The Categories 1, 2, and 3 figures reflect 2026 state guidance from the Area Agencies on Aging and Connecticut OPM. The Category 5 figure comes from regional Area Agency on Aging guidance and was not independently confirmed on a separate DSS chart in this review, so treat it as a lead to double-check rather than a universal Medicaid income limit. Confirm the exact current number for your relative's situation with your care manager or DSS.
For income, DSS counts your own gross monthly income before deductions: wages, pension, Social Security, veterans' benefits, and SSI. If you are married, your spouse's income does not count toward your limit. For assets, your home, furnishings, personal belongings, and one car used for transportation do not count. Some burial funds, a limited number of burial plots, and smaller life insurance policies are also excluded.
What married applicants should know
If one spouse needs nursing-home-level care at home and the other keeps living independently, Connecticut may let the couple protect part of their combined assets for the at-home spouse. This is called a spousal assessment, and it generally applies on the Medicaid waiver route. DSS calculates the protected amount during the Medicaid application; that is a separate matter from income.
The state-funded route has no income limit, so a spouse's income does not block eligibility there. But some of the applicant's income can still shift to the at-home spouse. Connecticut currently sets that monthly allowance at roughly $2,705 to $4,066.50. This figure is updated from time to time, not always every January. DSS works out your family's exact amount; the allowance range is not automatically what you get. Protected assets and this income allowance are two different things. Source: Connecticut OPM, 2026 and DSS's July 2026 program standards chart.
What help can CHCPE provide at home?
Help with daily tasks
Once a care plan is approved, CHCPE can authorize several services. Which ones you actually get depends on your assessment, your category, and what your care manager decides is necessary. The table below connects common needs with services worth asking about.
Everyday needs and CHCPE services to ask about
| If your relative needs help with |
Ask your care manager about |
| Bathing, dressing, grooming |
Personal Care Attendant (PCA) services, Adult Family Living, or homemaker services |
| Eating well and meal prep |
Home-delivered meals, homemaker services |
| Getting around the home safely |
Assistive technology, minor home changes, a Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) |
| Managing bills and paperwork |
Bill Payer service, care management |
| Memory-related supervision |
Care management, adult day services, caregiver training through COPE |
| A break for the family caregiver |
Respite services, adult day services |
| Getting to medical appointments |
Transportation services |
Connecticut's homemaker-companion agency registration actually covers two different kinds of help: homemaker services, which can include assistance with personal hygiene along with cooking and household tasks, and companion services, which generally cover supervision only. Your approved care plan, not the agency's registration type alone, determines exactly which tasks are authorized, so confirm the specific scope with your care manager or provider.
Other services can include care transitions support, chronic illness management, and licensed assisted living. Every service ties back to an assessment and approval, which is why two families on CHCPE can end up with different care plans.
Support for memory-related needs and family caregivers
Cognitive impairment is one of the specific needs DSS screens for, right alongside physical tasks like bathing. When you describe your relative, be specific. Instead of "they get confused sometimes," say what actually happens: they need reminders for medication, they have wandered outside, or they repeat the same question. Specific details help your care manager see the real need, not just a label.
CHCPE also supports unpaid family caregivers directly. Caregiver training and counseling is available through the COPE service, and short-term respite care can give you a planned break, not a loss of involvement in your relative's care.
Is CHCPE free, or will your family pay?
State-funded cost sharing
If your relative qualifies under the state-funded route, Connecticut currently sets the cost share at 3% of the monthly cost of approved services, according to Connecticut OPM's 2026 program guidance. Some participants are exempt from this share under specific conditions; ask your care manager if an exemption might apply to your relative.
The 3% share is often not the only amount owed. Some participants, on either route, also owe what Connecticut calls Applied Income. This is the part of monthly income above a set amount that must go toward the cost of care. For 2026, that amount is $2,660 per month (200% of the Federal Poverty Level), effective March 2026. A few costs can lower this number first, like a health insurance premium or an allowance set aside for a spouse. Not every participant owes Applied Income. It depends on your relative's actual income. Source: Connecticut OPM, 2026.
Here is a hypothetical example only, not a quote or a full bill: if a month of state-funded services cost $1,000, the 3% share alone would be about $30. That number covers only the percentage-based share, and it is not the same for every participant. If your relative's income is above the Applied Income threshold, an additional amount could be owed on top of it. DSS or your care manager can tell you the specific amounts that apply to your relative's actual plan.
State-funded services also depend on available state funding, so a referral does not guarantee an immediate start date. CHCPE is not free for every participant, and the amount owed depends on income, route, and the approved plan.
Other financial responsibilities to confirm
A few more questions are worth asking DSS or your care manager directly:
- If your relative's income and assets meet Medicaid's rules, DSS will ask for a Medicaid application as part of the process.
- If only one spouse gets services, DSS may ask the other spouse to help pay.
- DSS can try to recover service costs from the person's estate later, a possibility noted directly in CHCPE's own referral materials. Ask DSS or an elder law attorney how it applies to your family.
How do you apply for CHCPE?
Start online or by phone
You can start a referral a few ways:
Find the paper referral form
Prefer to mail or fax a form instead? Download the official Community Options Referral Form, W-1487, in English or Spanish. This form was last revised in January 2025, so any financial figures printed on it may be out of date; use the table above, or ask your care manager, for current numbers. Mail the completed form to Department of Social Services, Community Options, 9th Floor, 55 Farmington Ave, Hartford, CT 06105-3725. Or fax it to 860-424-4963.
Prepare the information you may need
Having this ready before you call or mail the form makes the first conversation faster. This is what the referral itself asks for, not a full document package:
- Full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number
- Current address and phone number
- Marital status, and an existing Medicaid number if there is one
- Gross monthly income and a rough total of countable assets
- Specific details about help needed with bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, transfers, walking, medication, meal prep, and continence
- Any memory, safety, or behavior concerns worth mentioning
- Name and phone number of a family member helping with the process; if DSS should talk to that person directly, the W-298 Authorization for Disclosure of Information form, or proof of power of attorney or guardianship, may be needed
- If your relative is in a hospital or nursing facility now, that facility's name and a staff contact
Later in the process, DSS may ask for documents that back up these numbers, such as bank statements, award letters, or proof of a medical need. You do not need to gather every supporting document before your first call or form. If you would like help understanding a document request or organizing your paperwork, our team can walk through it with you. Keep Social Security numbers and financial account details for your official DSS submission, not for a general inquiry form.
Understand the next review steps
A referral starts a review. It does not mean automatic approval, and services do not start right away. DSS reviews both your relative's care needs and finances before deciding on a category and a care plan.
What happens after you submit a referral?
Screening, assessment, and care planning
After DSS gets your referral, expect some mix of these steps. The order and pace can vary by region and by how complete your paperwork is: a review of your relative's finances, an assessment of daily care needs (often in person or by phone), assignment of a care manager, and a written care plan listing what services are approved. Once a plan is set, a licensed agency can begin delivering the services it is authorized to provide under that plan. There is no set number of days for this process; the pace depends on how quickly paperwork and any follow-up documents come in.
Questions to ask while you wait
Keep a simple written record while your referral is in process. Copy a table like this into your own notes; it is not a form you send to us or to DSS.
A simple record to keep during your review
| Date |
Who you spoke with |
What they asked for |
Next step |
| |
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| |
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Good questions while you wait: Which category is being considered for my relative? What documents are still missing? Who is my assigned care manager? What should I do if my relative's needs change before a decision comes? If you would like help following up on any outstanding step, our team can help you organize that follow-up once you let us know you want us involved.
Can a family member be paid to provide care?
Why the service and caregiver relationship matter
Whether a relative can be paid, and how much, depends on which specific program authorizes the payment. CHCPE's regular Personal Care Attendant services are generally staffed by a provider agency's own employees, based on how the program is structured. If you want a specific family member to be the one providing paid care, that path generally runs through Adult Family Living or Community First Choice instead, described below.
Where Adult Family Living and CFC fit
Adult Family Living (AFL) is a service offered through CHCPE and through the separate PCA Waiver program, so a participant must first qualify for one of those two programs. AFL lets a trained caregiver who lives in the same home as the person receiving care get paid, through a state-authorized intermediary agency, to provide that care. Depending on which program it runs through, AFL generally serves people 65 and older, or younger adults with a qualifying disability. A legal spouse and other legally responsible relatives are generally not eligible to be paid as the AFL caregiver. Confirm the exact current rule for your situation with DSS or with Cottage.
Community First Choice (CFC) is a separate Medicaid state plan benefit for active Medicaid members who meet an institutional level of care. CFC uses self-direction: the participant, or a representative, gets a budget based on an assessment and can hire, train, and supervise support workers, which can include a family member in many cases. CFC is not limited to people 65 and older. Which relatives can be hired, and under what conditions, depends on the program's current rules, so confirm specifics with DSS. Being connected to more than one program at the same time does not necessarily mean two programs both pay a family member for the same hours of care; ask DSS or Cottage how a specific combination would work for your relative.
These two programs are easy to mix up because both can lead to a family member getting paid, but they run on different rules, budgets, and paperwork. If you are not sure whether AFL, CFC, or neither fits your family, our team can talk through your relative's needs and the current program rules with you before you apply. Our Adult Family Living page and Community First Choice page cover each program's requirements in more depth.
How does CHCPE compare with other care options?
CHCPE and Community First Choice
CHCPE runs on care management. DSS and a care manager build and approve your plan, and licensed agencies deliver it. CFC runs on self-direction, built around a budget the participant controls directly. Program rules can change, so confirm current CFC details with DSS before assuming how it works for your relative.
CHCPE and Medicare home health
These two get confused because both involve care "at home," but they solve different problems. Medicare's home health benefit covers part-time or intermittent skilled nursing care, and physical, occupational, or speech therapy when certain conditions are met, when a doctor or other qualified health care provider orders it, your relative is homebound, and a Medicare-certified home health agency provides the care. This care can help your relative improve, maintain their current ability, or slow a decline, not only recover from a single event. Medicare does not pay for 24-hour care, homemaker tasks unrelated to the care plan, or custodial personal care (bathing, dressing, bathroom help) when that is the only care needed. CHCPE may be able to help with many of those ongoing, non-medical needs, depending on your relative's eligibility and approved plan. For more on how home care and home health differ generally, see our guide on home health care agencies in Connecticut.
Private-pay care
Private-pay home care does not require CHCPE's financial eligibility review. The home care provider will still want to understand your relative's needs, preferred schedule, and caregiver availability before care begins. Some families use private pay while a CHCPE referral is under review. Others choose it long-term if they would rather skip DSS's financial rules. Costs and billing arrangements vary by provider.
How Cottage can help your family explore home care
Cottage Homecare Services CT LLC is registered with the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection as a Homemaker-Companion Agency (Registration No. HCA.0002734), serving families across all eight Connecticut counties from our office at 510 Tolland St, Suite 203, East Hartford, CT 06108. The Cottage brand was founded in 2019; that date describes the company, not specifically when its Connecticut Medicaid-related services began. Cottage states that it participates as an authorized intermediary agency for Adult Family Living; we were not able to independently verify its specific role, if any, in Community First Choice, so confirm current program participation directly with us or with DSS if that detail matters to your decision.
DSS decides eligibility and approves your care plan; that role is separate from ours, and we cannot guarantee approval, a specific start date, maximum benefits, or that a family member will be hired or paid. Within that, our team can help in concrete ways, whether or not your relative already has Medicaid:
- Talk through your relative's daily care needs and what your family hopes for.
- Explain which CHCPE, Adult Family Living, or Community First Choice route may fit your situation.
- Help you gather the information DSS asks for, walk through the application steps, and explain what a document request means.
- Follow up with DSS or other contacts on your behalf, once you authorize it.
- Help you describe your relative's real care needs clearly before an assessment, and talk through whether a paid family-caregiving arrangement like AFL or CFC may fit.
- Coordinate the home care services we are authorized to provide, once DSS approves a plan.
We help families pursue the full range of services they may qualify for, and help reduce avoidable paperwork delays, such as missing information or incomplete forms.
Tell us what help your relative needs, whether your relative has Medicaid, and whether a family member hopes to provide care. Call (860) 263-0272 or email ct@cottagehomecare.com. A conversation with us does not replace your DSS referral, and you can always use the official application routes above directly. Learn more on our Connecticut home care page.
Your questions, answered
Can I apply if I do not already have Medicaid?
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Yes. A CHCPE referral can be considered for both the state-funded and Medicaid routes. If your relative's income and assets appear to meet Medicaid's rules during that review, DSS will ask for a Medicaid application too.
Can a relative help submit my referral?
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Yes. The referral form has a section for a family member or representative helping you. If that person holds power of attorney, is a conservator, or is a legal guardian, DSS will ask for supporting papers. Otherwise, the W-298 Authorization for Disclosure of Information form lets DSS share information with someone you name.
Can someone with dementia be assessed?
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Yes. Cognitive impairment is one of the specific needs DSS screens for, right alongside physical daily-living needs. Giving concrete examples, like needing medication reminders or a history of wandering, helps the assessment reflect your relative's real needs.
Does owning a home automatically disqualify me?
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No. The home your relative lives in does not count as an asset while DSS is deciding CHCPE eligibility. A second home or other property usually does count. Separately, Connecticut applies a home-equity limit (currently just over $1 million) in some long-term care situations, and exceptions can apply, for example if a spouse or dependent still lives in the home. Eligibility and estate recovery are two different things: CHCPE's own referral materials note that DSS may try to recover service costs from the person's estate after death, even when the home did not count against eligibility while your relative was alive. Ask DSS or an elder law attorney how this applies to your family's property.
What should I do if my application is denied or my relative's needs change?
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DSS sends written notice of its decisions, and that notice explains your rights if you disagree. If your relative's needs change, contact your assigned care manager so the care plan and category can be reassessed.
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Sabine DurgaramDPS/RN
