Parents can get paid to care for a child with a disability
If you're already managing an IEP or therapy schedule, you may be leaving real money on the table.
Key facts
- Program
- Medicaid waivers (Katie Beckett / TEFRA + state DD waivers)
- Typical pay
- varies — many states now allow parents to be paid hourly as their child's caregiver under waiver self-direction
- Spouses?
- This page is about parents being paid to care for their own child — allowed in a growing number of states since 2020.
- Live-in required?
- Not for this program (rules vary by program).
How it works
If you're raising a child with a significant disability, two things most families don't know: (1) Katie Beckett / TEFRA rules let many children qualify for Medicaid based on the child's needs, regardless of parent income; and (2) a growing number of states now allow parents to be *paid* as their child's caregiver through waiver self-direction — a pandemic-era change many states made permanent. If you're already navigating an IEP, you are very likely leaving waiver money on the table: the same diagnosis documentation drives both.
Steps to get started
- Check whether your state has Katie Beckett/TEFRA or a children's DD waiver (waitlists vary enormously).
- Apply based on the child's condition — parent income often doesn't count.
- Ask specifically whether parents can be paid providers under self-direction in your state.
- Keep a clean record of diagnoses, evaluations, and daily care needs — it's the same evidence your IEP uses.
We'll find the money your family qualifies for
cares-ai is building a Caregiver Money companion: answer a few questions, see every program you may qualify for (Medicaid, VA, tax credits), and keep the care log these programs require — in one place. Join the waitlist and we'll email you as soon as the Parents of children with disabilities eligibility checker opens.
Common questions
Does my income disqualify my child?
Often not. Katie Beckett/TEFRA pathways look at the child's own income and needs, not the parents'. State DD waivers vary — some have long waitlists, so getting on the list early matters.
How much does it pay?
Medicaid waivers (Katie Beckett / TEFRA + state DD waivers) pays varies — many states now allow parents to be paid hourly as their child's caregiver under waiver self-direction. Exact amounts depend on assessed care level and current program rates — treat published figures as estimates until confirmed in writing.
Do I have to live with the person I care for?
Not necessarily for this program, though some related programs do require it. Each program's rules differ.
What documentation is required?
Nearly every caregiver-pay program requires ongoing documentation — daily care notes, timesheets or electronic visit verification, and periodic assessments. Missing or sloppy records are the #1 reason payments get delayed or clawed back. (Keeping this record effortless is exactly what cares-ai is building.)