What the new program does
The state’s new Structured Family Caregiving model allows qualifying caregivers who live with a Medicaid-eligible loved one to receive regular, tax-free stipends for the care they already provide at home. Officials and care organizations say the goal is to stabilize families who are shouldering round‑the‑clock responsibilities, often while cutting back on paid work or draining savings to pay for outside help.
How it eases costs
In-home care in Ohio can exceed $60,000 a year, while nursing home care can top $108,000, leaving many families paying thousands out of pocket for supplies, transportation and missed work. By sending monthly checks directly to caregivers, the program helps cover everyday expenses and can also fund extra help in the home, making it more realistic for families to keep loved ones out of institutions.
Who qualifies and how it works
The caregiving payments are tied to Medicaid waiver programs such as PASSPORT for older adults and Ohio Home Care Waiver for younger adults with significant disabilities or health needs. To qualify, the care recipient must meet Medicaid financial and medical criteria, choose to receive care at home, and share a household with a caregiver who meets state requirements and can assist with daily activities like bathing, meals and medication management.
Impact on families
Advocates say the program acknowledges family caregivers as a critical part of the health system, not just as “invisible” helpers filling gaps in care. For many Ohioans, the paycheck can mean the difference between staying employed while caregiving, or having to send a parent or spouse to a facility because home care has become financially impossible.
Part of a broader shift
The new payments come as Ohio expands other “age in place” efforts, including PACE and broader home- and community-based services, to serve people who need nursing‑home‑level care but want to remain at home. Lawmakers are also considering caregiver tax credits, signaling a wider push to recognize and relieve the economic strain on the state’s estimated 1.5 to 2 million family caregivers.