What Is the Georgia Medicaid Caregiver Program Actually Called?

Georgia does not have a program officially called the "Georgia Medicaid Caregiver Program"; the program most people mean is Structured Family Caregiving (SFC). SFC is a Medicaid service that supports, and pays, a relative who lives with an older or disabled family member. It sits inside Georgia's Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program (EDWP).

The confusion is understandable. Georgia's own pages use several names for the same things. This guide decodes each name so you know what to ask for when you call.

Georgia's paid caregiver program at a glance

• Official service name: Structured Family Caregiving (SFC). Some state pages say Structured Family Caregiver.
• Parent program: the Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program (EDWP), also called the E&D Waiver.
• Older name for EDWP: the Community Care Services Program (CCSP).
• Run by: the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH), through Area Agencies on Aging.
• Who gets paid: a relative who lives with the Medicaid member and meets the caregiver rules.
• First call: the Area Agency on Aging at 866-552-4464, or Empowerline at 404-463-3333 in metro Atlanta.

Who qualifies for Georgia's paid family caregiver option?

Whatever name you search, the rules are the same. Two people must qualify: the person who needs care and the relative who gives it.

• The person needing care has Georgia Medicaid, or may qualify, and meets a nursing-home level of care.
• The person needing care is enrolled in EDWP and is assessed as needing a high level of daily personal support.
• The caregiver is related by blood or marriage and lives in the same home.
• The caregiver is not the member's spouse or legal guardian.
• The caregiver is an adult and passes a criminal background check.

These rules come from Georgia's EDWP waiver renewal application and Empowerline's EDWP page. For each rule in detail, see the full SFC requirements checklist.

Why does Georgia's caregiver program have so many names?

Georgia's home care programs grew over decades. Names changed, but old names stuck around. Three layers cause most of the confusion.

• The waiver. The Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program is the Medicaid program itself. The DFCS Medicaid policy manual notes that EDWP was formerly known as CCSP.
• The delivery paths. Georgia Medicaid's waiver programs page lists CCSP and SOURCE as found in the Elderly & Disabled Waiver Program. So CCSP is both an old name and a current path. Georgia.gov's SOURCE page says SOURCE serves people who meet SSI Medicaid rules.
• The service. SFC is one service inside EDWP. DCH proposed adding it to the waiver in a 2018 public notice, for services starting in 2019.

Searchers add their own names on top: "paid caregiver program," "family caregiver program," "caregiver stipend." None of these is an official Georgia program title.

The A1 Name Decoder: what each name really means

The DCH EDWP fact sheet lists the service as "Structured Family Caregiver (SFC)." The waiver application calls it Structured Family Caregiving. Both mean the same service.

Is SFC the same as the National Family Caregiver Support Program?

No. This mix-up is common because both names include "family caregiver." The Division of Aging Services caregiving page describes the National Family Caregiver Support Program. Congress created it, and Georgia's Area Agencies on Aging deliver it.

That program offers help such as information, respite, counseling and other support. The state page does not describe it as a way to pay family caregivers. SFC is different. It is a Medicaid service, and your loved one must qualify for EDWP.

Both can matter to one family. For a side-by-side look, read which Georgia caregiver programs pay family members.

What about names from other states?

Families who move to Georgia often search for programs from their old state. Names like CDPAP or IHSS do not exist in Georgia. Our guide answers whether there is CDPAP or IHSS in Georgia and what Georgia uses instead.

How is the SFC caregiver paid?

The waiver describes the SFC agency paying the caregiver through a per diem stipend. That is why many families call SFC a "caregiver stipend" program.

At A1-GA Healthcare Agency, SFC caregivers are paid by direct deposit every two weeks; the amount is set by the loved one's assessed level of care. For how that level is decided, see how SFC pay is set in Georgia.

How do you use the right names to get started?

1. 1

   Call the Area Agency on Aging

   Ask for an Elderly and Disabled Waiver screening. In metro Atlanta, Empowerline is at 404-463-3333.

2. 2

   Mention the live-in relative

   Say a relative lives with your loved one and you want to ask about Structured Family Caregiving.

3. 3

   Apply for Medicaid if needed

   If your loved one has no Medicaid, DCH says to apply at your county DFCS office.

4. 4

   Complete the assessment

   A nurse or care coordinator reviews daily needs and builds the care plan.

5. 5

   Pick an SFC agency

   An approved SFC agency enrolls the caregiver once SFC is on the care plan.

The Georgia.gov EDWP application page notes that EDWP often has a waitlist. An early call gets your loved one in line sooner.

How A1-GA Healthcare Agency helps

A1-GA Healthcare Agency is a Georgia DCH-approved Medicaid home care provider in Norcross. We have provided in-home care since 2008 and staffed caregivers since 2004. We provide Structured Family Caregiving in Atlanta, plus EDWP in-home care.

If you are not sure which program name fits your family, call us. We will translate the terms, explain the steps and tell you honestly if SFC is not the right fit.

• Phone: 678-446-1832
• Hours: Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
• Email: [email protected]
• Check eligibility: Start the free eligibility form