Is There a CDPAP Program in Maryland? Maryland's Equivalent

If you moved to Maryland from New York, or you have a relative there who gets paid to care for a parent, you have probably heard of CDPAP. It is one of the best-known programs that pays family caregivers, so it is natural to search for "CDPAP Maryland." The short answer: CDPAP is New York's program, and Maryland doesn't have one by that name. But Maryland does have programs that do the same thing, letting a person who needs care at home choose a family member or friend and have Medicaid pay them. This guide explains Maryland's equivalent, who qualifies, and how family caregivers get paid.

Quick Answer: Is There a CDPAP Program in Maryland?

No. CDPAP, the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program, is run by New York State. Maryland's equivalent is two Maryland Medicaid programs:

• Community First Choice (CFC) (opens in new tab) for people who need a nursing facility level of care.
• Community Personal Assistance Services (CPAS) (opens in new tab) for people who need help with at least one activity of daily living.

In both, the person receiving care chooses their caregiver, and family members, including spouses, can be paid.

What CDPAP Is, and Why Maryland Residents Search for It

In New York, CDPAP lets a Medicaid recipient hire, train, and direct their own personal assistant, often an adult child or other family member. Because it is so widely known, "CDPAP" has become shorthand for any program that pays family caregivers. Many Maryland residents who search for it are already caring for loved ones and simply want to know whether Maryland has something similar. It does.

Maryland's Equivalent: CFC and CPAS

Community First Choice (CFC)

CFC is for people with full Maryland Medicaid who meet a nursing facility level of care but want to live at home. According to the Maryland Department of Health (opens in new tab), CFC covers personal assistance services, supports planning, nurse monitoring, home delivered meals, accessibility adaptations, assistive technology, transition services, consumer training, and personal emergency response systems. Personal assistance is help with daily living: bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, mobility, meal preparation, and similar tasks.

Community Personal Assistance Services (CPAS)

CPAS is for people with full Maryland Medicaid who need help with at least one activity of daily living but don't meet a nursing facility level of care. According to the Maryland Department of Health (opens in new tab), CPAS covers personal assistance, nurse monitoring, and supports planning. It supports independent living for people who need some daily help without the higher clinical bar of CFC. For a full comparison, see CFC vs. CPAS (opens in new tab).

The Community Options Waiver

Maryland also has the Community Options Waiver, once called the Home and Community Based Options Waiver, for adults 18 and older who meet a nursing facility level of care. Family Love Care serves it, but enrollment is capped and there is a waiting list. People join the registry by calling Maryland Access Point, according to the Maryland Department of Health (opens in new tab), which makes it less common than CFC and CPAS.

How Maryland Compares to CDPAP

• Choosing your caregiver: like CDPAP, CFC and CPAS let the participant choose who provides their care.
• Family and friend caregivers: adult children, other relatives, friends, and neighbors can be paid. In Maryland, spouses CAN be paid too.
• Employment: instead of a fiscal intermediary, Maryland caregivers in CFC and CPAS are employed through a licensed Residential Service Agency, a home care agency like Family Love Care, which handles payroll and taxes.
• Nurse supervision: both Maryland programs include nurse monitoring of personal care, so a registered nurse checks in on the plan of care.
• Waiting lists: neither CFC nor CPAS has a waiting list for eligible participants.

Who Can Be a Paid Caregiver in Maryland?

The participant chooses. Eligible family caregivers include adult children, spouses, grandchildren, siblings, other relatives, and family friends. The caregiver doesn't need to live with, or be related to, the person receiving care.

A few rules apply:

• A parent can never be paid to care for their own minor child in any Maryland program. Once the child turns 18, a parent can be paid as their caregiver.
• The caregiver can't be the participant's authorized representative.
• Caregivers must be at least 18, pass background checks, and complete state-required training. Family Love Care provides that caregiver training for free.

Can I Get Paid for Taking Care of My Elderly Mother in Maryland?

Yes, if your mother has full Maryland Medicaid and qualifies for CFC or CPAS. You can be hired as her paid caregiver through a licensed agency and paid for the hours the state approves. Adult children are the most common paid caregivers for older adults. See our guide on getting paid to take care of an elderly parent in Maryland (opens in new tab) for more.

How Much Does Maryland Pay Caregivers?

Through Family Love Care, Maryland caregivers earn $15 to $18 per hour, depending on the program, location, and care needs. Total pay depends on the hours approved after the state assessment.

Eligibility Requirements

For the person receiving care:

• Maryland residents living in the community, not in a nursing home.
• Full Maryland Medicaid. For older adults and people with disabilities, the 2026 asset limit is $2,500 for one person, according to the Maryland Department of Aging (opens in new tab). Financial eligibility depends on the Medicaid category.
• A care need confirmed by a state assessment. A nurse from the local health department completes it. CFC requires a nursing facility level of care; CPAS requires help with at least one activity of daily living.

Maryland home care comes directly from Medicaid, not through the person's health plan (MCO), which is why it is arranged separately. To start, call Maryland Access Point (opens in new tab) at 1-844-627-5465, or contact Family Love Care. Our Maryland how-to page (opens in new tab) explains what to expect.

Moving to Maryland From New York?

If your loved one had CDPAP in New York and is moving to Maryland, the New York benefit doesn't transfer. Medicaid is run state by state, so they will need to apply for Maryland Medicaid as Maryland residents and then be assessed for CFC or CPAS. If you were their CDPAP caregiver, you can be their caregiver in Maryland too, once you are hired through a Maryland agency and complete Maryland's background checks and training. Start the Maryland Medicaid application as soon as the move is settled so there is as little gap in care as possible.

What a Paid Caregiver Does Day to Day

In CFC and CPAS, the paid caregiver provides hands-on personal care in the home. Depending on the plan of service, that can include:

• Bathing, grooming, and dressing.
• Help using the bathroom and with continence care.
• Help moving around the home and transferring in and out of bed or a chair.
• Meal preparation and help with eating.
• Light housekeeping and laundry related to personal care.
• Reminders to take medications.

A registered nurse checks in through nurse monitoring to make sure the plan still fits the person's needs. Skilled medical care isn't part of the caregiver's role.

Common Mistakes Families Make

• Going through the health plan. In Maryland, home care is a carve-out that comes directly from Medicaid, not through the MCO. Calling the health plan first often leads nowhere.
• Assuming a spouse can't be paid. Rules in other states don't apply here. In Maryland, spouses CAN be paid.
• Waiting for the Community Options Waiver. It has a waiting list. CFC and CPAS don't, so most families should start there.
• Underselling needs at the assessment. Describe a typical hard day, not a good one, so the plan of service reflects the help your loved one really needs.

Other Support for Family Caregivers in Maryland

Beyond CFC and CPAS, a few places offer caregiver support:

• Maryland Family Caregiver Support Program: run through local Area Agencies on Aging, with support services for family caregivers. See the Maryland Department of Aging (opens in new tab).
• Maryland Access Point: Maryland's No Wrong Door resource center for older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers. It connects people to local agencies, support groups, and community based services.

Frequently Asked Questions

What states will pay you to be a caregiver for a family member?

Every state has Medicaid programs that pay for personal care at home, and many let participants choose family members as caregivers. The rules and program names vary. In Maryland it's CFC and CPAS.

Is CDPAP the same as CFC?

No. CDPAP is New York's program. CFC is Maryland's program for people who meet a nursing facility level of care. Both let the participant choose a family caregiver.

Do Maryland caregivers need a nursing license?

No. Personal care caregivers don't need a nursing license. They pass background checks and complete required training, and a registered nurse provides oversight.

Does the caregiver have to live with the person?

No. In Maryland, the caregiver doesn't need to live with, or be related to, the person receiving care.

Does my loved one need a specific diagnosis to qualify?

No single diagnosis is required. What matters is the care need. Someone with a chronic illness, Alzheimer's disease, a disability, or simply the effects of aging can qualify if the state assessment shows they need help with daily living. CPAS requires help with at least one activity of daily living, and CFC requires a nursing facility level of care.

Get Started With Family Love Care

Maryland doesn't have CDPAP, but CFC and CPAS give families the same thing: the chance to choose a loved one as the paid caregiver. Family Love Care is a home care agency that helps Maryland families with enrollment in these home care benefits, then employs and pays the family caregiver. We also provide RN clinical oversight and free caregiver training. Contact Family Love Care (opens in new tab) to see if your loved one qualifies.