If you want to get paid for caring for a loved one in New York, you may have heard of both CDPAP and PCA. While these two Medicaid-funded home care programs allow family members to provide care at home, the rules and requirements differ significantly.
This page explains the key differences and helps you understand why many families choose the PCA program for long-term stability, training, and flexible caregiving options.
Important:
We currently assist only with PCA and OPWDD cases, not CDPAP. If you want to provide care for a loved one, we can help you see whether they qualify for PCA or OPWDD services.
Can You Get Paid to Care for a Family Member With PCA?
Yes. PCA allows certain family members to become certified caregivers for their loved ones, but the list of eligible relatives is limited.
Eligible PCA caregivers may include:
- Siblings
- Grandchildren
- Nieces or nephews
- Cousins
- Brothers-in-law or sisters-in-law
- Close family friends
Per New York State rules, the following individuals cannot be paid PCA caregivers:
Spouses
Sons or daughters
Sons-in-law or daughters-in-law
Legal guardians
Full details are available on our Family Caregiver Requirements page.
CDPAP vs PCA: What’s the Difference?
CDPAP does not require certification and allows more family members to serve as caregivers, including sons and daughters. However, CDPAP caregivers are typically tied to one case only. If that case loses hours or services change, the caregiver loses income immediately.
PCA, on the other hand, requires training but offers more long-term advantages:
- Start by caring for a loved one (if eligible)
- Then take additional cases for more hours
- Build experience and a long-term home care career
- Gain flexibility beyond a single family member
Through PCA, families can maintain support at home while caregivers develop skills to work with other patients.
Why Many Caregivers Choose PCA
PCA offers practical, long-term benefits, including:
• The ability to work with more than one patient over time
• Greater flexibility in scheduling
• A pathway into steady home care work
• Free PCA certification through partnering agencies
• Additional opportunities, even if your loved one eventually loses services
If your goal is to care for your family member and build a stable income, PCA often offers greater security and more options than CDPAP.
What We Help With
At FamilyCaregiverNY.com, we assist families with:
• Checking PCA and OPWDD eligibility
• Understanding caregiver rules
• Guiding the Medicaid and assessment process
• Helping eligible caregivers complete PCA certification
• Connecting families with approved agencies for onboarding
We do not process CDPAP enrollment, but if your family member qualifies for PCA or OPWDD, we will guide you through every step.
Get Started
Want to know whether your loved one qualifies for PCA or OPWDD?
Start with our short eligibility form below.