Adult Family Care
Supporting Individuals and Their Caregivers
For adults with medical, physical, or developmental disabilities, remaining at home is an important way to maintain independence and quality of life. Many times, family or friends provide the care that makes this possible. Northeast Arc’s Adult Family Care (AFC) program provides support—in the form of compensation and training—that enables these caregivers to provide valuable support to loved ones and friends in their home.
This program is supported by MassHealth, and caregivers can receive a tax-free stipend ranging from $10,220 to $18,790 annually. The person receiving support uses their government benefits to contribute room and board to the caregiver, when appropriate
See important eligibility requirements below.
Getting Started
- Call today to make a referral for an individual needing assistance
- Interested in being a paid caregiver? We can match you with an individual in need or help you support a family member/friend
- Our intake process starts with a phone interview to determine basic eligibility and then entails home visits for assessment, evaluation, and training
- Our intake team can also help direct you to the vast network of resources available at the Northeast Arc
Benefits of the Program
- People needing assistance with care maintain as much independence as possible with a stable family life in the community
- Caregivers receive comprehensive orientation and on-going training to meet the needs of the persons living with them
- Registered nurses and case managers offer on-going education, advocacy, and healthcare oversight through monthly home visits, phone consultations and 24/7 on-call emergency support
Eligibility for Persons Needing Care
Adult Family Care (also known as Adult Foster Care) is a MassHealth program which can support individuals age 16 and older living in the community with related or non-related families. Participants and caregivers are assessed for eligibility according to MassHealth regulations but key components are as follows.
Must have MassHealth Standard or Common Health insurance
Must be at least 16 years of age
Must have a medical, physical or developmental disability and need supervision or assistance with at least one basic task of everyday life, such as eating, bathing, dressing, toileting and transferring
Must have a written order for Adult Family Care from a Primary Care Physician
Must be able to be safely cared for in the home
Requirements for Caregivers
Must be at least 18 years of age
Can be biologically related to the person needing care, but cannot be the legal guardian or spouse
Must be willing to share life and home with the person needing assistance
Must be able to accept responsibility for the person’s care and supervision of all health related activities
How Payment Works
The caregiver receives a tax-free stipend of $10,220 to $18,790 annually from MassHealth
The person receiving support also contributes room and board to the caregiver (from his or her government benefits)
Areas Served
Northeast Arc Adult Family Care serves 57 cities and towns across Northeastern Massachusetts. View the map below to see all the communities in our service area.
For more information please complete the form below
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