Family caregivers
The Family Home Health Aide program for medically fragile children
Created by Florida law in 2023, this program lets a trained relative be employed by a home health agency to care for their own medically fragile child, filling hours nurses cannot.
The short answer
A related provider, legal guardian or caretaker relative age 18 or older can be employed by a home health agency as a Family Home Health Aide for a child under 21 who is medically fragile and eligible for private duty nursing. Florida's statute requires at least 76 hours of training and caps care at 12 hours a day and 40 hours a week per child. Medicaid pays the agency at least $25 an hour; your wage is negotiated with the agency.
Who qualifies
- The child: under 21, medically fragile and eligible for Private Duty Nursing.
- The caregiver: a related provider, legal guardian or caretaker relative, at least 18, able to read and write at a basic level, who passes background screening.
The training
Section 400.4765, Florida Statutes, requires at least 76 hours: 40 hours of home health aide training, at least 20 hours of skills training in basic nursing, and 16 hours of clinical training under a registered nurse, plus HIV training and CPR certification. A registered nurse validates competency. Aides complete 12 hours of in-service training each year, and must repeat the program after 24 straight months without providing services. AHCA also lets people who graduated from an accredited pre-licensure nursing program and are awaiting licensure qualify without the FHHA course.
AHCA's November 2024 FAQ still lists 86 hours and an 8-hour daily cap. The statute was amended in 2025 to the figures above, and we follow the statute.
The limits
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Hours per child | No more than 12 a day and 40 a week. The weekly cap can be exceeded with documented justification that no other qualified provider is available, approved by the agency and the managed care plan. |
| Overlap with nursing | The statute says aide services must reduce the child's PDN hours and cannot be provided at the same time as PDN. Ask how this would change your nursing authorization before you agree. |
| Oversight | A registered nurse who is not related to the child oversees services through the agency. |
| More than one relative | AHCA says any eligible family member who meets the requirements can be employed to care for the same child. |
The money, honestly
Medicaid pays the agency a minimum of $25 an hour in fee for service, and managed care plans may negotiate rates. That is not your wage. AHCA says your hourly pay is set by negotiation between you and the agency, so ask each agency what it pays and what it keeps.
FHHA wages count as earned income for Medicaid and may change your child's coverage group. AHCA says families can ask DCF to exclude this income by submitting the FHHA SSN Request Form. Do this before you start, and ask a benefits counselor if your family gets other benefits.
How to start
- Confirm your child is PDN-eligible with their doctor and Medicaid plan.
- Contact a participating home health agency. Agencies run the training and decide whether to accept training from elsewhere.
- Complete training and background screening.
- Submit the FHHA SSN Request Form to DCF.
- Begin your scheduled hours, with a nurse overseeing care.
AHCA's program line is (239) 335-1313. Ask Aster Care on your call whether we can train and employ you for your child's care.
About this page. Aster Care LLC is a private home care agency, not a government agency. Eligibility decisions are made by the state offices named here. This is general information, not legal or benefits advice, and program rules change, so please confirm details with those offices.
Questions families ask
Does the training have to cover things my child does not need?
AHCA says the statute requires a standardized program covering the most common conditions, including tracheostomy and ventilator care, even if your child does not use them.
Can I use my training at a different agency?
AHCA says each agency decides whether to accept training documentation from another agency or require more.
My child is 21 soon. What happens?
FHHA ends at 21. Talk to your support coordinator early about adult programs such as the Long-Term Care program, iBudget and PDO.