Stay in your own home. Keep the person who already cares for you.

If you need help with daily things like bathing, dressing, moving around or managing medication, Adult Foster Care lets you stay where you are. The person who looks after you gets paid, trained and supported, and a nurse and case manager stand behind both of you.

See if you qualify Talk to a case manager

What Adult Foster Care actually is

It is a MassHealth program, not a facility. Nothing about where you live has to change.

You stay home

No assisted living, no nursing home, no moving. You remain in the home you already live in, with the routines and the people you know.

Someone you trust provides care

Your caregiver is usually family or a friend, an adult child, a sibling, a relative or a neighbor. They live with you and help you through the day.

They are paid and trained for it

Your caregiver receives a tax-free stipend, paid out every two weeks, and paid training — so looking after you does not have to come at the cost of their income.

Professionals stay involved

Nurses and a case manager are assigned to your household. They visit, they know your situation, and they are who you call.

Covered by MassHealth

Adult Foster Care is covered through MassHealth and participating health plans.

Your care plan is yours

The plan is built around what you actually need help with day to day, and it changes as your needs change.

Who qualifies for Adult Foster Care

Most people who qualify are already getting help at home from someone they know. These are the general requirements — if you are unsure, a case manager can check for you.

You are 16 or older

Adult Foster Care serves adults and older teens living in a home setting, not a facility.

You live in Massachusetts

You need to live in the community — in your own home, or in the home of the person caring for you.

You have MassHealth or a MassHealth plan

Adult Foster Care is a MassHealth benefit. We work with MassHealth and the major plans that manage it.

You need hands-on help every day

Help with things like bathing, dressing, moving around, eating, using the bathroom or managing medication.

Someone is able to provide that care

A family member, friend or neighbor who lives with you, or who is willing to. A spouse or a legal guardian cannot be the paid caregiver.

Your home is safe for the care you need

A nurse and a case manager review the home setting together to make sure it is appropriate for the care needed and falls within the program rules. Most homes need nothing more than small adjustments.

Not sure whether you meet all six? Most people are not. Tell us your situation and we will check it against the MassHealth rules for you.Apply

What support you get

You are not handed a benefit and left alone with it. A team stays with you and with the person caring for you, for as long as you are enrolled.

A case manager of your own

One named person who knows your case, visits you at home, keeps your care plan current and answers the phone when you call.

A registered nurse

A nurse visits regularly to review your health, your medications and how the care is going, and coordinates with your doctor when something changes.

A written care plan built around you

What help you need, when you need it and how you want it done — written down, reviewed with you, and updated as things change.

Training for your caregiver

Paid training on safe transfers, personal care, medication reminders and what to watch for — so the person helping you knows what they are doing.

A tax-free stipend for your caregiver, paid bi-weekly

The person caring for you is paid every two weeks through MassHealth, and it does not come out of your benefits.

Help with the paperwork

Eligibility, enrollment, plan approvals and renewals. We deal with MassHealth and the health plans so you do not have to.

Why families choose Compass AFC

Adult Foster Care is a MassHealth benefit — the program is the same wherever you enroll. The difference is who runs it with you.

Bilingual staff, so nothing is lost in translation

Case managers and nurses who speak your language, and your caregiver's. Care plans, training and phone calls happen in the language your family actually uses at home.

Technology that keeps everyone on the same page

Care notes, visit records, documents and messages live in secure apps. Your caregiver logs care from their phone, paperwork is signed electronically, and their stipend arrives on schedule without chasing anyone.

A care team that is always available

Your case manager and our clinical team are reachable around the clock — weekday or weekend, day or night. When something changes at 8pm on a Sunday, there is a person to call rather than an answering machine.

A leadership team that has done this before

A chief nurse, a chief case manager, a social worker advisor and a compliance advisor oversee every case — and Compass AFC is CARF Accredited, which means an outside body inspects how we work.

Meet the people who would be running your care

See our leadership team and accreditation

Getting started

Step 1

Tell us about your situation

Refer yourself, or have a family member, caregiver or clinician refer you.

Apply

Step 2

We make contact

A case manager contacts you to check your insurance benefits coverage and schedules an in-home assessment.

Step 3

In-home assessment

A nurse and case manager meet you and your caregiver, complete the clinical and qualified home assessment, and go over program rules and paperwork requirements.

Step 4

Authorization

We work with your primary care physician and insurance to authorize services.

Step 5

Care begins

Once authorization is received, care begins.

Common questions

If your question is not here, ask a case manager.

Does this cost me anything?

Adult Foster Care is a MassHealth benefit, and your caregiver's stipend is paid through MassHealth rather than by you. What you pay, if anything, depends on your particular MassHealth coverage — a case manager will confirm that for your plan before anything starts.

Do I have to leave my home?

No. That is the point of the program. You stay in your own home, or you live in the home of the person who cares for you. There is no facility involved.

Can my daughter or son be the paid caregiver?

Yes. Adult children, other relatives, friends and neighbors can all be paid caregivers. A spouse and a legal guardian cannot, under MassHealth rules.

Does my caregiver need experience or a licence?

No licence and no prior experience. They are trained by us, and paid for that training. They do need to be 18 or older and able to provide the care safely.

What if I already have a home health aide or PCA?

Tell your case manager what services you have now. Some programs can run alongside Adult Foster Care and some cannot — we will check the rules for your specific coverage before anything changes.

What if my English is limited?

We have bilingual case managers and nurses. Say which language you prefer when you contact us and we will match you with someone who speaks it.

How long does enrollment take?

It depends on your MassHealth coverage and how quickly the home visit can be scheduled. A case manager will give you a realistic timeline on the first call rather than a promise.

What happens if my caregiver gets sick or needs a break?

Tell your case manager. Your care plan covers what happens when your regular caregiver is unavailable, and it is worked out with you in advance rather than in a crisis.

Refer yourself

Give us your name, your town and how to reach you. A case manager calls you back.

Apply

Have someone refer you

A family member, your caregiver, a nurse or a case worker can refer you on the same form.

Open the referral form

Get your caregiver paid

If the person already helping you wants to be paid and trained for it, they can apply here.

Caregiver application

Or book a time that suits you

Choose a slot and one of our case managers or care coordinators will call you then.

Scheduling calendar goes here.