Family Home Health Aide Program in Florida
Florida's Family Home Health Aide Program, commonly called FHHA, may allow an eligible parent, guardian, or qualifying family caregiver to receive approved training and become employed by a participating licensed home health agency to provide authorized aide services for a medically fragile child.
A family caregiver pathway built around the child's care plan.
The Family Home Health Aide Program is designed for qualifying families of medically fragile children who already meet the requirements for medically necessary Private Duty Nursing. It creates a regulated pathway for an eligible family caregiver to receive training, become employed by a participating home health agency, and provide approved aide services at home.
FHHA is different from general home health aide certification or a stand-alone caregiver payment program. The child's clinical eligibility comes first, followed by caregiver eligibility, training, agency employment, required orders, authorization, and coordination with the child's approved plan of care.
The child must qualify for medically necessary Private Duty Nursing before FHHA services are considered.
An eligible family caregiver is employed through a participating licensed home health agency.
FHHA services must reflect the child's needs, applicable orders, authorization, training, and approved plan of care.
Who may qualify for Florida's Family Home Health Aide Program?
FHHA eligibility involves both the medically fragile child receiving services and the family caregiver seeking employment. Qualification is not based on diagnosis alone.
Child eligibility
- The child is under 21 years old.
- The child is medically fragile.
- The child qualifies for medically necessary Private Duty Nursing.
- The child is under appropriate physician or practitioner care as required.
- FHHA services are ordered when required and included in the applicable plan of care.
- Medical necessity, documentation, authorization, and payer requirements are met.
Family caregiver eligibility
- The caregiver is at least 18 years old.
- The caregiver meets applicable family relationship, guardian, or caretaker-relative requirements.
- The caregiver meets basic reading and writing competency requirements.
- Required FHHA training is completed or an applicable nursing education exception applies.
- Required background screening is completed.
- The caregiver becomes employed by a participating licensed home health agency.
FHHA + Private Duty Nursing
FHHA and Private Duty Nursing are different services. A Family Home Health Aide does not automatically become the child's private duty nurse, and FHHA does not convert aide-level care into independent skilled nursing.
PDN eligibility comes first
The child must qualify for medically necessary Private Duty Nursing before FHHA services may be considered.
Services must be coordinated
FHHA and PDN must be coordinated so the services do not duplicate one another or occur at the same time.
The care plan determines scheduling
Medical necessity, authorization, applicable orders, payer requirements, and the child's approved plan of care determine how authorized FHHA and PDN hours are scheduled.
Nursing oversight remains important
FHHA services are provided through a participating licensed home health agency and are subject to required supervision, oversight, documentation, and applicable Florida Medicaid requirements.
FHHA Hours & Pay
Authorized FHHA hours are based on medical necessity, payer requirements, authorization, and the child's approved plan of care. FHHA and Private Duty Nursing must also be coordinated so the services do not duplicate one another or occur concurrently.
Hours per day
Current Florida Medicaid coverage policy provides up to 12 FHHA hours per day for an eligible recipient under age 21 who is receiving Private Duty Nursing.
Hours per week
Current policy provides up to 40 FHHA hours per week. The weekly amount may be exceeded when applicable Florida requirements are met.
Medicaid fee for service rate
AHCA currently states that participating home health agencies are reimbursed $25 per hour under Medicaid fee for service for covered FHHA services. Managed care plans may negotiate rates. This agency reimbursement amount should not be interpreted as a guaranteed caregiver wage.
Actual FHHA hours, caregiver compensation, authorization, scheduling, and service availability may vary based on the child's medical needs, approved care plan, payer requirements, documentation, agency participation, and staffing.
FHHA Training Requirements
Florida's Family Home Health Aide training pathway includes at least 76 hours of preparation designed to build foundational home health aide skills, child-specific knowledge, and supervised clinical experience.
Home Health Aide Training
At least 40 hours of home health aide training covering the foundational knowledge and skills required for the FHHA pathway.
Child Specific Nursing Skills
At least 20 hours focused on basic nursing skills and care needs specific to the medically fragile child the family caregiver will support.
Supervised Clinical Training
At least 16 hours of clinical training completed under the direct supervision of a registered nurse.
Minimum FHHA training pathway
The training components total at least 76 hours. Florida requirements also include applicable HIV training and current CPR certification.
Training, competency validation, screening, employment requirements, and any applicable education exceptions depend on current Florida requirements and the participating home health agency.
Medicaid Eligibility
Families often want to know how income earned through the Family Home Health Aide Program may affect the child's Medicaid eligibility. Florida provides a process for qualifying FHHA income to be evaluated for exclusion from the child's Medicaid eligibility determination.
FHHA income may qualify for exclusion
Wages earned through FHHA employment are considered earned income. Current Florida guidance allows families to request that qualifying FHHA income be excluded when determining the medically fragile child's Medicaid eligibility.
The exclusion is not automatic. Families must provide the required information so the Florida Department of Children and Families can evaluate whether the FHHA income qualifies for exclusion.
Review Florida FHHA GuidanceHow the process works
Begin FHHA employment
The eligible family caregiver completes applicable program requirements and becomes employed through a participating licensed home health agency.
Complete the required FHHA information
Families follow current AHCA instructions, including completing the applicable FHHA Social Security Number information process.
Submit information for review
Required information is submitted so the Florida Department of Children and Families can evaluate the FHHA income for the applicable Medicaid eligibility exclusion.
Medicaid eligibility decisions are made by the appropriate state program and may depend on household circumstances, documentation, current eligibility rules, and other factors. Dynamiks Home Care cannot guarantee Medicaid eligibility or an income exclusion determination.
Medicaid Eligibility
Families often want to know how income earned through the Family Home Health Aide Program may affect the child's Medicaid eligibility. Florida provides a process for qualifying FHHA income to be evaluated for exclusion from the child's Medicaid eligibility determination.
FHHA income may qualify for exclusion
Wages earned through FHHA employment are considered earned income. Current Florida guidance allows families to request that qualifying FHHA income be excluded when determining the medically fragile child's Medicaid eligibility.
The exclusion is not automatic. Families must provide the required information so the Florida Department of Children and Families can evaluate whether the FHHA income qualifies for exclusion.
Review Florida FHHA GuidanceHow the process works
Begin FHHA employment
The eligible family caregiver completes applicable program requirements and becomes employed through a participating licensed home health agency.
Complete the required FHHA information
Families follow current AHCA instructions, including completing the applicable FHHA Social Security Number information process.
Submit information for review
Required information is submitted so the Florida Department of Children and Families can evaluate the FHHA income for the applicable Medicaid eligibility exclusion.
Medicaid eligibility decisions are made by the appropriate state program and may depend on household circumstances, documentation, current eligibility rules, and other factors. Dynamiks Home Care cannot guarantee Medicaid eligibility or an income exclusion determination.
Child-Specific Care
FHHA services are built around the medically fragile child's individual needs, required training, applicable orders, authorization, and approved plan of care. The caregiver's responsibilities may vary based on the child's condition and the services authorized.
Daily personal care
Authorized support may include assistance with personal care, hygiene, positioning, mobility, feeding, and other activities included in the child's approved plan of care.
Child-specific skills
Family caregivers complete training relevant to the medically fragile child's individual care needs before providing authorized FHHA services.
Coordinated home care
FHHA services are coordinated with Private Duty Nursing and other approved services so care does not duplicate or occur concurrently when prohibited.
Ongoing oversight
Services are provided through a participating licensed home health agency with applicable nursing supervision, documentation, competency requirements, and care plan oversight.
Specific FHHA tasks and authorized services depend on the child's medical needs, applicable orders, caregiver training and competency, payer requirements, authorization, and approved plan of care.
Florida Family Support
Dynamiks Home Care supports families across multiple Florida communities with pediatric home care, Private Duty Nursing, and Family Home Health Aide services when eligible, authorized, staffed, and included in the child's approved plan of care.
Program participation, coverage, authorization, caregiver employment, staffing, and service availability may vary by location, payer requirements, documentation, medical necessity, and the child's approved plan of care.
Family Home Health Aide Program FAQs
Common questions Florida families ask about FHHA eligibility, training, Private Duty Nursing, authorized hours, employment, and Medicaid.
Who qualifies for the Family Home Health Aide Program in Florida?
The program is designed for eligible medically fragile children under age 21 who qualify for medically necessary Private Duty Nursing. The family caregiver must also meet applicable relationship, age, training, screening, competency, and employment requirements.
Does my child need to qualify for Private Duty Nursing first?
Yes. Eligibility for medically necessary Private Duty Nursing comes before FHHA services may be considered. FHHA and PDN are separate services and must be coordinated through the child's approved plan of care.
Can a parent become a Family Home Health Aide?
An eligible parent, legal guardian, or qualifying caretaker relative may be able to participate when program requirements are met. The caregiver must complete applicable training and screening requirements and become employed by a participating licensed home health agency.
How much FHHA training is required?
Florida's current FHHA training pathway includes at least 76 hours, consisting of 40 hours of home health aide training, 20 hours of child specific basic nursing skills, and 16 hours of clinical training under direct registered nurse supervision.
Applicable HIV training and current CPR certification are also required.
How many FHHA hours can a child receive?
Current Florida Medicaid coverage policy provides up to 12 FHHA hours per day and 40 hours per week for an eligible recipient under age 21 receiving Private Duty Nursing. Weekly hours may exceed 40 when applicable Florida requirements are met.
Actual authorized hours depend on medical necessity, documentation, authorization, payer requirements, and the approved plan of care.
Can FHHA and Private Duty Nursing be provided at the same time?
FHHA and Private Duty Nursing must be coordinated so the services do not duplicate one another or occur concurrently when prohibited. The child's authorization and approved plan of care determine how the services are scheduled.
Will FHHA income affect my child's Medicaid eligibility?
FHHA wages are earned income. Florida guidance provides a process for families to request that qualifying FHHA income be excluded from the child's Medicaid eligibility determination. The Florida Department of Children and Families evaluates whether the income qualifies for the exclusion.
Does the Medicaid FHHA reimbursement rate equal the caregiver's hourly wage?
No. The Medicaid fee for service reimbursement amount paid to a participating home health agency should not be interpreted as a guaranteed wage for the employed family caregiver. Caregiver compensation may depend on the employing agency and other applicable requirements.
Florida FHHA Sources
Authoritative program and policy references
- Florida Agency for Health Care Administration: Family Home Health Aide Program
- Florida Administrative Code Rule 59G-4.261
- Florida Medicaid Private Duty Nursing and Family Home Health Aide Services Coverage Policy
- Florida Statute 400.4765
Medicaid policy, reimbursement, eligibility criteria, and program requirements may change. Families should confirm current requirements with AHCA, DCF, their Medicaid plan, healthcare providers, and the participating home health agency.
Start by finding out whether FHHA
may fit your child's care plan.
Dynamiks Home Care can help you understand Family Home Health Aide services, pediatric Private Duty Nursing, caregiver requirements, and possible next steps. Eligibility, coverage, authorized hours, employment, training, staffing, and start dates depend on the child's needs, location, payer requirements, documentation, authorization, and approved plan of care.