Family Home Health Aide Program in Florida: What Parents Should Know
Caring for a medically fragile child at home can be both meaningful and overwhelming. Many parents and family caregivers provide daily support, coordinate appointments, manage routines, and help their child feel safe in a familiar environment.
Florida’s Family Home Health Aide Program, also known as the Home Health Aide for Medically Fragile Children Program, was created to help eligible family members become trained and employed by a licensed home health agency to provide approved aide services for a medically fragile child under 21 at home. The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration says the program is designed to expand care options, reduce hospitalizations, and support families through caregiver training.
Dynamiks Home Care supports families across Florida, including West Palm Beach, Coral Springs, Fort Myers, Sebring, Orlando, and Melbourne, with pediatric home care, private duty nursing, and family-centered home care support.
This guide explains what parents should know before getting started.
What Is the Family Home Health Aide Program?
The Family Home Health Aide Program allows an eligible family member or guardian to be trained and employed by a participating licensed home health agency to provide home health aide services for a medically fragile child under age 21. This program does not replace the child’s full care team. Instead, it creates another support option by allowing a qualified family caregiver to receive training and work under the supervision of a home health agency. According to AHCA, the child must already qualify for Private Duty Nursing, also called PDN. AHCA defines PDN as medically necessary skilled nursing provided at home or in the community for children under 21 with complex medical needs.
Why Florida Created This Program
Florida law states that the Home Health Aide for Medically Fragile Children Program was established in response to the healthcare provider shortage and its impact on medically fragile children and family caregivers. The law says the program was created to help decrease hospitalization and institutionalization, reduce state expenditures, and provide family caregivers with training and employment opportunities.
For families, the practical benefit is simple: a parent or qualifying family caregiver may be able to become part of the child’s approved home care support system after completing the required steps.
Who May Qualify for the Program?
The Family Home Health Aide Program has requirements for both the child and the family member.
Child Eligibility
A child may be eligible when they are:
Under 21
Medically fragile
Eligible for Private Duty Nursing
Receiving care that can be safely coordinated at home
AHCA states that FHHA services are available to medically fragile recipients under 21 who are eligible for private duty nursing services.
Family Member Eligibility
A family member may be eligible when they are:
A related provider, legal guardian, or caretaker relative
At least 18 years old
Able to read and write at a basic level
Able to complete approved training
Able to pass required background screening
AHCA lists these minimum requirements on its Family Home Health Aide Program page, and Florida statute also states that the person must be a family caregiver of an eligible relative, demonstrate minimum reading and writing competency, complete approved training or meet a nursing-program pathway, and pass required background screening.
How Family Home Health Aide Services Work With Private Duty Nursing
One of the most important things parents should understand is that FHHA services are connected to PDN. They are not separate “extra” hours added on top of the child’s approved care.
AHCA explains that FHHA hours are meant to supplement PDN and cannot duplicate authorized nurse hours. Services are coordinated so FHHA does not replace skilled nursing time or run at the same time as PDN.
AHCA’s Private Duty Nursing Services page also says FHHA services are intended to be provided in conjunction with, but may not duplicate, authorized PDN hours. The services must be overseen by a nonrelated registered nurse employed by a home health agency authorized to provide PDN services.
For parents, this means the schedule matters. FHHA care is coordinated around the child’s approved care plan and nursing schedule.
What Training Is Required?
The family member cannot begin providing FHHA services until the required training and competency steps are completed.
Florida’s 2025 statute says training programs must include at least 76 hours of training, including at least 40 hours of home health aide training, at least 20 hours of skills training tailored to the child’s care needs, and at least 16 hours of clinical training related to the child’s needs under direct RN supervision. The statute also includes HIV training and CPR certification requirements.
Training may include care topics such as:
Hygiene, grooming, and toileting
Skin care and pressure sore prevention
Nutrition and hydration
Measuring vital signs
Safe lifting and positioning
Wound care
Oxygen safety and respiratory support
Tracheostomy care
Enteral care
Catheter or ostomy care, when applicable
The exact training should match the child’s needs and the provider’s plan of care.
What Changed in 2025?
Florida passed updates to the Home Health Aide for Medically Fragile Children Program through CS/CS/SB 1156. The Florida Senate summary says the bill revised training requirements, required competency validation before services are provided, required CPR certification, addressed utilization caps and reimbursement, required AHCA to seek federal approval for certain changes, and added reporting requirements.
The Florida Senate page for SB 1156 lists the effective date as June 23, 2025, with final action on June 24, 2025, when it became Chapter No. 2025-171.
Families should always check the latest AHCA, DCF, Medicaid plan, and agency guidance before making decisions because program details and implementation requirements can change.
Will FHHA Income Affect Medicaid Eligibility?
This is one of the most important questions for parents.
AHCA currently states that Medicaid is income-based and that wages earned through FHHA work are counted as earned income for Medicaid eligibility, which may change the child’s coverage group. AHCA also says families must complete a DCF attestation acknowledging the income rules and may request individualized assistance from DCF.
The Florida Department of Children and Families provides a program attestation link and a separate option for families who want DCF to contact them about how participating in the program may affect Medicaid eligibility.
Because Medicaid eligibility can be complex, parents should speak with DCF, AHCA, their Medicaid managed care plan, and the home health agency before relying on FHHA income.
Step-by-Step: How to Get Started
Confirm Your Child’s PDN Eligibility
Your child must already qualify for private duty nursing. AHCA states that to receive PDN services, recipients must be under 21, be under the care of a physician, have an order for PDN services in their plan of care, need more extensive and continual care than a home health visit, and be able to receive services safely in the home or community.
Contact a Participating Home Health Agency
The family member must be employed by a participating home health agency. The agency helps coordinate training, supervision, scheduling, and compliance.
Complete Required Training
The family caregiver must complete approved FHHA training before providing services. AHCA states that the family member must complete required training before providing services and that training is approved by AHCA and follows federal standards.
Pass Background Screening
The family member must pass the required background screening before employment and service delivery.
Complete DCF Attestation
Families should complete the DCF attestation and request individualized help from DCF if they have questions about Medicaid eligibility or income impact. DCF provides both a program participation link and a program questions link for this purpose.
Begin Coordinated Services
FHHA services begin as scheduled by the home health agency, coordinated with PDN, and overseen by a nonrelated RN. AHCA states that FHHA services are overseen by a nonrelated registered nurse through the home health agency to help ensure quality and safety.
What the Program Does Not Mean
The Family Home Health Aide Program can be helpful, but families should understand its limits.
The program does not automatically mean:
Every family member qualifies
Every child qualifies
The family receives unlimited hours
FHHA replaces private duty nursing
FHHA can overlap with approved PDN hours
Medicaid eligibility will stay the same
Training can be skipped
Florida statute states that services provided by a home health aide for medically fragile children must reduce the child’s private duty nursing service hours and may not be provided concurrently with any private duty nursing service.
That is why care coordination is so important.
How Dynamiks Home Care Helps Florida Families
Dynamiks Home Care helps families understand their care options and navigate the next steps for pediatric home care, private duty nursing, and family-centered support.
Our team supports families with:
Pediatric home care
Private duty nursing for children
Home health aide services
Family caregiver support
Care coordination
Location-based support across Florida
Dynamiks Home Care serves families in:
West Palm Beach
Coral Springs
Fort Myers
Sebring
Orlando
Melbourne
Families who are unsure where to begin can contact Dynamiks Home Care to discuss care needs, location, service availability, and next steps.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Family Home Health Aide Program
What is the Family Home Health Aide Program in Florida?
The Family Home Health Aide Program allows an eligible family member or guardian to be trained and employed by a licensed home health agency to provide approved aide services for a medically fragile child under 21 at home. AHCA states that the program helps expand care options and support families through caregiver training.
Does my child need to qualify for Private Duty Nursing first?
Yes. AHCA states that the child must already qualify for Private Duty Nursing. PDN is medically necessary skilled nursing for children under 21 with complex medical needs.
Can a parent become a paid home health aide for their child in Florida?
A parent or eligible family caregiver may be able to participate if they meet the program requirements, are employed by a participating home health agency, complete required training, and pass background screening. Florida law requires the person to be at least 18, be a family caregiver of an eligible relative, meet competency requirements, complete approved training, and pass background screening.
Does FHHA replace private duty nursing?
No. FHHA is coordinated with PDN and cannot duplicate or run at the same time as authorized PDN hours. AHCA states that FHHA hours are meant to supplement PDN, not replace skilled nursing time.
Who supervises the Family Home Health Aide?
FHHA services are overseen by a nonrelated registered nurse through the home health agency. AHCA states this supervision is part of ensuring quality and safety.
Will FHHA wages affect Medicaid eligibility?
They may. AHCA says FHHA wages are counted as earned income for Medicaid eligibility and may change the child’s coverage group. DCF provides a way for families to request help understanding how participation may affect Medicaid eligibility.
What training is required?
Florida’s 2025 statute requires at least 76 hours of training, including home health aide training, child-specific skills training, clinical training, HIV training, and CPR certification.
How do I start?
Start by confirming your child’s PDN eligibility, contacting a participating home health agency, completing training and background screening, completing the DCF attestation, and coordinating services through the agency. AHCA outlines these steps on its Family Home Health Aide Program page.
Ready to Learn More About Pediatric Home Care in Florida?
Choosing care for a medically fragile child is a big decision. You deserve clear answers, compassionate guidance, and a team that understands the importance of care at home.
Dynamiks Home Care provides pediatric home care, private duty nursing, home health aide support, and family-centered care across West Palm Beach, Coral Springs, Fort Myers, Sebring, Orlando, and Melbourne.
Call Dynamiks Home Care today to ask about pediatric home care and Family Home Health Aide support in your are.
