Illinois Home Services Program: Consumer-Directed Care Through DRS

What the Home Services Program Actually Does

The Illinois Home Services Program (HSP) is a consumer-directed care program run by the Department of Human Services, Division of Rehabilitation Services (IDHS-DRS). Unlike the Community Care Program, which assigns you to an agency that employs your caregiver, HSP puts you in the driver's seat. You hire, train, schedule, and if necessary fire your own Personal Assistant (PA).

HSP is designed for individuals with severe physical disabilities who are under 60 at the time of application. The program covers personal care, homemaker services, and certain home modifications — all managed by the participant or their designated representative rather than a contracted agency.

HSP vs. the Community Care Program

The distinction matters because the two programs serve different populations and operate under fundamentally different models.

The Community Care Program (CCP) is agency-directed. Your regional Care Coordination Unit assigns a contracted home care agency, and that agency employs the worker. CCP targets residents aged 60 and older, requires a Determination of Need (DON) score of at least 29, and caps non-exempt assets at $17,500.

HSP flips that arrangement. The participant acts as the employer of record. PAs in the program are unionized under SEIU and paid directly by the state at collectively bargained rates — $20.00/hour for standard PAs, $23.00/hour for CNAs, $30.00/hour for LPNs, and $36.75/hour for RNs as of July 2026.

One critical policy difference: HSP generally prohibits paying a spouse to serve as the participant's PA. The CCP, by contrast, does permit spouses as paid caregivers through an approved agency — a distinction that dictates which program a family should pursue.

Who Qualifies for HSP

Eligibility centers on age and disability requirements:

• Age: Under 60 at the time of initial application (exceptions exist for certain brain injury or HIV/AIDS waiver participants)
• Disability: A severe physical disability that creates a need for personal assistance with activities of daily living

DRS conducts its own functional assessment to determine the scope and hours of authorized services. The assessment evaluates what tasks you need help with and how many weekly PA hours the program will fund.

How to Apply

Start by contacting your local DRS office. You can find the nearest office through the IDHS website or by calling the DRS help line. The application process involves a functional needs assessment conducted by a DRS counselor, followed by the financial or program eligibility review that applies to the HSP service pathway.

Once approved, DRS helps you establish a service plan. You recruit your own PA — a family member, friend, or someone you find through community networks. The person must meet the program's PA qualifications and complete the onboarding steps DRS requires before they can start providing care.

What HSP Covers

Authorized services under HSP include personal care assistance (bathing, dressing, grooming, transfers), homemaker tasks (meal preparation, laundry, light housekeeping), and certain specialized services depending on the participant's assessed needs. The program also covers extensive home modifications — grab bars, ramps, widened doorways, roll-in showers — at a level that exceeds what the aging-focused CCP typically provides.

HSP participants who need assistive technology can also access devices and adaptive equipment through DRS rehabilitation services.

The Caregiver's Tax Situation

PAs employed through HSP may qualify for a federal income tax exclusion under IRS Notice 2014-7. If the PA lives in the same home as the person receiving care, the difficulty-of-care payments they receive may be excludable from gross income. This applies even if the PA is a family member. Consult a tax professional to confirm eligibility, but the exclusion can represent thousands of dollars in annual tax savings.

When HSP Is the Right Fit

HSP works best for people who want direct control over their care — who they hire, when care happens, and how tasks are performed. The trade-off is administrative responsibility: you manage scheduling, handle any worker disputes, and coordinate with the state on timekeeping through Electronic Visit Verification.

If your family member is 60 or older and needs home care, the CCP and Medicaid waiver pathway is the standard route. But if the person needing care is under 60 with a qualifying disability, HSP offers a level of autonomy that agency-directed programs cannot match.

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