Created on:
June 16, 2026
If you care for a loved one with a developmental disability, or you're an adult child quietly stepping into the role of caregiver for an aging parent, this summer brings real changes you'll want to understand. New state rules are reshaping how Arizona pays for in-home care, and a few important deadlines land right around the corner.
At Good Neighbor Support Services, we believe an informed family is an empowered one. Here's a plain-English look at what's happening, why it matters, and the steps you can take now to protect your family's care.
Arizona's Parents as Paid Caregivers (PPCG) program has been a lifeline for families, allowing parents to be paid for the extraordinary care they already provide to a child with disabilities. Beginning July 1, 2026, the program will be capped at 20 hours per week of paid care services per parent.
There are also new age-based rules on which tasks can be reimbursed. Under the updated policy, reimbursement won't be available for certain personal-care tasks below specific ages, such as toileting assistance for children under six or bathing assistance for children under eight.
These changes flow from House Bill 2945, signed into law in 2025, which added new "guardrails" to the paid-caregiver model. The law also directs the Arizona Attorney General's Office to deliver a special audit report on the program by August 1, 2026. (AZ Luminaria, Arizona Medical Association, Arizona DES – PPCG)
What this means for you: If a parent in your household is currently paid for more than 20 hours a week, your service plan will need to account for the new cap. This is exactly the kind of gap a professional, non-medical home-care provider can help fill — keeping your loved one's total care hours covered without overloading family members.
You may have heard alarming news last fall about a new assessment that cut service hours for many children. Here's where things stand.
AHCCCS launched a new HCBS Needs Tool (HNT) on October 1, 2025, then paused it in mid-October after significant community concern. Governor Hobbs directed AHCCCS to pause the tool for children under 18, create an exception process, and revise it. Health plans — including the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) — returned to using the prior assessment tools in the meantime. (Disability Rights Arizona, KJZZ)
An Emergency Rule took effect to govern the transition and to launch an Extraordinary Care Review (ECR) process for families with higher needs. That emergency rule has been extended through October 10, 2026 while AHCCCS develops permanent regulations. The agency held community forums and received more than 4,600 public comments on the draft policies, and new HNT and ECR policies are anticipated in early fall 2026. (Disability Rights Arizona, Arizona DES – Assessment Changes)
What this means for you: Nothing about the assessment is "final" yet. The coming months are the time to work closely with your DDD support coordinator or ALTCS case manager so your loved one's documented needs are accurate and complete before the next round of policy takes effect.
The Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS) is the state's Medicaid program for people who need ongoing, long-term care. It covers two main groups: individuals with developmental disabilities (the DD program, administered through DDD) and the Elderly and Physically Disabled (EPD) program. ALTCS can pay for home and community-based services that help people stay safely in their own homes rather than in an institution. (AHCCCS – ALTCS)
If you've never explored whether a loved one qualifies, this is a worthwhile summer project. Eligibility is based on both medical need and financial criteria, and approval can take time — so starting early matters.
If all of this feels heavy, take heart in how common your experience is. New 2026 research from the Pew Research Center finds that about 1 in 10 U.S. adults are actively caring for an aging parent, and many of them are juggling that role alongside jobs and children of their own — the so-called "sandwich generation." (Pew Research Center, Deseret News)
The financial weight is real, too. Nationally, families provide an estimated $600 billion in unpaid caregiving labor each year, and professional eldercare can run well over $100,000 annually. (Pew Research Center)
The encouraging news: support has never been more accessible. Area Agencies on Aging offer respite care, counseling, support groups, and caregiver navigation, and technology like remote monitoring and telehealth is helping families stay connected even from work. (USAging)
First, talk to your support coordinator or case manager now. If a parent in your home is paid through PPCG, ask specifically how the July 1 20-hour cap affects your service plan and whether outside care hours should be added.
Second, document your loved one's needs in detail. With assessment policies still being finalized, accurate records of daily care needs are your best protection.
Third, build a care team that doesn't rest on one person. When family hours are capped or stretched thin, a trusted non-medical home-care partner can step in for personal care, companionship, light housekeeping, meal prep, and respite — so no single family member carries it all.
We're a non-medical, in-home care provider based right here in Goodyear, Arizona, serving families across the West Valley. As program rules shift, our role stays the same: showing up like a good neighbor would, with dependable, compassionate care that keeps your loved one comfortable and safe at home.
If you're unsure how these changes affect your family — or you simply want another reliable set of hands — we'd love to talk. Reach out to Good Neighbor Support Services today, and let's build a care plan that works for your family through this transition and beyond.
This article is for general information only and is not legal, medical, or benefits advice. Program rules and dates can change; please confirm current details with AHCCCS, DDD, or your case manager.
Disability Rights Arizona – Preparing for Upcoming AHCCCS/DDD Changes in HCBS
AZ Luminaria – Proposed changes to the paid parent caregiver program worry Arizona families
Arizona Medical Association – New Restrictions Coming for Parents as Paid Caregivers Program
Arizona DES – Parents as Paid Caregivers (PPCG)
KJZZ – Changes to developmental disabilities assessment mean AZ families will lose caregiving funds
AHCCCS – ALTCS: Coverage for Individuals with Long-Term Care Needs
Pew Research Center – Family Caregiving in an Aging America (2026)
Deseret News – Pew Research finds many in U.S. care for aging parents, spouses
USAging – Caregiver Supports
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