Idaho · personal care aide (PCA)
Idaho does not set a fixed number of training hours for personal assistants. Medicaid requires workers to have training that ensures quality care, and Aged and Disabled (A&D) waiver workers must meet a state training matrix through classes or by showing their skills. Spouses cannot be paid as direct care workers.
At a glance
What the state asks of PCAs who work for licensed agencies or Medicaid programs.
| Job titles | Personal assistant, direct care worker, attendant (A&D waiver) |
| Training | Training that ensures quality care. A&D waiver workers meet the state’s provider training matrix by formal training or by showing competency. Hours were not confirmed. |
| Exam | No state exam found in state sources |
| Certification | No state certificate or registry found in state sources |
| Background check | Idaho Department of Health and Welfare criminal history and background check, plus a health questionnaire |
| Yearly training | Not confirmed in state sources; ask the agency |
| Minimum age | Not confirmed in state sources for home care; ask the agency. Personal assistants in school-based Medicaid personal care must be 18. |
| Agency licensing | No state license found for non-medical agencies. Medicaid agencies enroll with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. |
Training
Idaho Medicaid personal care must be given by a registered nurse (RN), licensed practical nurse (LPN), or a personal assistant with enough training to ensure quality service. Workers in the Aged and Disabled waiver must meet the Department’s provider training matrix, either through formal training or by showing they can do the work. The number of hours in that matrix was not confirmed.
If you support someone with a developmental disability (DD) beyond physical help, you need a Department-approved DD course or experience in that field.
The steps
The usual path for a new aide.
Family caregivers
Yes, in some cases. Aged and Disabled waiver participants can direct their own care through a fiscal intermediary, and the employer of record can be a family member. Relatives other than spouses are not barred in the rules reviewed.
Spouses cannot be paid as the participant’s direct care worker.
Read our full guide: how to get paid to care for a family member.
Compare
All three help people with daily care. Training, tasks, and pay differ.
| Personal care aide | Home health aide | CNA | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Training | Varies; training matrix or shown skills | 75 hours federal minimum, including 16 hands-on | State-approved program, 75 hours or more |
| Medical tasks | Mostly not. Help with daily living, like bathing, dressing, meals, and housework | Some, like vital signs, under nurse supervision | Yes, under nurse supervision |
| Where you work | Clients' homes, group homes, assisted living | Clients' homes, through home health agencies | Nursing homes and hospitals |
| Median pay (ID) | $16.72 an hour* | $16.72 an hour* | $18.58 an hour |
*Federal pay data groups personal care aides with home health aides. Many PCAs later become CNAs, which opens more jobs and higher pay.
FAQ
Short answers to what people ask most.
No state certificate for personal assistants was found in state sources. You need training or shown skills that meet Medicaid rules, plus a background check and a health questionnaire.
Idaho does not list a fixed total in the rules reviewed. Waiver workers meet a state training matrix through classes or by showing competency.
Possibly, if she is in the Aged and Disabled waiver and directs her own care. Relatives other than spouses are not barred in the rules reviewed.
No. Idaho's waiver rules say a direct care worker cannot be the participant's spouse.
Home health and personal care aides in Idaho earn a median of $16.72 an hour, based on the May 2025 federal wage survey.