Colorado · personal care aide (PCA)
Colorado does not set a minimum number of training hours for personal care workers. Instead, workers at licensed home care agencies must pass a competency evaluation and skills check before working on their own, and the state offers free online Colorado Direct Care Training. Colorado also lets spouses and parents of minor children be paid caregivers.
At a glance
What the state asks of PCAs who work for licensed agencies or Medicaid programs.
| Job titles | Personal care worker, homemaker, attendant (CDASS), direct care worker |
| Training | No hour minimum. Required homemaker and personal care topics, with free Colorado Direct Care Training (CDCT) modules online. |
| Exam | Agency competency evaluation and skills check, with in-person observation, before you provide care |
| Certification | No state certificate or registry found in state sources |
| Background check | Colorado criminal history check within 90 days before hire, plus a Colorado Adult Protective Services (CAPS) check |
| Yearly training | At least 6 topics every 12 months, such as behavior management, emergency procedures, infection control, first aid, and home safety |
| Minimum age | Not set in state rules for personal care workers |
| Agency licensing | Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), Class A or Class B Home Care Agency license |
Training
Agency workers learn required homemaker and personal care topics, then pass a competency evaluation and skills validation where a supervisor watches them work. The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) offers free Colorado Direct Care Training modules through its Direct Care Learning Center.
Since July 1, 2025, Medicaid personal care under Community First Choice (CFC) must come from a CDPHE-licensed Class A or B agency. In Consumer Directed Attendant Support Services (CDASS) and In-Home Support Services (IHSS), the member or the IHSS agency trains the attendant instead.
The steps
The usual path for a new aide.
Family caregivers
Yes. Through CDASS and IHSS, family members can be paid, including spouses and parents of minor children (called legally responsible persons).
Under CFC, the old 40-hour weekly cap on family attendants no longer applies, but no attendant may work more than 16 hours a day. Spouses and parents of minors can be paid for no more than 5 hours a week (260 hours a year) of homemaker services, and only two of them per member.
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 | No hour minimum; skills check required | 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 (CO) | $18.53 an hour* | $18.53 an hour* | $22.78 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 care workers was found in state sources. Your agency must be licensed by CDPHE, and you must pass its competency evaluation before working on your own.
Colorado sets no hour minimum. You must complete required topics and pass a skills check, then cover at least 6 topics every year.
Yes. Spouses can be paid through CDASS or IHSS. Spouses can be paid for no more than 5 hours a week of homemaker services, and no attendant may work more than 16 hours a day.
Yes, if she gets Medicaid home care through CDASS or IHSS. Family members can be paid attendants.
Home health and personal care aides in Colorado earn a median of $18.53 an hour, based on the May 2025 federal wage survey.