Georgia's Department of Community Health (DCH) licenses private home care providers (companion, personal care and nursing) and home health agencies, which also need a Certificate of Need. Medicaid waiver home care, through EDWP (CCSP and SOURCE), ICWP, NOW, COMP and GAPP, is paid by DCH, with claims going through GAMMIS, Georgia's Medicaid claims system; waiver members cannot enroll in the Georgia Families health plans. The change now: home health EVV (electronic visit verification) claims became mandatory on September 14, 2026.
Red means act now, amber means read it this month, grey is for the record.
Home Health Care Services, including applicable skilled nursing, now need EVV. Soft go-live was August 31, 2026, and claims have been mandatory since September 14. They must go through the State EVV solution (Netsmart) or an integrated third-party system.
The EDWP General Services and Personal Support Services manuals add rules against misleading advertising (605.1.28), set March as the only enrollment month for Structured Family Caregiving, and make consumer-directed employers responsible for GCHEXS background checks. Since April 2026, the RN must live in Georgia, not just be licensed here.
From September 1, 2026, SFC providers need internal auditing, accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), EVV, daily note review and GCHEXS checks for all caregivers. Existing providers have until September 1, 2027. New providers from March 31, 2027 must have everything at application.
DCH will not accept Certificate of Need applications for new or expanded home health services in the current batching cycle. Its next assessment of need is on or around September 30, 2026.
DCH proposed renewing ICWP for July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2031. It adds a Determination of Need-Revised screening (score of 15 or higher) and telehealth assurances, and says current policy and practice will not change. The comment period closed March 16, 2026.
Dates taken from the rules and notices as we read them.
September 1–30 is the enrollment period for all EDWP services except Structured Family Caregiving.
The April 1, 2026 notice says on or around this date.
March 1–31 is SFC-only enrollment. New SFC providers from March 31, 2027 must meet all new requirements at application.
Including NCQA accreditation, EVV and GCHEXS checks. Failure to comply means disenrollment.
Every state follows the same outline, so you always know where to look. Open a section for the detail.
Sometimes two official documents say different things. Here is what we went with, why, and what each document says, so you can judge for yourself.
The checklist carries no date, but it matches DCH's other current application checklists (such as the Home Health Agency checklist) in naming GAHLES and a 30-business-day review. The packet's web address shows it was posted March 22, 2022, and it still points to the GAMMIS portal and a 60-day review.
DCH's current rules and license checklist use 111-8-65. The EDWP Personal Support Services manual still cites the older chapter number 290-5-54.
The July 2026 FAQ and the Phase 2 checklist both name Netsmart. The undated vendor requirements and attestation, and one leftover sentence in the July 2026 EDWP Personal Support Services manual, still refer to Tellus. Ask your vendor which it uses.
The private home care rule (111-8-65-.09, the newer, amended rule written for this license type) requires a satisfactory fingerprint determination before someone serves as a direct access employee. The general background check rule (111-8-12-.06, 2019) and DCH's FAQ allow up to 30 days of supervised work while a check is pending. The grace period is optional ("may permit"), so waiting for the result satisfies both. Ask HFRD if you want to use the grace period.
Every answer was written and checked ahead of time, with the official document next to it. Nothing is made up on the spot.
Yes.
Georgia licenses private home care providers under rule 111-8-65. Private home care services include personal care tasks and companion or sitter tasks as well as nursing, so companion-only agencies are covered. The rule excludes proxy caregivers hired by the patient and home health aide services from a licensed home health agency.
$300 to apply, then $250 per service a year.
Rule 111-8-25-.03 sets a $300 application processing fee and an annual fee of $250 for each service offered (companion sitter, personal care and/or nursing), up to $750. Accredited agencies can get a 25% discount. Fees are not refundable, and a $150 late fee applies at 60 days past due.
Not without a Certificate of Need.
The home health license application cannot be completed without Certificate of Need approval from DCH's Office of Health Planning. DCH's April 1, 2026 notice says it will not accept new or expanded home health CON applications in the current cycle. Its next assessment of need is on or around September 30, 2026.
Owners, administrators and direct access staff.
Owners with 10% or more, administrators, directors, managers, and direct access employees and volunteers of private home care providers and home health agencies must be fingerprinted through GCHEXS. Licensed nurses and other licensed health professionals are exempt if their license is in good standing; certified nursing assistants are not. The private home care rule says staff need a satisfactory result before serving as direct access employees. The general background check rule allows up to 30 days of supervised work while a check is pending, but not for administrators, directors or on-site managers.
Certification, a credential, or 40 hours.
A personal care assistant needs nurse aide training and competency evaluation, a DCH-recognized competency exam or credential, or a 40-hour agency program directed by an RN or a similarly qualified health professional. Twenty hours must be done before serving clients and twenty within six months. All staff need at least 8 clock hours of training each year after their first year.
Yes, since September 14, 2026.
DCH's EVV FAQ says home health EVV had a soft go-live on August 31, 2026 and claims became mandatory on September 14, 2026. Applicable skilled nursing services are included. Visits that cross midnight should be scheduled as two visits.
Yes, if it integrates with Netsmart.
Providers may use a third-party EVV system if it integrates with the State EVV solution (Netsmart). If integration is not complete, you must use Netsmart Mobile Caregiver+ until your vendor is compliant. DCH publishes a list of third-party vendors.
September (or March for SFC).
EDWP open enrollment runs September 1–30 for all services except Structured Family Caregiving, and March 1–31 for SFC only. You must attend a DCH information session within 6 months before you apply. First-time applicants are limited to one service, except personal support with skilled nursing.
No.
Waiver members are not eligible to enroll in a Medicaid care management organization (CMO), and EDWP excludes members enrolled in Georgia Families. DCH pays waiver claims, which go through GAMMIS. The Georgia Families plans are Amerigroup Community Care, Peach State Health Plan and CareSource.
Yes, with limits.
Georgia Medicaid will not pay legally responsible relatives (spouses, legal guardians, parents of minor children) for care they already must provide. Other relatives can be paid if they meet the same training and qualifications as other caregivers. EDWP will not pay for personal care by non-relative live-in caregivers.
The official link for each document. Our own dated copies will sit next to them, so a document is still here when a state moves its website.
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