Connecticut Community First Choice (CFC)

Community First Choice (CFC) is a HUSKY Health (Connecticut Medicaid) benefit that lets people who need an institutional level of care hire and direct their own personal care attendants at home. For the wider picture, see our Connecticut Long-Term Care Medicaid guide.

Figures change periodically. Double-check current amounts before relying on them.

At a glance

Item	Details
Type of program	Community First Choice (state plan home care benefit)
Who runs it	Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS)
Age	HUSKY members of any age
Care need	An institutional level of care
Connecticut 2026 income rule (long-term care)	Nursing home: no fixed cap (income must be less than the cost of care). Home care waiver: $2,982 a month
Connecticut 2026 asset limit (single applicant)	$1,600
Waiting list	No. It is a state plan benefit

Connecticut CFC in brief

To sum up, Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS) oversees Connecticut CFC. Who it is for: hUSKY members of any age. Care need required: An institutional level of care. On waiting lists, the current picture is: No. It is a state plan benefit. The sections below repeat these points with more detail, and our state guide covers the Connecticut rules that apply to every long-term care program. Families weighing Connecticut CFC against other Connecticut options can use the related pages at the end to compare programs side by side.

What the program is

CFC in Connecticut is self-directed. The participant (or a representative) is the employer: they recruit, hire, train and supervise their attendants, and a fiscal intermediary handles payroll. A support and planning coach helps write a service plan and budget. CFC can be used alone or with a waiver such as CHCPE.

Connecticut CFC rests on a federal option called Community First Choice, which brings extra federal money for attendant care offered through the regular Medicaid program. As a state plan benefit, it has no enrollment cap. Typical services are hands-on help with daily activities, skills training and backup systems such as emergency alerts.

Who qualifies in 2026

To get Connecticut CFC, a person generally has to meet each of these:

Has full HUSKY (Connecticut Medicaid) coverage
Meets an institutional level of care
Lives in the community
Is able to self-direct care or has a representative who can

Income and assets. Connecticut CFC requires full Medicaid eligibility under Connecticut’s long-term care financial rules. The income and asset figures in the table above are Connecticut’s 2026 Long-Term Care Medicaid figures from our state guide. Connecticut DSS’s countable assets do not usually include the home (within the equity limit, if the applicant or a spouse lives there or intends to return), one car, personal belongings and a small burial fund. If only one spouse needs Connecticut CFC, spousal impoverishment rules protect assets and income for the other. See Spousal impoverishment rules.

About the level-of-care assessment. Connecticut DSS’s assessment covers daily activities, from bathing and dressing to toileting and medications, plus memory and safety. A nurse or social worker working with Connecticut DSS usually does it in person, wherever the person is living. Have a relative present to describe the hard days, and keep a medication and diagnosis list handy. See Nursing home level of care and Activities of daily living.

What services it can pay for

Services depend on the person’s assessed needs and written care plan. Depending on the plan, they can include:

Personal care attendant services
Help with household tasks tied to care
Support and planning coaching
Backup systems such as emergency response
Transition costs for people leaving an institution
Items that increase independence, within the budget

The menu is broad, but the plan is built from need, and unpaid family help is factored in. If needs change, ask for a new assessment.

Directing your own care and paying family

Connecticut’s CFC is built around self-direction: the participant hires their own attendants with a budget, a coach and a fiscal intermediary.

How to apply

Applying usually involves two decisions: one about money (financial eligibility for Medicaid) and one about care needs. In plain terms, the steps are:

Make sure the person has HUSKY coverage.
Apply for CFC with DSS (an online application is available).
An assessment is done to confirm the level of care and set the budget.
Work with a support and planning coach to write the plan and hire attendants.

For the paperwork, use our documents checklist before applying for Connecticut CFC; Applying for a waiver explains the general process.

Waiting lists

CFC is a state plan benefit with no slot limits.

More on how lists work: Waiver waiting lists.

How it relates to nursing home Medicaid

CFC participants meet an institutional level of care, the same as nursing home residents. CFC lets them receive help at home. Financial eligibility follows HUSKY rules described in our state guide.

Where the nursing home rules still apply. As in nearly every state, Connecticut’s financial rules for home and community programs follow its nursing home rules closely. The five-year look-back still matters: a transfer for less than fair value can delay payment for long-term care services. Connecticut DSS can also use estate recovery to seek repayment for long-term care services received after 55. People who keep income above a set allowance may have to pay part of it toward their care each month.

Income in a nursing home. In 2026, Connecticut lets a nursing home resident keep $75 a month for personal needs; the rest of their income mostly pays toward care. Details are in our state guide.

Tips for families

Start early. If there is a waiting list or a slow assessment, the clock usually starts when you ask, not when the crisis comes.
Keep copies of every Connecticut CFC form, notice and letter, and write down the name of each person you speak with and the date.
Use your appeal rights. Notices that deny or reduce services explain how to request a fair hearing; acting quickly can protect current services.
Report changes promptly, including income, assets, a move or a new living arrangement.
Plan for renewals. Medicaid and the care assessment are both renewed, usually once a year. See Renewals.
Think about the spouse at home. Couples have extra protections, but they have to be claimed. A certified Medicaid planner or a legal aid office can explain how the rules apply to a particular family.

Common questions

Can I hire my daughter? Yes. Eligible family members and friends can be hired if they meet the qualifications and pass the required background checks. Spouses, legally liable relatives, conservators and guardians cannot be paid. Your representative or employer of record cannot also be your paid caregiver.

Is there a waitlist? No.

Can I use CFC with CHCPE? Yes, many people combine CFC with a waiver.

Last updated for 2026. General information only, not legal or financial advice. Medicaid Answers is a free educational resource published by Medicaid Answers Foundation.