SFC Guide
How to Choose an SFC Agency in Georgia:Questions to Ask
Check an SFC agency's Georgia license and Medicaid enrollment first, then ask how it supports caregivers. Here are the questions and your rights.
To choose a Structured Family Caregiving (SFC) agency in Georgia, first confirm the agency is licensed and enrolled with Georgia Medicaid, then ask how it will support you as a caregiver day to day. The choice is yours. Georgia's EDWP rules say services are arranged based on the member's choice, and you can ask for a different provider later.
SFC lets a relative who lives with a Medicaid member be paid to provide their care. The agency handles the paperwork, coaching and pay. A good fit makes the work easier. A poor fit can make a hard job harder.
This guide covers how to check an agency with the state, the questions worth asking, and the rights you keep after you choose.
Choosing an SFC agency at a glance
- Who chooses: the Medicaid member, or their representative
- When: once the member is approved for EDWP and services are being arranged
- Check first: a Georgia private home care license and Medicaid enrollment
- Where to check: the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) facility search
- Ask about: health coaching, training, pay schedule, backup care and how to reach them
- If it does not work out: you can ask your care coordinator about moving to another provider
Do you need to qualify for SFC before you pick an agency?
Yes. SFC is a service inside Georgia's Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program (EDWP). The DCH EDWP fact sheet says the Area Agency on Aging decides eligibility and the type of services needed. An agency cannot approve your loved one for SFC on its own.
Before agency choice matters, these things need to be true:
- Your loved one is eligible for EDWP, including Medicaid and a nursing home level of care
- A family caregiver lives in the home with them
- The caregiver meets the SFC caregiver rules, including a background check
- SFC is part of the care plan your loved one agrees to
Our SFC requirements checklist covers each rule in detail. Not sure yet? Our eligibility form is a quick first check.
How can you check that an SFC agency is legitimate?
Start with public records. They take a few minutes and do not depend on what an agency tells you.
Look up the license
Use the DCH Find a Facility search. It offers license verification and inspection reports for programs the state licenses.
Read inspection reports
Look for the most recent reports. Note any problems and ask the agency how they were fixed.
Confirm Medicaid enrollment
Ask the agency to confirm it is enrolled with Georgia Medicaid to provide SFC in your county.
Check the posted license
The EDWP general services manual says providers must post proof of licensure where the public can see it.
The DCH GaMap2Care page links to the Find a Facility search. It also explains how to file a complaint about a licensed program.
Why the license matters
Georgia's private home care provider rules (Chapter 111-8-65) say no private home care provider may operate without a state license. The EDWP general services manual (Section 605.1.3) goes further for Medicaid providers. It requires a permanent, unrestricted license. A provisional license is not enough.
The manual (Section 606.9) also says new SFC providers can only apply to enroll during a set window each year. So an agency that is still "getting approved" may not be able to serve you yet.
What questions should you ask an SFC agency?
Ask every agency the same questions, and write down the answers. Then compare.
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Are you licensed by DCH and enrolled with Georgia Medicaid for SFC in my county? | Both are required to serve Medicaid members. |
| Who will my health coach be, and how do we stay in touch? | The DCH notice that added SFC describes ongoing support from a health coach. You want to know who to call and how they respond. |
| What training do you give new caregivers? | Training should match your loved one's needs, such as dementia or mobility. |
| How do I submit daily notes? | SFC caregivers document care. A simple system saves time every day. |
| When and how am I paid? | Pay should be clear. At A1-GA, SFC caregivers are paid by direct deposit every two weeks. |
| How is the pay amount decided? | The amount is set by the loved one's assessed level of care, not by the agency's sales pitch. |
| What happens if I get sick or need a break? | Ask how they help arrange backup care or respite. |
| Who answers the phone after hours? | The general services manual expects providers to be reachable and to respond to member calls promptly. |
| What happens if my loved one goes into the hospital? | You want a plan before an emergency, not during one. |
What should the service agreement include?
Georgia's private home care rules require a written service agreement. It must be between the client and the provider that actually delivers the care.
The rules say the agreement should list:
- The services to be provided
- How often visits happen and how long they last
- Contact numbers for the provider and for the state
Read it before you sign. The EDWP general services manual (Section 605.1.11) says agreements must be readable by the member. They cannot ask the member to give up legal rights.
What rights do you keep after you choose?
Choosing an agency is not a life sentence. Several rules protect your loved one after services start.
- Choice of provider: the case management manual (Section 1829) covers the member's choice of EDWP provider.
- Re-brokering: the general services manual says that if a provider cannot deliver services, the care coordinator moves them to another provider.
- A say in care: the manual says members or their representatives must be involved in care decisions.
- Written rights: providers must have written member rights and responsibilities policies.
- Complaints: DCH takes complaints about licensed programs online or at 1-800-878-6442, according to its GaMap2Care page.
If you want to change agencies, start with your care coordinator. They arrange EDWP services and can explain the steps.
Which waiver-based caregiving programs pay family members in Georgia?
SFC is one option, not the only one. Georgia has other programs, and each has its own rules about who can be paid. Our guide to Georgia caregiver programs that pay family members compares them. If you are wondering about a spouse, read whether a spouse can be paid as a caregiver in Georgia.
How A1-GA Healthcare Agency helps
A1-GA Healthcare Agency is a Georgia DCH-approved Medicaid home care provider in Norcross, serving metro Atlanta. We have provided in-home care since 2008 and staffed caregivers since 2004.
We encourage families to check us the same way they would check anyone else. Ask us every question in the table above. Our SFC service page explains how we support family caregivers, and our guide to Structured Family Caregiving in Georgia explains the program.
- Phone: 678-446-1832
- Hours: Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
- Email: info@gahac.com
- Get in touch: visit our contact page
- Quick check: fill in our eligibility form or visit our eligibility page
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if an SFC agency is licensed in Georgia?
Use the Georgia Department of Community Health's Find a Facility search, linked from its GaMap2Care page. It offers license verification and inspection reports for licensed programs. You can also ask the agency to show its posted license.
Who chooses the SFC agency?
The Medicaid member, or their representative, chooses. Georgia's EDWP manuals say care coordinators refer members based on member choice and provider availability. An agency cannot assign itself to your loved one.
Can we switch SFC agencies later?
You can ask. Start with your care coordinator, who arranges EDWP services. Georgia's general services manual also says a care coordinator moves services to another provider if a provider cannot deliver them.
Can an SFC agency guarantee approval or a pay amount?
No agency can guarantee approval. Eligibility is decided through the Area Agency on Aging, the EDWP assessment and Medicaid. SFC pay is set by the loved one's assessed level of care.
Where can I complain about a home care agency in Georgia?
The Georgia Department of Community Health takes complaints about the programs it licenses. Its GaMap2Care page lists an online complaint form and the complaint intake line, 1-800-878-6442.
Sources
- Georgia Medicaid: Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program (EDWP) fact sheet
- Georgia Medicaid: EDWP CCSP and SOURCE General Services manual (July 2026)
- Georgia Medicaid: EDWP CCSP and SOURCE Case Management manual
- Georgia DCH: Rules and Regulations for Private Home Care Providers, Chapter 111-8-65
- Georgia DCH: GaMap2Care and Find a Facility
- Georgia DCH: Public notice on adding Structured Family Caregiving to EDWP
This article is for education only. It is not legal, medical or financial advice. Speak to a qualified professional about your situation before you act.
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