How CDS Works
Consumer Directed Services is a Missouri Medicaid (MO HealthNet) program overseen by the Department of Health and Senior Services. Instead of being assigned a caregiver by an agency, the person receiving care chooses their own attendant. That attendant is paid through Medicaid, at no cost to the family, and Bella serves as the agency that handles the administrative side.
Who Can Be the Paid Caregiver
The caregiver can be an adult child, grandchild, other relative, neighbor, or friend. Under program rules, a spouse and a parent of a minor child cannot be the paid attendant. No special certification is required. The caregiver must pass a background screening through Missouri’s Family Care Safety Registry.
What the Caregiver Helps With
- Bathing, dressing, and personal hygiene
- Meal preparation
- Light housekeeping and laundry
- Medication reminders
- Mobility and getting around the home
What Bella Handles for You
- Enrollment paperwork and program guidance
- Caregiver payroll and timesheets
- Payroll taxes and compliance
- Ongoing support from our office team
Many families have been doing this work for years without pay. CDS is a way to recognize that love and keep a trusted face in the home.