At a glance
Who it's for
Floridians 60+ who need help with daily activities and want to stay at home
Income limit
None, but it generally isn't for people already getting Medicaid long-term care
Cost
A co-payment on a sliding scale, based on income
Waitlist
Often, yes. Abuse and neglect cases are served first.
How to apply
Call 1-800-96-ELDER (1-800-963-5337) or your local Aging and Disability Resource Center

A lot of Florida families fall into the same gap. Dad has a pension and some savings, so he's well over the Medicaid limits. But a home health aide five days a week costs more than he takes in, and he isn't ready for assisted living. He just needs someone to help him shower safely, do some housework and make sure he eats.

That's who Community Care for the Elderly, or CCE, was designed for. It's a state-funded program, managed by Florida's Department of Elder Affairs and delivered through local lead agencies in every county, that helps people 60 and older stay in their own homes.

Who qualifies

The requirements are short:

There's no income limit. That surprises people. The tradeoff is that CCE generally isn't for people already receiving Medicaid long-term care, and most clients pay a co-payment based on income.

Florida law puts people who have been referred by Adult Protective Services as victims of abuse, neglect or exploitation at the front of the line.

A woman walking beside an older woman in a wheelchair in a park at sunset
Photo: Dominik Lange on Unsplash

What CCE can provide

Each person gets a care plan built around what they need, not a fixed package. Services may include:

What your parent actually receives depends on the assessment, the local provider network, and available funding.

How to apply

  1. Call 1-800-96-ELDER. Or call your parent's Area Agency on Aging directly. Ask specifically about Community Care for the Elderly.
  2. Complete the intake. A specialist asks about your parent's health, daily abilities, living situation and income. Be specific about what your parent struggles with.
  3. Waitlist or assessment. If funding is available, a case manager schedules an in-home assessment. If not, your parent is placed on a waitlist ranked by need.
  4. Care plan and co-pay. The case manager builds a care plan, explains the co-payment and arranges providers.
  5. Annual reassessment. The case manager reassesses at least once a year, and you can ask for one sooner if your parent's needs change.

Ask for both CCE and the Medicaid screening If your parent might one day need more help than CCE can give, ask the helpline to screen them for the Medicaid long-term care waiver during the same call. The waiver waitlist can be long, and being on it early costs nothing.

About the co-payment

CCE uses a sliding-scale co-payment. Your parent's income determines the amount, and the case manager calculates it during the assessment. A few practical notes:

CCE, HCE, Medicaid: which one?

Program Best fit
CCE Parent 60+ who needs some help at home and isn't on Medicaid
Home Care for the Elderly Parent living with a family caregiver who needs a small monthly subsidy and supplies
Medicaid long-term care Parent with nursing-home level needs and low income and assets
Alzheimer's Disease Initiative Parent with dementia and a caregiver who needs respite

Many families move through more than one of these over time.

What the case manager will likely ask to see

  • Photo ID and Social Security number
  • Proof of income (Social Security award letter, pension statements)
  • Medicare and any other insurance cards
  • A list of doctors, diagnoses and medications
  • Any power of attorney or health care surrogate document
  • Contact information for family caregivers

Expect the same questions again at each annual reassessment. Keeping the answers and documents in a DokuDocs vault means the reassessment takes ten minutes of prep instead of an afternoon.

While you wait

If your parent ends up on the waitlist, a few things can help in the meantime:

A small step that pays off later CCE is often the first program a family uses, and it won't be the last. Every program after this one will ask for the same ID, income proof and legal documents. Scan them once into DokuDocs and you'll stop hunting for them.

Questions families ask

Is CCE free?

Not always. Most clients pay a co-payment based on a sliding scale tied to income. Clients referred by Adult Protective Services may have it reduced or waived. Ask the case manager how the co-pay is figured for your parent.

Can my parent get CCE and Medicaid at the same time?

CCE is meant for people who aren't receiving Medicaid long-term care. Many families use CCE while their parent waits for a spot in the Medicaid waiver, then transition once Medicaid starts.

How long is the CCE waitlist?

It depends on the county and available funding. People referred by Adult Protective Services are prioritized by law. Others are ranked by need, so report any change, like a fall or hospital stay, that increases it.

Can CCE pay a family member as the caregiver?

CCE services are delivered by contracted provider agencies, not paid to family members directly. Ask your local agency whether any consumer-directed options exist in your area.

This guide explains public programs in plain language. It is not legal, medical or financial advice. Program rules, dollar amounts and phone numbers change, so confirm details with the agency before you apply. DokuDocs is not affiliated with any government agency.