Empowering adults to thrive through family-style living and personalized care.

Our Adult Foster Care (AFC) program provides adults who cannot live independently with a safe, family-style living environment. Trained caregivers provide daily personal care, meals, and companionship, helping members maintain their independence, dignity, and a strong sense of community.

Donate Now

Download AFC Program Brochure

Our AFC Program Offers

Personalized Care Plans

Individualized supports based on each member’s medical and personal needs.

Qualified Caregivers

Trained caregivers provide 24-hour supervision, meals, and companionship in a family-like setting.

Ongoing Support & Oversight

MCS nurses and care managers visit regularly to ensure quality, safety, and compliance.

Who Qualifies

To qualify for MCS Adult Foster Care individuals must meet MassHealth criteria and the following requirements:

Be 16 years or older.
Be unable to live alone due to medical, physical, cognitive, or mental condition.
Need daily assistance with one or more Activities of Daily Living (ADLs).
Be willing to live with a qualified caregiver (not a spouse or legal guardian).
Be eligible for MassHealth or able to pay privately.
Be referred by a primary provider or Aging Service Access Point.
Not require continous skilled nursing care.

Caregiver Role & Compensation

Caregivers are independent contractors who provide meals, personal care, and companionship. They receive a tax-free stipend and monthly payments for room and board.

Visit MassHealth’s Provider Bulletin Page

Current Rates

Level I Service: $27/day

Level II Service: $51/day

Room & Board: 75% of members’ Social Security Benefit

Rates are determined by MassHealth 101 CMR 351.00

Ongoing Support & Oversight

Our multidisciplinary team, including nurses and care managers, conducts alternating monthly visits to every AFC home. This ensures continuous monitoring, guidance, and member well-being.

As of August 2025, nurses visit every other month, alternating with care manager visits so that each member receives one visit per month. A community support specialist may conduct up to three non-consecutive visits per year.

Program Surveys

At MCS, feedback from caregivers and stakeholders is vital to improving the AFC and Shared Living programs. We use surveys to evaluate the quality of care, communication, and overall satisfaction within these programs.

Explore Past Survey Results:

View caregiver and stakeholder feedback in the

Placement Services Survey Archive

Frequently Asked Questions

What is required of caregivers?

Caregivers will receive a tax-free stipend to provide daily support with personal care needs in a family setting rather than a nursing home or other residential facility. Caregivers provide meals, companionship, personal care assistance and 24-hour supervision. They may be individuals, couples or families.

Caregivers submit invoices bi-monthly for care payment.

What expenses does Room & Board cover?

Additional funds, as determined by the representative payee, will be available for spending outside of the items mentioned.

* A private bedroom meeting the standards of MassHealth regulations, including a bed, lamp, bedding (seasonally appropriate), sheets, or towels.
* Hygiene and sanitary products.
* Food (including healthy snacks and school lunches)
* Money for any temporary caregiving arrangements outside of approved alternative caregiving in an MCS AFC-qualified setting.

What determines if services are Level I or Level II?

Level 1 Service: The MassHealth agency will pay the level I service payment rate if a member requires hands-on (physical) assistance with one or two of the ADL’s listed below or requires cueing and supervision throughout the task in order for the member to complete the activity.

Level II Service: The MassHealth agency will pay the level II service payment rate for members who require hands-on (physical) assistance with at least three of the ADL’s described below or hands-on (physical) assistance with at least two of the activities and management of behaviors that require frequent caregiver intervention.

What requirements must I meet for MassHealth to qualify for AFC?

Masshealth requires that the member has a medical or mental condition that requires daily hands-on (physical) assistance or cueing and supervision throughout the entire activity for the member to complete at least one of the following activities successfully:

Bathing: A full-body bath or shower or a sponge (partial) bath that may include washing and drying of face, chest, axillae (underarms), arms, hands, abdomen, back, and peri-area plus personal hygiene that may include the following: combing or brushing of hair, oral care (including denture care and brushing of teeth), shaving, and, when applicable, applying make-up.

Dressing: Upper and lower body, including street clothes and undergarments, but not solely help with shoes, socks, buttons, snaps, or zippers.

Toileting: Member is incontinent (bladder or bowel) or requires assistance or routine catheter or colostomy care.

Transferring: The member must be assisted or lifted to a different position.

Mobility (ambulation): Member must be physically steadied, assisted, or guided during ambulation, or is unable to self-propel a wheelchair appropriately without the assistance of another person.

Eating: If the member requires constant supervision and queuing during the entire meal, or physical assistance with a portion or all of the meal.

Management of Behaviors that include but are not limited to
* Wandering: moving with no rational purpose, seemingly oblivious to needs or safety
* Verbally abusive behavioral symptoms: threatening, screaming, or cursing at others
* Physically abusive behavioral symptoms: hitting, shoving, or scratching
* Socially inappropriate or disruptive behavioral symptoms: disruptive sounds, noisiness, screaming, self-abusive acts, disrobing in public, smearing or throwing food or feces, rummaging, repetitive behavior, or causing general disruption; or
* Resisting care

Caregiver Testimonials

The staff is very knowledgeable and supportive.

Annoynmous2023 Caregiver Survey

The staff have been exceptionally caring and compassionate. My daughter feels very good about the kindness and friendship and concern that staff have nurtured in their relationship.

Annoynmous2024 Caregiver Survey

The staff at MCS has been very professional, knowledgeable, and friendly. We greatfully appreciate all their help.

Annoynmous2023 Caregiver Survey

My daughter looks forward to seeing both her caseworker and RN.

Annoynmous2024 Caregiver Survey

I really appreciate the care and support we get. I also want to add that very satisfactory is almost too low for how I would rate all services and personnel that I have engaged with at MCS. Such a personalized, compassionate, understanding, and educated crew!

Annoynmous2025 Caregiver Survey

We have been with the MCS program for quite sometime now they exceed our expectations.

Annoynmous2025 Caregiver Survey

Ready to learn more about our Adult Foster Care program?

DONATE NOW