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Questions to Ask a Michigan Home Care Agency
What to ask when there is no state license to check, plus the Michigan attorney general's vetting items.
4 min read · Updated October 2026
In Florida, you can ask an agency for its state license number and verify it. In Michigan there is no such license for non-medical home care, so the vetting questions do more work. The Michigan Attorney General publishes a checklist for families and is direct about the reason: this is an unregulated industry, and suitability is up to the consumer.
1. Are you bonded, insured, and covered by workers' compensation?
This is the top item on the state checklist, and for good reason. If an unagency caregiver is hurt in your parent's home and there is no workers' compensation coverage, that risk can land on the family. Ask for proof, in writing, before care starts.
2. Have caregivers passed state and national background checks?
Ask whether the checks cover the owner as well as the caregivers, and how often they are repeated. Ask for references and actually call them.
3. Who employs the caregivers?
An agency that employs its caregivers handles payroll, insurance and supervision. Contractor arrangements move some of that responsibility onto the family. Ask which one you are getting.
4. Who supervises the care, and what happens when a caregiver calls out?
Ask who writes and reviews the care plan and whom you contact outside office hours. Ask whether the agency has a staffed backup plan or whether your family spends the morning making phone calls.
5. What are the contract terms?
Look for no long-term contract, a clear minimum shift length, and the freedom to increase, reduce, pause or stop care as things change. Everything should be in writing before the first visit.
6. How quickly can care start?
Ask about current staffing and the assessment process. Care Connect at Home can typically begin care within 24 to 48 hours of a consultation, depending on the tasks, schedule and availability. Confirm the start date rather than assuming it is guaranteed.
Use the same questions with every agency, including Care Connect at Home. Compare the answers and the written terms for the same tasks and schedule.
Written by Care Connect at Home. General information about non-medical support, not medical advice. Confirm clinical needs with a qualified professional.
Common questions
How do I check an agency in Michigan when there is no license?
Use the Michigan Attorney General's non-medical home care agency checklist. Ask for proof of bonding, insurance, workers' compensation and background checks, and call the references.
Is a full-service agency more expensive than hiring privately?
The hourly rate is usually higher, but the agency carries insurance, screening, payroll taxes, supervision and backup coverage. Hiring privately moves those costs and risks onto the family.
Talk with a care coordinator
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