Arkansas home care and home health consulting

How to start a home care agency in Arkansas and reach your first client faster

Arkansas splits nonmedical home care into two tracks. Private pay agencies need no state license, but their caregivers still need 40 hours of approved training. Medicaid personal care needs an ADH private care agency license, which replaced the old DHS certification in August 2025. Medicaid enrollment then adds site visits, fingerprint checks and a Medicaid number for every caregiver. Home health and hospice need a Permit of Approval before they can even apply. We put all of it in the right order for you.

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  • Christine OchimasRN, LMFT, MBA
  • All three care typesNonmedical, home health, hospice
  • Written to Arkansas rules20 CAR Part 49 and the Arkansas Medicaid Personal Care and ARChoices manuals
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  • All 50 states and DCExpand beyond Arkansas with us

Updated November 2026 · Reviewed by Christine Ochimas, RN, LMFT, MBA

Quick answer: Arkansas licenses agencies that provide Medicaid personal care as private care agencies, through the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH), Health Facility Services, under Ark. Code 20-10-2301 et seq. and 20 CAR Part 49. Private pay nonmedical agencies need no agency license, but caregivers who serve clients 50 and older must complete 40 hours of approved training under Ark. Code 20-77-2301 et seq. Home health (Ark. Code 20-10-801) and hospice (Ark. Code 20-7-117) need an ADH license and, before that, a Permit of Approval.
Arkansas path finder

Answer two questions. See exactly what Arkansas requires.

1. What care will you provide?
2. Who will pay for most clients?
Most growth

Nonmedical home care for ARChoices and State Plan Personal Care

State license
ADH private care agency license (Ark. Code 20-10-2301 et seq.; 20 CAR Part 49)
Who you deal with
ADH Health Facility Services, DHS Division of Aging, Adult, and Behavioral Health Services, Arkansas Medicaid Provider Enrollment
Must haves
Primary office in Arkansas, $1,000,000 liability coverage, ADH approved 40 hour aide training, background and registry checks, Medicaid enrollment with site visits and fingerprint checks, Freedom of Choice list, EVV
Realistic time to first client
Several months
See the ARChoices ready agency package

Orientation for Arkansas only. We confirm your exact path on the free call.

The real Arkansas problem

Three places new Arkansas agencies lose months

Each one keeps you paying rent, insurance and payroll while no clients arrive.

Following advice that is out of date

For years, Medicaid personal care agencies had to certify with the DHS Division of Provider Services and Quality Assurance before ADH would license them. Act 853 of 2025 ended that. Since August 5, 2025, personal care, ARChoices attendant care and respite providers go straight to ADH for a private care agency license, then enroll with Arkansas Medicaid. Owners who follow older guides fill out the wrong forms first.

What it costs: Weeks spent on a certification step that no longer exists while the real application waits.

Medicaid enrollment that checks everyone

Arkansas Medicaid treats State Plan Personal Care providers as high risk. That means pre enrollment and unannounced site visits, fingerprint based checks, and a Medicaid number for every caregiver who records visits in the EVV system. New providers must also ask to be placed on the DHS Freedom of Choice list for each county they serve.

What it costs: A licensed agency with trained staff and no billable visits until enrollment, caregiver numbers and county listings are done.

A clinical license you cannot apply for yet

Before ADH will take a home health or hospice license application, the Arkansas Health Services Permit Agency must grant a Permit of Approval. Home health need is counted county by county, and the October 2026 Bed Need Book shows no net need in almost every county, so most applicants must prove existing agencies are not meeting local needs. A CMS moratorium on new Medicare home health and hospice enrollment began May 13, 2026.

What it costs: Months of planning and capital tied up in a project that may not get a permit or Medicare billing.

What does a delay cost your agency?

Enter your own numbers. Nothing is stored or sent.

Spent before revenue catches up$18,000
Plan a faster launch
Know which business you are starting

Home care vs home health vs hospice in Arkansas

The three sound alike and are regulated differently. The one you choose decides your regulator, staffing, startup capital and timeline.

TopicNonmedical home careHome health (skilled)Hospice
What your staff doPersonal care, attendant care, respite, homemaker tasks and companionshipSkilled nursing, therapy, medical social work and home health aide services under a plan of carePalliative and supportive care for people who are terminally ill, and their families
State licensePrivate pay: none. Medicaid: ADH private care agency license (Ark. Code 20-10-2301; 20 CAR Part 49)ADH home health license, Class A (Medicare certified) or Class B (Ark. Code 20-10-801; 20 CAR Part 46)ADH hospice license (Ark. Code 20-7-117; 20 CAR Part 47)
Certificate of NeedNoYes: Permit of Approval from the Health Services Permit AgencyYes: Permit of Approval from the Health Services Permit Agency
Main payersPrivate pay; Medicaid State Plan Personal Care, ARChoices attendant care and respite; PASSE plans for their membersMedicare, Arkansas Medicaid, PASSE plans, commercial insuranceMedicare hospice benefit, Arkansas Medicaid, commercial insurance
MedicareNot coveredAccreditation or state survey, then Medicare enrollment. A CMS moratorium on new enrollment took effect May 13, 2026.Accreditation or state survey, then Medicare enrollment. A CMS moratorium on new enrollment took effect May 13, 2026.
Key staffAdministrator, qualified supervisor, an RN to supervise training and check aide skills, trained aidesAdministrator, clinical manager, skilled professionals, home health aides with 75 hours of trainingAdministrator, physician medical director, RN, social worker, pastoral or other counselor
Startup capitalLowestHigher: Permit of Approval work and clinical payroll before revenueHighest: interdisciplinary team before revenue
Time to first clientWeeks (private pay) to months (Medicaid)Longest: permit, licensure, survey, enrollmentLongest: permit, licensure, survey, enrollment

Many Arkansas owners start with private pay nonmedical care, then add the private care agency license for Medicaid personal care and ARChoices. Home health and hospice are a separate decision, because the Permit of Approval depends on county need and the CMS enrollment moratorium affects Medicare billing. We plan the whole path from day one so your policies, training program and hiring grow with you instead of being rewritten.

Arkansas requirements at a glance

Nonmedical home care licensePrivate pay only: no state agency license. Medicaid personal care, ARChoices attendant care and respite: ADH private care agency license.
Private care agency rulesArk. Code 20-10-2301 et seq.; Rules for Private Care Agencies in Arkansas, 20 CAR Part 49. Annual license that expires December 31.
Home health and hospice licensingADH Health Facility Services: Class A or Class B home health license (Ark. Code 20-10-801 et seq.; 20 CAR Part 46) and hospice license (Ark. Code 20-7-117; 20 CAR Part 47)
Certificate of NeedHome health and hospice need a Permit of Approval from the Arkansas Health Services Permit Agency before licensure. Nonmedical care does not.
MedicaidArkansas Department of Human Services: ARChoices in Homecare waiver and State Plan Personal Care (Division of Aging, Adult, and Behavioral Health Services); PASSE plans for members with developmental disabilities or behavioral health needs
Caregiver training40 hours of ADH approved, RN supervised training and 12 hours of in service a year for private care agency aides; 40 hours for private pay caregivers serving clients 50 and older; 75 hours for home health aides
Background screeningState criminal check through the Arkansas State Police, an FBI fingerprint check when needed, repeated every five years; Medicaid personal care adds registry checks every two years and a drug screen
Electronic visit verificationRequired for Medicaid personal care, attendant care and respite through Fiserv AuthentiCare or a third party system; home health EVV enforcement began November 1, 2026
Medicare (home health, hospice)Accreditation or a state survey, then Medicare enrollment, subject to the CMS moratorium that began May 13, 2026
Business registrationsArkansas Secretary of State (entity), DFA (withholding tax through ATAP), Division of Reemployment (unemployment insurance through Tax21)

Summary of Arkansas requirements as of November 2026. Rules change; confirm with each agency before filing.

The process

Step by step: launching a home care agency in Arkansas

The order matters. Your training program and caregiver screening should start while the ADH application is being prepared, because Medicaid enrollment follows the license and every caregiver needs training, checks and a Medicaid number before a billable visit.

  1. Form the business and register with the state

    File your LLC or corporation with the Arkansas Secretary of State, get an EIN, register for withholding tax with DFA through ATAP, open an unemployment insurance account with the Division of Reemployment through Tax21, and check your city's business license rules.

    You do this; we give you the checklist
  2. Decide your payer mix

    Private pay only needs no agency license, but caregivers serving clients 50 and older need 40 hours of approved training. To bill Medicaid for personal care, ARChoices attendant care or respite, you need the ADH private care agency license. Use the path finder above.

    Decided on your free consultation
  3. Set up the office and insurance

    A private care agency needs a licensed, fully operational primary office physically located in Arkansas and liability coverage of at least $1,000,000 for employees and contractors while they provide care. Add workers' compensation and auto coverage for caregivers who drive.

    You do this; we specify what is required
  4. Write policies to 20 CAR Part 49

    Name a governing board (it can be the owner), an administrator and a qualified supervisor. Adopt policies for organization, orientation, procedures, infection control and TB prevention, personnel records, quality assurance, complaints, client rights, Aide Service Plans and records kept at least five years after discharge.

    We write this for you
  5. Build the training program and caregiver pipeline

    Get an ADH approved aide course of at least 40 hours, supervised by an RN, with classroom and clinical instruction, written objectives and an RN skills check for every aide. Run criminal background checks, registry checks and drug screens before anyone meets a client, and plan 12 hours of in service a year.

    We set up the system and tracker
  6. Apply for the ADH private care agency license

    Request the new provider packet from Health Facility Services and submit the notarized application. ADH completes a review, an inspection or both before it issues the license, then inspects at least every three years. Renew before December 31 each year.

    We prepare the application
  7. Enroll with Arkansas Medicaid

    Apply online through the Medicaid provider portal. Expect pre enrollment and unannounced site visits and fingerprint based checks for owners and staff. Each caregiver enrolls and receives a Medicaid number, and you file the Freedom of Choice form for every county you will serve.

    We prepare and manage it
  8. Set up electronic visit verification

    Personal care, attendant care and respite visits must be verified electronically. Choose the state sponsored Fiserv AuthentiCare system or a third party system, file the Arkansas EVV Declaration Form, and complete the required Fiserv training before your first Medicaid visit.

    We walk you through setup

Caregiver training and background checks

Arkansas has three training rules, and which one applies depends on how your agency is licensed. Private care agency aides follow 20 CAR Part 49, home health aides follow 20 CAR Part 46, and caregivers at unlicensed private pay agencies follow the Rules for Home Caregiver Training in Arkansas, effective September 5, 2024.

  • Private care agency aides: At least 40 hours of ADH approved training supervised by an RN, with classroom and clinical instruction on the topics in the rule's Table 1. An RN must watch each aide perform the required skills, and the agency documents it.
  • In service training: Private care agency and home health aides need at least 12 hours of in service training every 12 months, focused on client care.
  • Private pay caregivers: Caregivers who serve clients 50 and older for an in-home services agency need at least 40 hours of approved training, including at least four hours on Alzheimer's disease and other dementias and 16 hours of physical skills with a competent demonstration. They must be 18 or older. The employer may certify the training if it keeps records of who was trained, the topic and the time spent.
  • Exemptions: CNAs, LPNs, RNs, physicians, licensed social workers, certain close relatives, court appointed guardians, unpaid helpers, people with a year of verified work in a home health agency, hospital, hospice or long term care facility, and direct care workers in DHS programs are exempt from the private pay training rule. Under Act 643 of 2025, a caregiver who already completed the training and documents it does not have to repeat it.
  • Home health aides: At least 75 hours of classroom and supervised practical training under an RN, with at least 16 hours of classroom training before at least 16 hours of supervised practical training.
  • Criminal background checks: Home health, hospice and private care agencies run a state criminal check through the Arkansas State Police under Ark. Code 20-38-101 et seq., add an FBI fingerprint check when the person has not lived in Arkansas for the past five years, and repeat checks at least every five years. Certain convictions disqualify a person from employment.
  • Medicaid personal care checks: Under the new Personal Care manual, effective January 1, 2027, each employee also needs Arkansas Child Maltreatment, Adult Maltreatment and Sex Offender registry checks at hire and at least every two years, and at least a five panel drug screen at hire.
  • Medicaid caregiver credentials: The same manual requires each personal care aide to hold an active CNA, home health aide or certified personal care aide credential and to enroll as an Arkansas Medicaid rendering provider. Caregivers who record visits in EVV already need a Medicaid number.
Start these first. An approved training program, background checks and caregiver Medicaid numbers all take time, and agencies that start them while the license application is in progress can staff their first Medicaid client as soon as enrollment is approved.
Avoid these

Six mistakes that slow Arkansas agencies down

We look for every one of these in the first week of an engagement.

Certifying with DPSQA first

What it costs
Weeks lost on a step that ended August 5, 2025 for personal care, attendant care and respite providers.
How we prevent it
Your first call ends with the current Arkansas path: ADH license, then Medicaid enrollment.

Assuming private pay caregivers need no training

What it costs
Caregivers serving clients 50 and older without 40 hours of approved training, and records that do not prove it.
How we prevent it
A training plan and records that match the Home Caregiver Training rules from the first hire.

Using a training course ADH has not approved

What it costs
Aides who cannot provide private care agency services, and an application that stalls.
How we prevent it
We build your 40 hour program to 20 CAR Part 49 and Table 1, with RN supervision and skills checks documented.

Running registry checks only at hire

What it costs
Medicaid findings once the new Personal Care manual requires registry checks every two years from January 1, 2027.
How we prevent it
A tracker that flags criminal checks, registry checks, drug screens, in service hours and caregiver Medicaid numbers.

Letting the license lapse on December 31

What it costs
Every ADH home care license runs on the calendar year, and a lapse stops Medicaid billing.
How we prevent it
Renewal dates on your compliance calendar, with the renewal packet prepared in advance.

Planning home health or hospice without checking the permit and moratorium

What it costs
Capital spent on a clinical agency that cannot get a Permit of Approval in its county or Medicare enrollment while the CMS moratorium lasts.
How we prevent it
We check county need, the Permit of Approval process and the CMS moratorium status before you commit capital.
Catch these before they cost you

In a free 30 minute call we confirm your Arkansas path, flag the mistakes that apply to your plan, and give you a fixed price to handle the rest.

Get my free Arkansas plan
How we help

Arkansas launch packages

Three fixed price packages, matched to the path you choose. Your exact price is quoted in writing after your free call, before any work starts.

Fastest start

Private pay launch

For nonmedical agencies serving families who pay privately.

  • Arkansas path and a dated launch plan
  • Policy and procedure manual written to 20 CAR Part 49 and the Arkansas Medicaid Personal Care and ARChoices manuals
  • Service agreement, client rights and care plan forms
  • Caregiver hiring and screening workflow
  • Google Business Profile setup
Ask about this package
Clinical

Home health and Medicare

For skilled home health. Hospice is scoped separately.

  • Staffing and capital timeline
  • Policies written to ADH rules and the Medicare Conditions of Participation
  • License application and inspection readiness
  • Accreditation survey preparation
  • Medicare and Medicaid enrollment support
Ask about this package

Every package: one fixed price agreed in writing · you own 100% of your agency · no franchise fees or royalties.

On your own vs a franchise vs Lunaria

TopicOn your ownHome care franchiseWith Lunaria
Who owns the businessYouYou, under the franchisor's brand and rulesYou, 100%
Ongoing feesNoneRoyalties and brand fees, usually a share of revenueNone. One fixed project fee
Knowing what Arkansas requiresPieced together from manuals and forumsA national playbook, adaptedConfirmed on your first call, then in writing
Policy manualA template, often from another stateThe franchisor's standard manualWritten to 20 CAR Part 49 and the Arkansas Medicaid Personal Care and ARChoices manuals
Medicaid credentialingOne application at a timeVaries by franchisorPackets for Arkansas Medicaid and the DHS Freedom of Choice list for your counties prepared together
Your brand and marketingUp to youThe franchisor's brand, with territory limitsYour brand, plus local search set up for you
Free download

The Arkansas home care startup checklist

Every Arkansas step in order: business setup, your payer path, policies, caregiver screening and training, Medicaid enrollment and getting found. The items to start first are starred.

  • Choose your care type and payer mix (private pay, Medicaid personal care and ARChoices, or both)
  • Form your LLC or corporation with the Arkansas Secretary of State
  • Get an EIN, register for withholding with DFA through ATAP and for unemployment insurance through Tax21
  • Check your city or county business license rules
  • Lease a primary office physically located in Arkansas
  • and 14 more steps

We send no newsletters. Your details are never shared.

Or have us do it for you
Who you will work with

Christine Ochimas, RN, LMFT, MBA

Christine founded Lunaria Care Consulting to give nurses and caregivers a direct route from "I want my own agency" to a compliant business with clients. She reads state requirements the way a reviewer does and writes policies the way a nurse would actually use them.

  • We serve owners in all 50 states and DC, with a plan written for Arkansas
  • We help through enrollment and survey readiness, not just the application
  • We tell you what we cannot promise: no one can guarantee a state or health plan decision
Talk to Christine
Make your free call count

Have these ready for your consultation

  • The care you want to provide and the clients you want to serve
  • The Arkansas cities or counties you plan to cover
  • Where you are now: idea, business formed or already operating
  • Who you expect to pay: families, ARChoices, Medicare
  • Your target opening month and rough budget

No client or patient records. We never need them for a first call.

What it costs to start a home care agency in Arkansas

ItemNotes
Private care agency licenseAnnual ADH license that expires December 31. Confirm the current license fee with Health Facility Services before you apply.
Home health and hospice licensesADH's June 2026 application instructions list $1,000 per parent home health agency and $500 per hospice facility. A Permit of Approval application comes first; confirm its fee with the Health Services Permit Agency.
Entity formation and city licenseSecretary of State filing fee, annual franchise tax report, plus any municipal license
Liability insuranceAt least $1,000,000 for private care agencies, plus workers' compensation and auto coverage
Aide training programRN instructor time, materials and skills checks for the 40 hour course, plus 12 hours of in service a year
Background checks and screeningArkansas State Police and FBI fingerprint fees, registry checks and drug screens for Medicaid staff
EVV and scheduling softwareAuthentiCare is the state sponsored system; third party systems are a vendor cost
Accreditation (home health, hospice)Accrediting organization application and survey fees
Operating reserveCovers payroll, rent and insurance while licensure, Medicaid enrollment or Medicare enrollment are pending

Fees change. Confirm current amounts with each agency before budgeting.

How long it takes in Arkansas

Private pay

Weeks, once the business, insurance, caregiver training and hiring process are in place.

Medicaid personal care and ARChoices

Several months: ADH review or inspection, then Medicaid enrollment with site visits and fingerprint checks. DHS tells new providers to allow 30 to 60 days for the Medicaid provider number.

Home health or hospice

Longest: Permit of Approval review, ADH licensure, certification survey and Medicare enrollment, subject to the CMS moratorium that began May 13, 2026.

Arkansas demand follows its population centers: Little Rock and central Arkansas, Northwest Arkansas around Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers and Bentonville, Fort Smith and Jonesboro. Rural counties in the Delta and south Arkansas are spread out, so reliable staffing and travel planning matter as much as marketing there. Medicaid families choose agencies from the DHS Freedom of Choice list by county, so the counties you list decide who can find you. Many families search for care for a parent from out of state, which makes a complete Google Business Profile and clear town pages for each community you serve important.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a license to start a nonmedical home care agency in Arkansas?

Not for private pay only. Arkansas has no agency license for private pay nonmedical care, but caregivers who serve clients 50 and older must complete 40 hours of approved training. To bill Medicaid for personal care, ARChoices attendant care or respite, you need a private care agency license from the Arkansas Department of Health.

What changed for private care agencies in 2025?

Act 853 of 2025 removed the old DHS certification step. Since August 5, 2025, personal care, attendant care and respite providers no longer certify with the DHS Division of Provider Services and Quality Assurance. They get a private care agency license from ADH, then enroll with Arkansas Medicaid.

Who licenses home health and hospice agencies in Arkansas?

The Arkansas Department of Health, Health Facility Services. Home health agencies get a Class A (Medicare certified) or Class B license under Ark. Code 20-10-801 et seq. and 20 CAR Part 46. Hospices are licensed under Ark. Code 20-7-117 and 20 CAR Part 47.

Does Arkansas require a Certificate of Need for home health or hospice?

Yes, in the form of a Permit of Approval from the Arkansas Health Services Permit Agency, which you need before applying for the ADH license. Need is measured by county, and where the Bed Need Book shows no need you must show that existing agencies are not meeting local needs. Nonmedical care needs no permit.

How much training do Arkansas caregivers need?

Private care agency aides need at least 40 hours of ADH approved, RN supervised training and 12 hours of in service a year. Private pay caregivers serving clients 50 and older need 40 hours, including dementia care and 16 hours of physical skills. Home health aides need at least 75 hours. CNAs and nurses are exempt from the private pay rule.

How do Arkansas agencies get ARChoices clients?

By holding a private care agency license, enrolling with Arkansas Medicaid as an attendant care or respite provider, and joining the DHS Freedom of Choice list for each county they serve. A DHS nurse writes the ARChoices person centered service plan, and services must be on that plan before they start.

Does Arkansas require electronic visit verification?

Yes. Medicaid personal care, attendant care and respite visits must be verified electronically, using the state sponsored Fiserv AuthentiCare system or a third party system. Home health EVV enforcement began November 1, 2026, and since December 1, 2026 claims without EVV are denied.

Is the CMS Medicare moratorium still in effect?

CMS paused new Medicare enrollment of home health agencies and hospices nationwide on May 13, 2026, for six months. It was due to end around November 13, 2026 unless CMS extended it in six month steps, and it may have ended or been extended since. Check the CMS moratoria page before you plan Medicare billing.

Is a franchise a better way to start a home care agency in Arkansas?

A franchise gives you a brand and playbook in exchange for fees and ongoing royalties. Starting independently with Lunaria costs one fixed price, and you own 100% of your agency with no franchise fees or royalties.

How much does Arkansas home care consulting cost?

Lunaria charges one fixed price per engagement, based on your path: private pay, Medicaid personal care and ARChoices, or home health and Medicare. You receive the price in writing after a free 30 minute consultation. There are no hourly charges.

Sources checked for this guide (42)

This guide is general information and reflects Arkansas requirements as we understood them in November 2026. Requirements change. Confirm current rules, fees and procedures with the Arkansas Department of Health, the Arkansas Department of Human Services, the Arkansas Health Services Permit Agency and CMS before filing. Lunaria Care Consulting provides professional consulting services and does not provide legal advice.

Reviewed by Christine Ochimas, RN, LMFT, MBAFounder, Lunaria Care Consulting · Updated November 2026

Other states: see all state guides. What we do: licensing, compliance, Medicaid enrollment and local search marketing.

Open your Arkansas agency with the steps in the right order

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