Keeping up with household cleaning isn’t always easy. For some Minnesota residents who receive home and community-based services, cleaning assistance may be covered through an approved waiver or self-directed support plan.
At Dynamic Duo Cleaning, we work with individuals and families throughout the Twin Cities who need help with cleaning services through waiver, FMS, or other approved support arrangements.
If you’re not sure how waiver-funded cleaning works, you’re not alone. Here’s a simple explanation of the process and how to get started.
What Are Waiver Cleaning Services?
Minnesota offers several home and community-based programs designed to help eligible older adults and people with disabilities continue living safely and independently in their homes.
Depending on the person’s needs and approved support plan, homemaker cleaning services may be authorized.
Minnesota DHS defines homemaker services as services that help a person manage general cleaning and household activities.
This can allow eligible individuals to receive professional help maintaining their home when they are unable to manage all of the cleaning themselves.
Some Minnesota programs that may include homemaker services include the:
- CADI Waiver
- Developmental Disabilities (DD) Waiver
- Brain Injury (BI) Waiver
- Community Alternative Care (CAC) Waiver
- Elderly Waiver (EW)
Eligibility and available services vary from person to person, so being enrolled in a waiver does not automatically mean every type of cleaning will be covered.
What Does FMS Mean?
FMS stands for Financial Management Services.
An FMS provider helps manage financial and administrative responsibilities for people who choose to self-direct certain services.
FMS providers are commonly used with programs such as Consumer Directed Community Supports (CDCS) and Community First Services and Supports (CFSS).
Depending on the program, an FMS provider may:
- Process approved payments
- Pay authorized workers or service providers
- Manage invoices and documentation
- Track spending from an approved service budget
- Help make sure services follow the person’s approved plan
In simple terms, the FMS provider may help handle the payment side of an approved service, while the cleaning company provides the actual cleaning.
Can Waiver or FMS Funding Pay for House Cleaning?
If household cleaning has been determined to be an eligible need and is authorized through the person’s support plan, funding may be available for approved homemaker cleaning services.
The exact arrangement depends on the person’s program.
For example, payment may be coordinated through:
- An FMS provider
- A county or tribal lead agency
- A health plan or care coordinator
- Another organization responsible for administering the person’s services
Before cleaning begins, the service should generally be approved and the payment arrangement confirmed.
If you’re unsure whether your current plan covers cleaning, your case manager, care coordinator, or FMS provider is the best person to ask.
What Can Homemaker Cleaning Include?
The exact services depend on what has been authorized for the individual.
Typical household cleaning may include:
- Vacuuming carpets and rugs
- Sweeping and mopping floors
- Dusting accessible surfaces
- Cleaning bathrooms
- Cleaning kitchen surfaces
- Wiping countertops
- General light housekeeping
- Laundry assistance when authorized
The goal is to help maintain a cleaner, safer, and more manageable home environment.
More extensive services, such as unusually heavy buildup, large-scale organizing, junk removal, or specialized cleaning, may not fall under regular homemaker cleaning and may require additional approval.
How Does the Process Work?
The process may vary depending on your waiver or FMS provider, but getting started usually looks something like this:
1. Contact Dynamic Duo Cleaning
Let us know that you’re looking for waiver or FMS cleaning services.
We’ll ask for a few basic details, such as:
- Your service address
- Areas you’d like cleaned
- How often you need cleaning
- Your waiver or program, if known
- Your FMS provider, if applicable
Don’t worry if you don’t know all of this information yet.
2. Confirm Your Cleaning Authorization
Your case manager, care coordinator, or FMS provider can confirm whether cleaning is included in your current support plan. They may also determine how often cleaning can be provided and the amount of service that has been authorized.
3. Complete Any Required Provider Paperwork
Depending on your program or FMS company, paperwork may need to be completed before services begin. We can provide the necessary company information and communicate with the appropriate contact when needed.
4. Schedule Your Cleaning
Once the service and payment arrangements are confirmed, we’ll work with you to schedule your cleaning based on the authorized service and our availability.
5. We Complete the Cleaning
Our cleaning team arrives and completes the approved household cleaning.
Billing or payment is then handled according to the arrangement established with your FMS provider, county, health plan, or other responsible organization.
Do I Have to Pay for the Cleaning Myself?
Not necessarily.
If your cleaning has been properly authorized and funded through an eligible program, payment may be made through the appropriate waiver, FMS, or program arrangement rather than directly by you.
However, every person’s funding situation is different.
We recommend confirming authorization before starting services so everyone understands what is covered and how payment will be handled.
What If I Already Have an FMS Provider?
That’s perfectly fine, and it can actually make getting started easier.
When contacting us, simply tell us the name of your FMS provider.
Depending on their requirements, they may ask us to provide company information, complete vendor paperwork, submit service documentation, or follow a particular billing process.
We’ll work with you to determine what is needed.
What If I Don't Know Which Program I Have?
That’s okay.
Many people know they receive waiver or support services but aren’t familiar with the specific program name or how their cleaning services are funded.
Your case manager, care coordinator, or FMS provider should be able to confirm:
- Which program you receive services through
- Whether cleaning is currently authorized
- How much cleaning assistance is available
- Who is responsible for payment
You can also contact us first, and we’ll let you know what information we need to move forward.
Can I Receive Recurring Cleaning?
If recurring homemaker cleaning is part of your approved services, we can set up an ongoing cleaning schedule.
Depending on your authorization, that could include cleaning on a:
- Weekly
- Bi-weekly
- Monthly
basis or another approved schedule.
Having a consistent cleaning routine can make it easier to maintain the home instead of allowing household tasks to build up between visits.
Waiver & FMS Cleaning Services in the Twin Cities
Dynamic Duo Cleaning provides professional cleaning services throughout the Twin Cities metro and surrounding communities. We understand that waiver and FMS clients may have additional steps involving case managers, authorizations, paperwork, and billing.
Our goal is to make the cleaning side of the process as straightforward as possible for clients, families, case managers, and support teams.
Need Help Getting Started?
If you or a family member receives waiver or FMS services and needs help maintaining the home, contact Dynamic Duo Cleaning. Let us know that you’re looking for waiver or FMS cleaning services, and we’ll help you determine what information is needed to get started.
