Arizona's Licensed Health Aide program allows parents and family members to become trained, paid caregivers for children under 21 with developmental disabilities. We manage the full process, from training through employment, so you can focus on care.
The Licensed Health Aide (LHA) is an Arizona-specific credential that allows a parent or qualifying family member to provide approved in-home care for a child enrolled in DDD services. Unlike a standard caregiver role, an LHA can perform certain health-related tasks that would otherwise require a certified professional.
Eligible clients are first qualified under Private Duty Nursing (PDN) services through DDD. Once qualified, parents can elect to serve as their child's licensed caregiver through our LHA training program rather than receiving care from an outside provider. The LHA credential is approved by the Arizona State Board of Nursing, and the full process is administered through DDD.


The LHA program is for families of children under 21 who are enrolled in DDD services and authorized to receive in-home care. Eligibility generally requires that:
Your child is a DDD member with an active service plan that includes in-home care hours
Your child's care needs include health-related tasks within the LHA scope of practice
The applying family member is an adult (parent, legal guardian, or qualifying relative) who can complete the required training
Not sure whether your child qualifies? Our team can help you review your situation and determine the right pathway. In some cases, children with significant medical needs may qualify under ALTCS rather than DDD. Visit our Little Heroes First page for an overview of both pathways.
Bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, incontinence care, and meal preparation.
Transfers, positioning, range of motion exercises, and application of orthotics such as AFOs.
G-tube feeding and care, tracheostomy care, oral care and feeding, medication preparation and administration, and other tasks as authorized in your child's care plan.
Total Care Connections provides all required LHA training at no cost to the family. The program includes a self-paced training course approved by the Arizona State Board of Nursing, a combination of virtual coursework and in-person skills evaluation, a written exam and skills competency demonstration, and orientation and onboarding as a Total Care Connections employee upon completion.
The training is designed to be manageable for parents who are already providing daily care. Our team works with you to schedule around your family's needs and ensure you have the support to complete each step.

What the Program Provides
We cover all state-mandated credentialing requirements at no cost, including:
First Aid and CPR certification
Fingerprint Clearance Card
Background screening and drug screen
Direct Care Worker training
LHA-specific training and certification
How It Works


Parents of children with developmental disabilities are often already doing this work every day. The LHA program formalizes that care, compensates it, and makes sure it meets state standards.
Every family in the program is supervised by our RN case management team, with clinical oversight and hands-on support in the home. We handle training, credentialing, employment, and ongoing compliance. Our bilingual care managers are also available to guide Spanish-speaking families through the process.
The kinds of support we provide
From daily routines to specialized needs, care is shaped around what’s required at home.