About the Program:   Consumers | Personal Assistants | Counties

What is the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP)?

Differences Between CDPAP and “Traditional” Health Care

In traditional home care programs, an agency employs the different “levels” of home care worker – “homemaker,” “personal care aide,” “home health aide,” “Licensed Practical Nurse,” and “Registered Nurse”.  Which type of worker depends on that individuals training and the level of services needed by the consumer.  It is the agency who schedules and supervises the traditional levels of workers. 

Under the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP), the home care recipient (consumer) is responsible for the employment responsibilities – recruitment, hiring, training, supervising, scheduling and terminating, if necessary, their choice of personal assistant (PA).

What makes the two programs very different are: 

1) the consumer selects the PA;
2) the consumer trains the PA exactly the way s/he wants tasks performed;
3) the consumer schedules and supervises the PA;
4) the consumer terminates the PA (if the employment relationship isn’t working.)

Since the consumer, assumes the employer responsibilities, (to recruit, hire, train, supervise and terminate), the rules shift a bit.  PAs work directly for the consumer – there is no agency “middle-man.”  The consumer directs you to complete the tasks listed in his/her county developed “Plan of Care.”

What makes CDPAP different from traditional models of home care is that consumers are legally able to train PAs to do tasks that a nurse would usually have to do.  This is possible because:  1) the consumer is training and supervising the PA to perform a task in the way that s/he wants it done, 2) there is an amendment to the Nurse Practice Act that legally allows anyone to perform tasks that typically only a nurse would be allowed to do, such as administer medications, because the consumer is training and supervising the PA.

The consumer works with a CDPAP organization, known as a fiscal intermediary (FI), who will provide administrative support.  The FI works to facilitate processes such as:  collecting paperwork, payroll, benefits and supporting consumers to navigate directing their program.

How Do You Find Work As A Personal Assistant?

While the consumer has a tremendous amount of discretion in who s/he hires as a PA, there are some rules that the New York State Department of Health has put in place.  PAs may not be a parent, spouse, or designated representative.  However, any other adult relative who does not reside with the consumer, unless such residence is necessary because of the amount of care the consumer requires, may be a PA.

Also, PAs are required to obtain all vaccinations that are required of others in the health care profession and meet all New York State and United States employment guidelines.

Since a CDPAP fiscal intermediary is not a home care agency, the FI cannot match up or send a PA to a consumer.  Most FIs provide some type of recruitment assistance for the consumer – it is best to call the FI in your area directly. 

Click here for the New York State Map to access county and CDPAP fiscal intermediary contact information. 

Personal assistants are the DNA of independence – empower a consumer and find excellent job satisfaction by working as a PA!  Good luck!