Maximizing Independent Living Choices Serving all of St. Lawrence and Franklin Counties
Learn what our organization can do for you.
Taking Control – Consumer Directed Personal Assistant Services (CDPAS)
Official Taking Control Website: http://www.takingcontrolny.org
WHAT IS CDPAS?
CDPAS is a non-traditional home healthcare program where the consumers are able to hire, monitor, train, and terminate Personal Care Assistants (PCA) of their choosing. Taking control allows you to direct your assistant in tasks that include, but are not limited to: bathing, dressing, eating, drinking, cleaning, cooking, errands, taking medication, and more.
AM I ELIGIBLE?
In order to use Taking Control a person must:
• Live in Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence, or Franklin Counties
• Understand and make decisions regarding your medical care. If you do not meet this requirement, you may choose someone to act on your behalf.
• Obtain an assessment through the NY Independent Assessor for hours of care.
• Be eligible for Medicaid, Medicaid Managed Care plans, or a health insurance plan that contracts for CDPAS services.
WHO CAN I HIRE?
If accepted into the Taking Control program, you can hire almost anyone to be your personal assistant, including family members, friends, and neighbors. The person hired does not have to a professional license or education of any kind. But you must have the ability to train, monitor, and direct the tasks that your assistant performs for you. At this time, a spouse is ineligible to work for their spouse. A parent may work for their adult disabled child who is 21 or older.
HOW DO I APPLY?
In order to qualify for the Taking Control program, a person must go through the NY Independent Assessor process. MILC has a step-by-step handout that explains this process. Once the assessment is completed, your insurance will authorize hours of care per week and you are able to pick a CDPAS company. It is then that MILC would enroll you to the program.
HOW DO I HIRE PERSONAL CARE AIDES?
If you have someone in mind such as a family member, friend, or neighbor – contact MILC and we will schedule them for orientation. If you do not have anyone in mind, we will link you to an Independent Living Specialist staff member to help you post advertisements and with your search efforts.
Your assistant will need to have a physical and a tuberculosis test. We will pay for the costs of both if it is not covered by the assistant’s insurance. They must also supply copies of certain vaccination records. COVID19 or Flu Vaccination is currently not required.
If they pass both exams, and all enrollment paperwork is complete, MILC works with the assistant to arrange for them to use the automated clock-in system.
Once all steps are completed, the assistant can begin working with you.
WHY SHOULD I TAKE CONTROL?
As a person with a disability, Control is a key factor for getting what you want out of life.
Working with “traditional” Personal Care Aides, this flexibility is diminished by the need to work with schedulers and nurses, creating a schedule that is very difficult to change and may actually limit independence and freedom of choice.
That’s where Taking Control comes in. This program will allow you to become the supervisor of your own personal assistants. You can hire who you like, train them in areas important to you, and supervise their work on a daily basis. Tasks are not as limited as they are in a traditional care aide plan. If a personal assistant does not work well for you, you can replace them.
WHO IS THE EMPLOYER OF THE PERSONAL CARE AIDES?
The Fiscal Intermediary for the Taking Control program is the Western NY Independent Living Center (WNYIL). The employer is both the Consumer who needs care, and the Western New York Independent Living Center. The Consumer is responsible for the entire hiring process of the PCA including interviewing, checking references, and assigning tasks. The Western New York Independent Living Center is the employer of record for the PCA. They issue payroll and all benefits to the PCA for the hours they work for the consumer. MILC is not the employer, but instead acts as the local liaison and coordination agency between the Consumer, PCAs, insurance companies, and the Western NY Independent Living Center. MILC offers help to navigate the CDPAS system, provides enrollment services to both the consumer and PCA, time-card assistance, and day to day customer support.
WHERE DO I FIND MORE INFORMATION?
The Taking Control program now has a website! You will find detailed videos, documents, a consumer portal, information on the program, as well as their response to COVID-19. Click the link here: http://www.takingcontrolny.org
St. Lawrence, Jefferson, & Lewis County Phone:
(315) 764 - 9442
Franklin County Phone:
(518) 483 - 2151