Best Care

A Personal Care Assistant (PCA) is a trained worker who helps people that need support to take care of their day-to-day activities and who are on a state program (Medical Assistance, waiver programs, or Alternative Care). Personal assistance services help individuals live and work within their own communities. PCAs help people who need support to take care of daily living needs because of disease, a disabling condition, or complications related to aging. Personal care assistance services must be deemed medically necessary as determined by an assessment. The assessment must find that the person needs help to complete at least one of eight activities of daily living or exhibit Level 1 behavior. The four categories of services that a person can receive assistance in are: * Activities of Daily Living: eating, toileting, grooming, dressing, bathing, transferring (such as getting in and out of bed), mobility, and positioning * Health-related functions, which, under state law, can be delegated or assigned by a licensed health care professional to be performed by a PCA * Instrumental Activities of Daily Living: meal planning and preparation, managing finances, shopping for essential items, performing essential household chores, communication by telephone and other media, and participating in the community * Redirection and intervention for behavior including observation and monitoring If you are enrolled in Medical Assistance, a waiver program, or Alternative Care, there are two possible ways that you may receive PCA services in Minnesota: * You may select an individual worker (where you are responsible for hiring, supervising and firing) * You may hire a home care agency who selects and oversees your worker If you choose to hire your own workers, you will also choose a PCA Choice provider (usually a home health agency) as a fiscal intermediary. The PCA Choice provider is responsible for billing the Department of Human Services (DHS) for PCA services and paying your PCA workers. PCA has begun transitioning to Community First Services and Supports (CFSS). Individuals currently using PCA will transition to CFSS at their next reassessment.

03/20/2026