Home and community services

Personal care assistance

Personal care assistance (PCA) is a Minnesota health care program that provides services to seniors and people with disabilities to help them remain independent in the community. PCA workers provide covered services in a person’s home or in the community.

Community First Services and Supports (CFSS) transition

The department has begun to transition people who use the Consumer Support Grant and personal care assistance (PCA) services to Community First Services and Supports. After Oct. 1, 2024, when the county or tribal nation conducts a person's reassessment, they will give people who now use personal care assistance services information about how to transition to CFSS.

Personal care assistance and support options

Services

PCA covers these four basic categories of services:

  • Activities of daily living (ADLs): Activities a person needs to carry out on a daily basis to remain healthy and safe. The covered ADLs are dressing, grooming, bathing, eating, positioning, transfers and mobility.
  • Instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs): Activates a person needs to carry out on a regular basis to remain independent. Examples include shopping, paying bills and meal preparation.
  • Health-related procedures and tasks: Tasks such as supporting a person with self-administered medications or help with range of motion exercises.
  • Observation and redirection of behaviors: Monitoring a person’s behaviors and redirecting them to more positive behaviors when needed.

CFSS covers the same services with additional options. For more information.

Community First Services and Supports (CFSS)

Eligibility

To be eligible for PCA, a person must:

  • Live in the community and not a facility, such as a hospital or nursing home.
  • Be able to direct care or have a representative who can direct care on their behalf.
  • Be enrolled in one of Minnesota’s health care programs (Medical Assistance, MA waiver/Alternative Care). Some people on Minnesota Care are also eligible.
  • Have an assessment that determines they are eligible.

The person’s county, tribal nation or managed care organization conducts the assessment. The eligibility for Community First Services and Supports (CFSS) is the same as the eligibility for PCA. For more information.

Eligibility for Community First Services and Supports

Options

All people who use PCA select from two service options, traditional PCA and PCA choice.

Similarities

In both options:

  • The person selects a PCA provider agency.
  • The person directs their services.
  • The person has a say in who their PCA worker is.

Differences

In traditional PCA, the agency is responsible for all employment-related tasks. In PCA Choice, the person is responsible for some employment-related activities:

  • Recruiting
  • Hiring
  • Training
  • Supervising
  • Scheduling
  • Arranging for backup workers.

New

Beginning Oct. 1, 2024:

  • Spouses and parents of minors may be paid to provide PCA services.
  • People must select a CFSS model when they transition to CFSS.

Access

Person currently using PCA

During the transition to Community First Services and Supports, a person’s lead agency (their county, tribal nation or managed care organization) will conduct the person’s assessment as normal. The lead agency assessor will authorize six months of PCA services and discuss the person’s CFSS service options with them at the time of the assessment. For more information.

Community First Services and Supports transition timelines (VIDEO)

Person not currently using PCA

People who do not use PCA or CSG may contact their local county agency or tribal nation or their managed care organization to request an assessment for CFSS services.

County and tribal directory

Community First Services and Supports

The department is in the process of transitioning the PCA program into Community First Services and Supports (CFSS).  

Community First Services and Supports

Frequently asked questions

For the answers to frequently asked questions about personal care assistance.

Frequently asked questions about personal care assistance

Resources

PCA Choice

People who use PCA Choice recruit their own workers.

People who use PCA Choice may consult the Recruitment and retention in supports for Minnesotans with disabilities (PDF).

Recruitment and retention in supports for Minnesotans with disabilities (PDF).

Enhanced rate

Enhanced rate

Some PCA work is eligible for an enhanced rate. For more information.

Enhanced rates or budgets and training stipends for support workers

Appeals

A person may appeal the results of their assessment using the Appeal to State Agency form, DHS-0033.

Appeal to State Agency form (PDF)

Maltreatment

All PCAs and PCA agency staff are legally required to report suspected maltreatment. Report suspected maltreatment of adults using the Minnesota Adult Abuse Reporting Center mandated reporter form. Report suspected maltreatment of children by contacting the child’s county or tribal nation: Contact us: Minnesota's county and tribal child protection agencies.

Directory of county and tribal child protection agencies     Minnesota Adult Abuse mandated reporter form

Report suspected fraud in the PCA program by visiting the Office of the inspector general's Report fraud webpage.

Office of the inspector general's Report fraud