Title: Personal Care Assistance (PCA) and Community First Services and Supports (CFSS)
Alternate Title:
Description: Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS)
Subject: Health Care
Health Professionals
Creation Date: 10/15/2010 2:49:00 PM
Modification Date: 8/31/2026 12:15:08 PM
Agency Name: Human Services (DHS), Minnesota Department of
Agency URL: https://mn.gov/dhs/
Agency Description:
The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) offers programs for health care, child support, food support, general assistance, nursing home care, seniors, people who are deaf, people who have developmental disabilities, foster care, child protection and adult and children's mental health services.
Agency Phone: 651-431-2000
Agency Fax: Agency URL: https://mn.gov/dhs/
Agency Address:
St. Paul
MN
55164
Audience:
Application URL:
Renewal URL:
Versa URL:
Requirements:
Review:
General information
Personal Care Assistant (PCA)
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)
Community First Services and Supports (CFSS) is a Minnesota health care program that offers flexible options to meet the unique needs of people. CFSS allows people greater independence in their homes and communities. CFSS will replace personal care assistance (PCA) and the Consumer Support Grant (CSG).
DHS will begin implementing CFSS on Oct 1, 2024. View the Timeline tab for more information about the implementation.
CFSS will cover the same main services as PCA:
- Activities of daily living, such as eating, bathing, grooming and transferring
- Health-related tasks
- Instrumental activities of daily living, such as shopping, cooking, laundry and assistance with self-administered medications
Questions/Updates
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Personal Care Assistance (PCA) and Community First Services and Supports (CFSS) Training and Tests
Click the link PCA and CFSS Workers Training to begin the training.
Personal care assistance (PCA) and Community First Services and Supports (CFSS) workers are required to pass a certification test. This training will prepare you to take the exam. You may take the training as often as needed. The training and certification exam are both free for you to take. Click the above link to begin training.
Determine which training below you need to take.
The transition of PCA agencies to Community First Services and Supports (CFSS) agencies is ongoing.
Current PCA agency owners, managers and qualified professionals who will continue in their role in CFSS need to take the CFSS transition training for PCA agencies. After completing the training, register for and pass the test. Your certification email will contain instructions on your next steps. All owners, managers and QPs at an agency need to pass the test separately.
Qualified professionals who have not yet completed Steps for Success must take the PCA qualified professional training in order to serve as the QP for someone still using PCA.
DHS is using the qualified professional training as the pre-training until CFSS rolls out.
Contact
Update Your Information in the DHS System
If you need to update your name or email address we have on file, please submit a request using this request form
Request a Copy of Your Certificate
To obtain a copy of your certificate, please go to the certification page, and enter the required information at the bottom.
If you have trouble with the certification lookup, please submit a request with this form. If you have any other technical issues,
you may send an email to dhs.dsd.learn@state.mn.us
MHCP Provider Call Center
If you have further questions about PCA or CFSS, please go to the MHCP Provider Call Center site.
Rules:
Statutes: 256b.0659
Forms:
Fees:
Period of Issuance:
The certificate is valid indefinitely.
Length of Determination:
Other Info:
Activity: License Detail URL:
Personal Care Assistance (PCA) and Community First Services and Supports (CFSS) Training and Tests
Personal Care Assistance
Community First Services and Supports
Certificate Lookup
