Personal Care Attendant

Personal care assistance is provided in the home to people with disabilities or a chronic, disabling disease who need assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs).

A Personal Care Attendant (PCA) is a person who does things for you that you are physically unable to do yourself. A PCA also helps you do things that would take an exceptionally long time to do on your own. The duties of the PCA vary, depending on the nature of your disability and your daily schedule.

We can help:

Evaluate to determine how much help you need
Facilitate the recruitment of a PCA
Provide guidance on how to train and manage a PCA
Explain the paperwork process involved with having a PCA

Who We Serve:

Persons ages 3 and up who need hands-on, physical assistance to complete at least two activities of daily living
Persons with a chronic or ongoing disability or illness which affects their functional ability to complete activities of daily living
Persons who are able to manage the PCA Program (hire, train, and schedule PCAs and submit timesheets)

Learn More About Our PCA Program

Frequently Asked Questions

What are PCA services?

Help with bathing or grooming
Help with dressing and undressing
Mobility, such as transfer, walking or using equipment to get around
Taking medications
Range of motion exercises (passive range of motion: physically assisting a member to perform range of motion exercises
Eating: physically assisting a member to eat, including assistance with tube feeding and special nutritional and dietary needs
Toileting: physical help with bowel and bladder needs/care
PCAs can also assist with laundry, shopping or housekeeping, as well as other special needs such as maintaining wheelchairs or transportation to medical appointments.

Who is responsible for hiring and managing the PCA?

The individual is responsible for hiring, firing, training and managing his or her own Personal Care Assistant (PCA). The consumer is the employer and the PCA is the employee.

What if I am unable to manage the program myself?

If a person cannot manage the program themselves, they are able to name someone they know as a Surrogtae or Administrative Proxy who can help them to manage the program.

PCA Vaccine Mandate Information

MassHealth recently sent out a communication to all Consumers, Surrogates, and PCAs regarding the PCA vaccine requirement.

Vaccine Attestation forms should NOT be sent to MassHealth, PCMs, or FIs. Instead, individual Consumer-employers and PCAs may retain these attestation forms for their own records, as needed.

If you have vaccine related questions, please contact the LTSS Provider Service Center, as they are prepared to take these calls:

Phone: 1-844-368-5184
Email: support@masshealthltss.com

If you or a loved one is a MassHealth member who receives hands-on support from a Personal Care Attendant (PCA) but are struggling to access these services during the COVID-19 outbreak, call the MassOptions hotline at 1-844-422-6277.

Notice about Families First Coronavirus Response Act PCA Paid Sick Leave
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Mass PCA Directory is sponsored by the PCA Workforce Council and it offers a comprehensive and current list of people in Massachusetts who are ready to provide personal care and consumers who are hiring PCAs.
Visit www.masspcadirectory.org to get started!