The Personal Care Attendant (PCA) Program is an independent living program funded through MassHealth. It allows a client of any age who meets the MassHealth guideline of frailty to hire their own personal care attendants. Hours approved are determined ultimately by MassHealth. ESWA's Skill Trainer must do a visit first to explain the program, determine if the client meets the initial eligibility & assist with the start of the enrollment process.

The client does need to find their own worker but if they do not have one in mind, the Skills Trainer can give training and ideas as to how to find a worker. After the Skills Trainer visits, she consults with the client's physician and the ESWA Nurse to come up with a service plan to propose to MassHealth, based on the client's needs. To participate in the PCA program, the consumer must be enrolled as a employer and the worker as an employee with the IRS. Our PCA Skills Trainer can assist with the necessary tax forms. Once Masshealth has approved the amount of hours and the fiscal agency has all the tax forms in place, the worker can begin submitting timesheets and receive payment for being the client's PCA.