Personal Care Attendants (PCAs): Selecting and Hiring

4.2.2 Personal Care Attendants (PCAs): Selecting and Hiring
Louisiana Statewide Transition Project and Louisiana: Healthy and Ready to Work Fact Sheet Series
	07/28/99

I. WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

Personal Care Attendants (PCAs) can provide support and/ or assistance to young adults with disabilities by supporting or assisting with personal care that is related to activities of daily living. PCAs may provide this support/assistance at home, on the job, and/or in the community. By providing such a service, a PCA can help foster a more independent lifestyle.

When a PCA is needed, it is very important to carefully select the right person for the job. It critical to remember that PCAs not only need to be willing and able to carry out all of the demands of the job, but also be personally compatible with the young adult for whom they are working. There are also legal and financial matters to consider when selecting and hiring a PCA. Issues such as checking references, conducting background checks, and withholding taxes must be thoroughly investigated and understood.

II. KEY POINTS

Before beginning the search for a PCAs young adults should have determined how to pay for these services. Some agencies that fund services do not give funds directly to the young adult who requires the PCA, rather they contract with service providers or "vendors" to provide such services. PCA services funded through the Medicaid Home and Community-Based Waiver administered by the Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities (OCDD), are provided through vendors. Young adults eligible for these funds may choose a vendor to provide PCA services. The fact that the PCA works for a vendor does not necessarily mean that they will meet the unique needs of a particular young adult, therefore, young adults should conduct a personal needs assessment in order to identify and define tasks. They should also interview several potential PCAs provided by the vendor before choosing their PCA. Paperwork that must be completed under such programs is minimal, often consisting only of a brief checklist or daily log.

Some agencies, such by Louisiana Rehabilitation Services (LRS), do give funds directly to the young adult. Young adults receiving these funds have increased responsibilities, as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) classifies them as an employer of "household employees". If cash wages paid during a calendar year to a PCA total $1,000 or more, young adults will have to pay state and federal employment taxes on wages paid to their PCA. These must be reported on both the young adult's federal and state income tax returns. For more information on federal tax requirements, contact the IRS. For more information on state tax requirements, contact the Louisiana Department of Revenue (see the Resources/Contacts section of this fact sheet).

When selecting PCAs, it is important for young adults to choose two or three applicants that meet the job qualifications and with whom they feel compatible. Young adults should always check references, paying particular attention areas such as dependability, honesty, and working with others. Young adults should also consider having a background check done on the candidates they would like to hire, so that any relevant, non-disclosed information that may impact employment may be discovered. Background checks are conducted by local and/or parish law enforcement agencies for a small fee.

When choosing PCAs, young adults should consider hiring at least two people. This will provide backup support in the event that the primary PCA becomes ill, has a personal emergency, or suddenly quits. It is also important to ask those applicants not hired if they would be interested in the position should it reopen in the future.

III. ROLES/NEXT STEPS

Students/Young Adults:

Self-advocacy and self-determination skills can be very helpful when utilizing the services of a PCA. Young adults must learn how to articulate what they want and/or need, and also how to advocate for themselves to get it. By learning and practicing self-advocacy and self-determination skills while still in high school, young adults can gain the experience needed to be successful employers of PCAs.

Young adults should make sure they understand the policies and guidelines of agencies providing funding for PCA services. It is important to request clarification on the roles and responsibilities of the young adult.

Young adults must learn about all of the possible tax requirements associated with hiring a PCA. They should contact the Louisiana Department of Revenue and the IRS to get more information. If assistance is needed, young adults should request it from family members and/or service providers.

Young adults should make sure that those people and agencies that are helping the plan and prepare for their transition to adulthood know of their desire to utilize PCA services. They can request that those supporting them help identify skills needed to be successful in this endeavor, and that they provide instruction and assistance relating to those skills.

Families:

Family members should assist young adults when investigating the policies and guidelines of various agencies that fund PCA services. They may also need to assist young adults with paperwork associated with PCA services such as daily logs, tax forms, etc.

Family members can assist young adults in the selection process by helping them maintain records and perform reference checks.

Agencies:

Agencies that provide PCA services should strive to make their policies and guidelines empowering to the young adult utilizing these services. Agency personnel should work with both young adults and PCAs to foster communication and conflict management skills in order to facilitate better relationships.

All agency personnel involved in transition planning should support young adults in their quest to be self-determined. By listening to young adults and respecting their thoughts, opinions, and dreams, agency personnel can help young adults advocate for themselves and reach their goals. Local education agencies (LEAs) and adult agencies should offer self-advocacy/self-determination training to young adults. These skills are very useful when working with PCAs.

When requested, all adult agency personnel should attend Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings at which transition to adulthood is discussed. LRS counselors, OCDD personnel, and others have valuable information that must be shared with teachers, families, and young adults wishing to utilize PCA services. If the young adult is already using the services of a PCA, then he/she should also be invited to be a part of the transition planning process.

IV. RESOURCES/CONTACTS

Department of Health and Hospitals

Division of Home and Community-Based Waiver Services

PO Box 91030

Baton Rouge, LA 70821

225-219-4280

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

Central Area Distribution Center

PO Box 8903

Bloomington, IL 61702-8903

Phone: 800-829-1040

TTY/TDD: 800-829-4059

Website: http://www.irs.ustreas.gov

Household Employer's Tax Guide

Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service

Publication Number 926 (Revised November, 1998).

Catalog Number 64286A

Available via Internet at:

http://ftp.fedworld.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p926.pdf

or by contacting the IRS at the phone number or address listed above.

Louisiana Department of Revenue

225-925-7537

Website: http://www.rev.state.la.us

Centers for Independent Living:

New Horizons, Inc. (Shreveport area)

318-865-1000

Resources for Independent Living, Inc. (New Orleans area)

504-522-1955

Southwest LA Independence Center, Inc.

318-477-7194

(Each center has satellite offices in surrounding communities)

Louisiana Rehabilitation Services (LRS)

925-4131 (in Baton Rouge) or 800-737-2958*

Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities (OCDD)

225-342-0095*

(*Contact these state offices in order to get the number of the regional office nearest you.)

For more information on how to obtain a background check on potential employees, contact your local and/or parish law enforcement agency.

V. REFERENCES

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) (November, 1998). Household employer's tax guide for wages paid in 1999. Washington, DC: Internal Revenue Service, Department of the Treasury.

Ludlow, Catherine D. (1995). Getting From Here to There: A Manual on Personal Assistance, The Training Partnership Project: A. J. Pappakikou Center.

Ulicny, Gary, R., Jones, Michael, L. (1987). Step by Step Guide for Training and Managing Personal Care Attendants, Research Training Center on Independent Living: University of Kansas.