09103-Personal Assistance Services

Personal Assistance services are used to help a person with a developmental disability perform tasks and maintain their safety. The use of Personal Assistance services is often the key to a person being able to successfully live in the home of his or her choice.  While some training may occur, the completion of the task is the primary focus of the service.  Personal Assistance services are provided via a fiscal management service or employer of record.  It is imperative that the planning team consider, based upon the needs of the individual, how the Personal Assistance is identified, trained, and directed regarding the provision of their services.  For adults not living with their family, the planning team must ensure appropriate oversight of Personal Assistance.  If that cannot be assured, an alternative service methodology should be pursued such as Independent Living Services (ILS) or Supported Living Services (SLS).  In Home Support Services (IHSS) must be utilized first if available as a Generic Resource. 

Personal Assistance Services could include: 

1. Support with Personal Hygiene:
2. Bathing, grooming, dressing, using the restroom, etc.
   1. Support with Housekeeping: 
3. Dusting, sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, dishes, etc.
   1. Support to access the community at large:
4. Community access for required activities such as travel support, banking, grocery shopping, medical appointments, employment setting
   1. Supervision for safety at home and in the community
   1. Other miscellaneous activities: 
5. Such as help with mail, bills, and correspondence

Personal Assistance Services do not include: 

1. Skilled medical care such as administering injections, physical therapy, inhalers, oxygen use, wound dressing, feeding tubes, or suctioning. *Exceptions may be possible.
2. Services to entire households, though it may be possible to support multiple individuals served by the regional center in a single household. 
3. Does not include an expectation to train or teach new skills as the Personal Assistance service is designed to complete the task.
4. Does not replace family responsibility including funding of day care for children.

PROCEDURE:

1. Designing the Plan:

Determining the services and supports for an individual begins with the person-centered planning process. When a planning team indicates the need for personal assistance services, the service coordinator will perform the following:

1. Determine if Personal Assistance is the best means to provide needed service by considering the following:
   1. Does the person live with a family member who can provide that support? Does it exceed the level of parent responsibility based on the child’s age?
   2. Is there another service which will meet the need such as respite, ILS, SLS, homemaker, day care, family supports, IHSS, behavioral services, medical services, etc.? If a person needs Personal Assistance services, these should not be authorized at a higher cost level of service such as for nursing or SLS.
   3. What is the extent to which generic services have been accessed? Does the planning team have Award Letters, IEPs, or letters of denials to confirm those have been pursued? Did the service coordinator support the family in accessing generic resources that may be available to the person served?  
   4. Does the planning team have confidence personal assistance will successfully be identified and employed by a fiscal management service?
   5. If the person served is an adult, is there another provider/service in place to provide oversight to the personal assistance and support the person in appropriately supervising the personal assistance with frequent, regular contact? Or;
   6. Does the person live with a family member who can provide oversight of the personal assistance?
   7. Will the service accomplish an IPP goal related to the individual’s developmental disability?
2. Based on identified goals, the planning team will determine service hours needed to accomplish the activity. A Schedule of Services Needs Assessment (Attachment A) should be completed to outline existing TCRC and generic resources funding and to identify when Personal Assistance services will be used. For example, the schedule will allocate the day program hours or educational hours (if a person is home schooled, the typical school day hours should be identified) or IHSS hours used during the week. Please see Attachment B for a sample of a completed Schedule of Services Needs Assessment form. Submit the completed form to your manager for consultation and authorization of services.
3. Develop an Individual Program Plan (IPP) outlining the broad goal of the service and define the specific supports to be provided and expected schedule of service throughout the month. For example: PA hours will be used Wednesdays and Fridays from 3 to 5 pm for a total of 17.2 hrs./mo.
4. Ensure personal assistance is provided under Employer of Record through a fiscal intermediary or by registered employee of a vendored service provider for Personal Assistance services.  The Planning Team to review best possible source of providing needed service and cost effectiveness. 
5. The service coordinator to ensure planning team identifies potential worker/s.  Once identified, service coordinator will refer the worker to the EOR/FMS service for hiring activity.  Personal Assistance may not provide direct support prior to completing hiring process via EOR/FMS.  Personal Assistance may also register to provide IHSS services.
6. The service coordinator may authorize up to a maximum of 25 hours per month as recommended by the planning team to be reviewed annually or upon request.  

Exceptions: Tri-Counties Regional Center recognizes that some individual needs are so unique that they may not be addressed within this procedure which may require an exception. Such requests for an exception to a Service Policy will be made through the Planning Team and exception process.

• Ending the service:

The team should recommend ending the service when at least one or more conditions below are met:

1. The individual served no longer benefits from the service. 
   1. The planning team has determined that the service is not effective. 
   1. The individual no longer wishes to participate in this service.
   1. The service need is too great to achieve the desired outcome, the services being requested of a personal assistant are outside the parameters of those deemed appropriate for Personal Assistance services, or the personal assistance is not being adequately supervised to ensure appropriate implementation of service, or IHSS and/or IEP supports are not being fully utilized and may accomplish needed goals.
   1. Individual has moved to another setting that does not allow for Personal Assistance services (i.e. licensed facility, family home agency, etc.).

Attachment A

Schedule of Services Needs Assessment For (period)_____________________

Individual Served ________________   SC__________   UCI _________________   Date  __________

    Attachment B

Schedule of Services Needs Assessment For (period)__Feb’18-July’18_________

Individual Served __An  Jo___   SC_Monse A___   UCI _123456____   Date  _2/1/18_

Revision Date: November 2025