Stavros PCA

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Get A PCA

Get A PCA

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SUGGESTIONS FOR FINDING PERSONAL CARE ATTENDANTS (PCAs)

The MassHealth PCA program is a “consumer-directed “program. This means that you are the employer of your PCAs and you are fully responsible for managing your PCA program, including recruiting, hiring, scheduling and supervising your PCAs.

MassHealth is fairly flexible on who you can hire to be a PCA. However, some rules do apply.

PCAs must:

  • Be legally authorized to work in the Unites States;
  • Have a current and valid PCA provider number (issued by the Fiscal Intermediary);
  • Be employed by the Consumer and have completed all necessary paperwork required by the FI;
  • Be able to understand and carry out directions given by the Consumer or the Surrogate;
  • Be willing to receive training and supervision in all PCA services provided by the Consumer or Surrogate, including the PCA New Hire Orientation*
     
    New PCAs, hired after January 1, 2014, are required to attend a 3-hour PCA New Hire Orientation. This PCA New Hire Orientation provides new PCAs with important employment-related information about wages, benefits, fraud, abuse, neglect, and worker rights. MassHealth pays new PCAs for this time; therefore, new PCAs must attend the orientation during non-working hours.

PCAs cannot:

  • Be named on the Office of Inspector General (OIG) List of Excluded Individuals or Entities (LEIE) or any other list that excludes individuals from being paid by Medicare or Medicaid;
  • Be a family member as defined by MassHealth regulations (i.e. a spouse;  parent or adoptive parent of a Consumer who is a minor child;  or any legally responsible relative);
  • Be the employer’s (Consumer’s) Surrogate;
  • Be the employer’s (Consumer’s) foster parent;
  • Be receiving payment from any other person or entity during the hours worked for the Consumer.
  • Be paid if the Consumer is in a nursing facility or other inpatient facility; if the Consumer is also receiving AFC or GAFC services; or during the time a Consumer is attending a MassHealth day program such as Adult Day Health or Day Habilitation.

Your Skills Trainer can talk with you about things to consider when recruiting and hiring PCAs. The following are suggestion for finding PCAs.

WORD OF MOUTH

One way to reach possible PCAs is through word of mouth.   Contact people you know and ask them to tell anyone they know who may be interested in the job you have to offer.   It’s most effective when you work hard to get the word out.    Good potential PCAs might be found among friends of the family, a friend of a friend, cousins, bus monitors, school program staff, former teachers, former home-health aides, neighbors, members of your religious organization, or someone you meet through a community activity.

BULLETIN BOARDS AND POSTERS

Posting ads on bulletin boards allows you to write an eye-catching description of the job.   Your ad should include the town you live in (not the address), a brief description of the job, the hours, and who to contact for more information.   You may want to include the pay or a brief description of yourself.   At first you will need to experiment in your local area to see which locations produce the most applicants.   You may have success by placing an ad at local colleges or high schools, churches (if you ask, they may publish the ad in their newsletter), libraries, hospitals, nursing homes, and cultural clubs.

THE INTERNET

A useful tool on the Internet is the statewide Directory for Personal Care Attendants seeking work and for people like you seeking PCAs.   The Directory is accessible on line a. https://www.masspcadirectory.org/ Please review “Tips for Consumers/Employers Using the Massachusetts PCA Director” and the “Tip-Card for the PCA Directory” for instructions on how to use the Directory. Your PCM Agency can also assist you if needed.

Some people have had success using Craig’s list.  Please remember to thoroughly screen and interview PCA applicants you may find through the internet.

LOCAL NEWSPAPERS

Some Consumers have had success placing PCA ads in their local newspaper.  The newspaper will charge you to place your ad. Examples of PCA ads are provided in the “Examples of PCA Advertisements” worksheet.

OTHER

Sometimes PCAs contact Stavros to see if there are Consumers looking for PCAs.   Stavros keeps a list of this information. If you are interested in finding out more about this list, please contact Stavros Member Services at 1-800-804-1899. Please note: Stavros does not hire or make recommendations for PCAs.