TRIPIL Services - Home and Community Based Services
Attendant Care Program

The purpose of the Pennsylvania Attendant Care Program is to enable individuals with physical disabilities to perform activities of daily living. Consumers have ultimate control of their attendant care services including the right to recruit, hire, train, supervise, pay and, if necessary, terminate their attendants.

Who is Eligible?

Pennsylvania residents ages eighteen (18) through fifty-nine (59) inclusive who are mentally alert and have physical disabilities.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Consumers interested in receiving Attendant Care Services or providers interested in participating in the Attendant Care Programs may contact 1-800-757-5042

Program Services

Services provided by the Attendant Care Act 150 Program and the Attendant Care Medicaid Waiver:

• In-home personal assistance services such as help with bathing, dressing, meal preparation and housekeeping. These services recognize the consumer's right to make decisions regarding the level and intensity of care; and provide hands-on personal care services that are available at any time, dependent on the consumer's needs.
• Supports Coordination services which will assist individuals who receive waiver services in gaining access to needed waiver and other State plan services, as well as needed medical, social, educational and other services, regardless of the funding source for the services to which access is gained. Supports Coordination is working with and at the direction of the consumer to identify, coordinate and facilitate services. Supports coordination also includes intake, needs assessment, advocacy for services from local resources, and coordination of services to achieve maximum consumer input and support.
• Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS) is an electronic device which enables consumers at high risk of institutionalization to secure help in an emergency. The individual may also wear a portable "help" button to allow for mobility. The system is connected to the person's phone and programmed to signal a response center once a "help" button is activated. PERS services are limited to those individuals who live alone, or who are alone for significant parts of the day, and have no regular caregiver for extended periods of time, and who would otherwise require extensive routine supervision.
• Community Transition Services are available for set-up expenses for individuals who make the transition from an institution to their own home, apartment or family/friend/foster care living arrangement. The funds may be used to pay the necessary expenses for an individual to establish his or her basic living arrangement and to move into that arrangement. Expenditures may not include on-going payment for rent.

General Eligibility

Basic Program Eligibility Requirements for Both the Attendant Care Act 150 Program and the Attendant Care Waiver Program.

Individuals must:

1. Be at least eighteen (18) years of age but less than sixty (60) years of age
2. Be mentally alert and capable of:

• Selecting, supervising and, if needed, firing an attendant
• Managing one’s own financial affairs
• Managing one’s own legal affairs

3. Experience any medically determinable physical impairment that can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months or that may result in death.
4. Due to physical impairment(s), require assistance to complete functions of daily living, self-care and mobility.
5. Be a citizen of the United States or immigrant lawfully admitted for permanent residence
6. Be a resident of Pennsylvania

Attendant Care Program Overview

Act 150 (Attendant Care Services Act) was signed into law on December 10, 1986, and provides for the availability of attendant care services across the Commonwealth effective July 1, 1987. In 1995, Pennsylvania implemented a Federal Medicaid Waiver to access federal funding for the program.

Currently, twenty-five (25) public and private agencies provide attendant care services for mentally alert Pennsylvanians with physical disabilities living in communities throughout all sixty-seven (67) counties of the Commonwealth. Services provided are funded through Act 150, a state funded program or the Attendant Care Medicaid Waiver Program that receives matching federal Medicaid funds.