PERSONAL CARE ATTENDANT PROGRAM
 Mission:
To promote and support gainful employment and independent
living for persons
with traumatic spinal cord injuries by providing financial
assistance to hire personal care attendants.
The Florida Legislature created the Personal
Care Attendant Program, F.S. 413.402, in 2002 as a pilot project.
The purpose of the program is to eliminate the disincentives
preventing individuals with significant disabilities as a result of
traumatic spinal cord injuries from returning and/or maintaining
gainful employment. The program will provide eligible individuals
with financial assistance to have personal care assistance to enable
them to maintain gainful employment. In 2004 the legislation was
amended to make the pilot program permanent.
Funding for the Personal Care Attendant Program
is generated by the Tax Collection Enforcement Diversion Program and a
percentage of revenue from the Motorcycle Specialty License Plates.
The funds are deposited into the operating account of the Florida
Endowment Foundation for Vocational Rehabilitation to administer the
program.
The Florida
Department of Health is responsible for establishing an oversight
workgroup including representatives from the Brain and Spinal Cord
Injury Program, Department of Revenue, Agency for Health Care
Administration, Florida Endowment for Vocational Rehabilitation,
Florida Association of Centers of Independent Living, Department of
Education Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and two members who
are persons with traumatic spinal cord injuries, or are family
members of persons with traumatic spinal cord injuries. The purpose
of this workgroup is to oversee the implementation and
administration of the program.
In order to participate in the Personal Care Attendant Program,
you must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Must be a citizen of the United States of
America
- Must be a resident of the State of Florida
(proof to include a Florida Drivers License or Florida State
Identification Card)
-
Must
have documented spinal cord injury with functional level between
Cervical 1 and 6 (signed Medical Eligibility Form)
-
Must have a completed PCA
Program Medical Eligibility Form or a High Priority PCA Program
Medical Eligibility Form
-
Must be at least 18 years of
age
-
Must require personal
assistance for bathing, dressing, bowel and bladder management,
eating and/or transportation
-
Must require personal
assistance to maintain gainful employment
-
Must be able to hire and
manage a personal care attendant
-
Must not be eligible for SSDI
or SSI (unless in a trial work period)
-
Must be gainfully employed and
working a minimum of 32 hours per week (Employment will be
verified by Program Administrator)
-
Must be earning a minimum of
$9,960 annually and no more than a maximum of $60,000 per year
for up to a two-person family. An additional $10,000 is allowed
for each dependent.
- Must be
gainfully employed a minimum of six (6) months prior to applying
for the Program. For residents currently living in a nursing
home, there is no minimum requirement.
For Further Information or to Request an
Application, please contact:
Dan Casady, PCA Program Administrator
Mail Applications to:
PCA Program Administrator
9403 Edenton Way
Tampa, Florida 33626
Program Overview
Program Overview
(Text Version)
Program Application
Medical Eligibility Forms
PCA
Program Brochure
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