Glossary of PCA and CFSS terms

CFSS (Community First Services and Supports)

A Minnesota health care program that replaces personal care assistance (PCA) and the Consumer Support Grant. It helps people with disabilities, chronic illnesses and older adults live in their own homes and communities, with more choice over who provides services and how they are managed.

PCA (personal care assistance)

The Minnesota program CFSS is replacing. It covers the same main services as CFSS, through two options: traditional PCA and PCA Choice.

Consumer Support Grant (CSG)

A Minnesota program that CFSS replaces together with PCA.

MnCHOICES

The assessment that lead agencies use to decide eligibility and the amount of services. Some lead agencies still use a paper legacy assessment with the same criteria and formula.

ADLs (activities of daily living)

Eight everyday self-care activities that a worker may help with: dressing, grooming, bathing, eating, transfers, mobility, positioning and toileting.

IADLs (instrumental activities of daily living)

Activities that support living independently in the community, such as meal preparation, laundry, light housekeeping, shopping, finances, transportation use and community participation. For people under 18, only limited IADLs are covered.

Health-related procedures and tasks

Procedures and tasks tied to a person's specific assessed health needs that a trained worker may carry out as part of PCA or CFSS.

Behavior (Level I behavior)

For eligibility, a Level I behavior is physical aggression toward oneself or others, or destruction of property, that needs an immediate response from another person. Workers may also observe and redirect behavior listed in the service delivery plan.

Qualified professional (QP)

In PCA, the professional who helps write the plan, and trains, supervises and evaluates PCA workers. CFSS replaces QP units with a worker training and development budget and more flexible supervising professionals.

Responsible party / participant's representative

An adult, age 18 or older, who directs care for a person who is assessed as unable to direct their own. DHS calls this person the responsible party in PCA and the participant's representative in CFSS. They cannot also be the paid worker.

Shared services (shared care)

An arrangement where two or three participants get services from the same support worker at the same time under a written agreement.

Assessment

The in-person (or, when allowed, remote) evaluation by the lead agency that documents a person's needs, decides eligibility and sets the amount of services to authorize. It is done each year and after a significant change in condition.

Service delivery plan (care plan)

A written document, in CFSS written by the person with help from a consultation services provider, that lists the services and supports the person chose, and how and when they are provided. The lead agency approves it.

Service agreement (service authorization)

The lead agency's authorization of services, entered in the state system after assessment, which sets the units or dollars and the start and end dates. The person receives a service authorization letter.

Consultation services provider

A DHS-enrolled provider, separate from your agency, who explains CFSS options, helps you write the service delivery plan, reviews it and gives ongoing support. You must work with one every year. You can contact several to find one who can work with you.

Financial management services (FMS) provider

A qualified organization that supports people on the budget model with employer tasks such as payroll, and helps buy goods and services in both models.

Lead agency, case manager and care coordinator

The lead agency is the county, tribal nation or managed care organization that oversees and coordinates services, approves plans and authorizes services. People on a waiver or Alternative Care work through a case manager; MCO members work with a care coordinator.

Background study

A state check that PCA and CFSS workers must pass; the provider agency or FMS provider starts it. A worker may need another background study if the person changes providers.

EVV (electronic visit verification)

An electronic system that records data about in-home and community-based service visits, required by federal law for personal care services so the state can verify that billed services were delivered.

PERS (personal emergency response system)

An electronic back-up system that a person using CFSS can buy to help them stay safe while alone in their own home. PCA did not allow this.

Sources: [1] mn.gov [2] dhs.state.mn.us [3] dhs.state.mn.us [4] dhs.state.mn.us [5] dhs.state.mn.us [6] revisor.mn.gov [7] dhs.state.mn.us [8] mn.gov [9] dhs.state.mn.us [10] mn.gov