What is CDPAP?
Nobody understands your family quite like your family does, especially when it comes to home health care. The Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) was born in 2000 and instantly became a monumental step forward for families in need of home health care services for those closest to them.
CDPAP is a Medicaid funded program that enables families to hire siblings, children, friends, relatives, previously hired aides, or even a trusted neighbor to be their personal care assistants. This means brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, aunts, and uncles can get paid for taking care of their relative – something they are often already doing.
Who Qualifies for CDPAP?
As a general rule to qualify for CDPAP, consumers must require assistance with activities of daily living or skilled care, have a stable medical condition, and be self-directing or have a designated representative that is willing and able to direct care as per the program’s requirements.
A significant allowance given to personal assistants under the program is that they are not required to have special certification or licensing. Additionally, those acting as personal assistants under CDPAP are given more freedom to help administer care than a standard Home Health Aide normally does. Some examples include administering skilled services such as wound care, giving insulin shots, and suctioning tracheostomies.
In November 2015, CDPAP took further strides to broaden the program’s services by expanding its availability to qualified participants. Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation to amend the NY State law defining who could and could not act as a personal care assistant. As of April 1st, 2016 the law has taken effect and now allows parents to act as personal care assistants.
Parents were originally not allowed to act as a personal assistant for their children, but have since been granted to do so for an adult child with special needs. “There is no one who understands the complex needs and challenges of a child with a disability better than a parent.” Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Morelle, a co-founder of the bill stated in an interview. “This is wonderful news for families all across New York State.”
Care You Can Trust
Who truly knows a child better than a parent themselves? A consumer’s best interests can be ensured by knowing that a loved one will be the one taking care of them.
There is no way to guarantee an outsourced home health aide will be passionate and attentive enough to provide the love and care to your family the same way you, a friend, or relative can. Through CDPAP, consumers can now feel confident in providing quality care and a quality life to the most important people in their lives.