Career Pathways
Participant-Directed Personal Care Attendant
Description of a PD-PCA
Participant Directed Personal Care Attendants (PD-PCAs) provide hands‐on assistance, providing services related to his/her physical requirements for assistance with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs), including health maintenance activities, which must be activities the member would otherwise be able to do if physically or cognitively able.
PSS Work Settings and Populations Served
- Works with adults with functional or physical disabilities in the person’s home
Hiring Requirements
- A background check is required.
- Depending on the program, certain types of criminal convictions or substantiations on the Maine Registry of Certified Nursing Assistant and Direct Care Worker may prohibit employment as an attendant.
TRAINING
REQUIREMENTS
- Age required differs based on program requirements
- There is no required standardized training for attendants.
- Training and supervision is the responsibility of the person employing the attendant.
CAREER PATHWAY
A person who is certified as a PD-PCA can move into the following positions with additional training. Some career pathways include
- CRMA
- Home Health Aide
- CNA
- CNA ‐ M
- LPN
- Medical Assistance
- Nursing Degree
- MHRT‐1
- DSP
- CIPSS
- MHRT‐C