Consumer-Directed Personal Attendant (CDPA)

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Description of a CDPA

The Consumer‐Direct Personal Attendant (CDPA) position empowers a person with disabilities to recruit, hire, train and supervise their own personal attendant(s) to assist with Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL). The program has an upper limit of 28 hours per week of attendant services.

CDPA Work Settings and Populations Served

• Works with adults with disabilities
• Can work in a person’s home, on the job or in the community with the person being served

Hiring Requirements

• A person may not be hired as CDPA if that person has ever been:
• Convicted of a crime, except for convictions for Class D and E crimes over 10 years old if the conviction did not involve a victim who was a patient, client or resident of a health care entity
• Any specific documented findings of abuse, neglect or misappropriation of property of a resident, client or patient

Be at least 17 years old

Complete instruction and on-the-training as determined by the individual receiving services

Be certified as competent by the individual receiving services (i.e., able to follow oral and written instructions, use of adaptive and mobility equipment, able to perform transfers and assist with mobility, able to assist with health maintenance activities, and competent

CAREER

A person who is certified as a CDPA can move into the following positions with additional education:

Health Services:

• PSS
• CRMA
• Home Health Aide
• CNA
• CNA-M
• LPN
• Medical Assistant
• Nursing Degree

Human Services:

• MHRT-1
• DSP
• CIPSS
• MHRT-C