Bill > S1444

This bill aims to reform the personal care attendant (PCA) system in Massachusetts. The key provisions are: 1. The PCA Quality Home Care Workforce Council must meet at least three times per year to review developments, address concerns, and resolve issues related to the PCA system. The council must submit minutes reports to the Secretary of Health and Human Services for publication. 2. The council must establish a referral directory of PCAs and facilitate direct connections between consumers and PCAs. The directory must be updated regularly. 3. The council is responsible for the training, direction, and supervision of PCAs. Consumers can retain the right to select, hire, and terminate their PCAs, or they can transfer this right to the council. The council must develop and maintain a PCA pool to provide replacement PCAs when the primary PCA is absent or unable to work. 4. PCAs are considered public employees solely for the purposes of collective bargaining and certain employee benefits, but not for other purposes. The council is the employer for these limited purposes. 5. The bill also establishes a paid PCA surrogate program, allowing the council to reimburse certain employees or contractors for performing PCA management tasks on behalf of consumers who are unable to do so themselves.

Health and Social Services

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/S1444