THE NEWSLETTER OF THE PERSONAL CARE ATTENDANT QUALITY HOME CARE WORKFORCE COUNCIL 
PCAs: a bridge to community living 
Volume 2 Winter 2010 

Online PCA Referral Directory Has Arrived 

by Michelle Byrd 


“Consumers of the PCA program 
have waited a long time for an 
easier way to find new helpers 
when we experience turnover.” 

—Liz Casey of Roslindale, a 
PCA employer and member of 
the PCA Workforce Council 

The long wait Liz Casey referred to is now over. The 
Council’s new PCA referral directory is now operating, 
and access is free to all people with disabilities 
who qualify for the MassHealth PCA program. 
In September, events promoting the launch of the 
directory were held in Boston and Springfield. At 
the Boston event, held at the State House, Assistant 
Health & Human Services Secretary Jean McGuire, 
Chair of the Council, noted the launch as a milestone 
in the Council’s young history. Also speaking at the 
event were Paul Spooner, Council Vice-Chair; Senator 
Steven Tolman; Rep. Barbara L’Italien; and Rebecca 
Gutman from 1199 SEIU, which represents PCAs. 

INSIDE THIS ISSUE 

2 Tips for Consumer/Employers Using the 
Massachusetts PCA Directory 
3 So You Want to Be a PCA 
5 Council Survey Shows Strong Support for 
PCA Program 
6 Labor Management Committee Gets to 
Work 
7 First Aid Training 
7 Helping Your PCA 
8 New Councilor Appointed 
(l to r) Sen. Steven Tolman congratulates the 
Council for developing the PCA referral directory. 
Rep. Barbara L’Italien speaks at the PCA 
directory launch event. 
The Council contracted with Rewarding Work 
Resources, Inc., to develop and operate the directory. 
This directory will put you, as the employer, in direct 
contact with PCAs looking for work. Consumers can 
access the online directory at www.mass.gov/findpca. 

How does the directory work? 

The directory is a searchable database where 
consumers can search for a PCA by reviewing 
the responses that PCAs have given to a series of 
employment questions. Consumers can search the 
Web site by zip code for qualified PCAs in their area 
and screen for criteria including 

• 
time of day that the worker is available to work; 
• 
whether the PCA has access to a car and/or has a 
valid driver’s license; and 
• 
the kind of work experience and/or special skills 
and training that the PCA has acquired. 
By selecting several search criteria that match their 
needs, consumers can identify the best candidates to 
interview. 

Para una versión en español, por favor llame a su Agencia de atención personal o al 617-210-5715. 


How do I access the directory? 

Consumers can access the directory from any 
computer by visiting www.mass.gov/findpca. To 
begin, click on “Establish an Account” and enter your 
MassHealth number (the process is secure and for 
verification purposes only). After you have established 
your account, you can search the database for PCA 
applicants. You can return to the directory as many 
times as you wish and can update your information 
at any time. Please see the easy-to-read “Tips for 
Consumer/Employers Using the Massachusetts PCA 
Directory” on this page for more details. 

What if I need assistance or I don’t have 
access to a computer? 

The Web site is completely accessible for people 
who use any type of assistive technology. Consumers 
needing help should contact their PCM agency and 
ask for assistance with their information. Consumers 
can also get answers to their questions by dialing 
1-866-212-9675. 

How often is information on the database 
updated? 

New PCAs looking for work are registering online 
daily. Your search of the database will always list, 
at the top of the page, the most recent applicants. 
Rewarding Work Resources and the Council will 
continue recruitment and outreach activities, 
promoting the Web site to current and new PCA 
workers. 

How can PCAs register for work on the 
directory? 

PCAs can register free by completing an online 
application at www.mass.gov/findpca or by calling the 
toll-free number at 1-866-211-WORK (9675) 
24 hours a day. 

Will the directory screen PCAs for 
employment? 

No, the directory will not screen online applicants. It 
will be the responsibility of the consumer/employer 
to check the references of all potential employees. 

The Council hopes all PCA consumers will use this 
valuable resource. Please feel free to contact the 
Council with comments regarding the directory. You 
can reach us by e-mail at pcacouncil@state.ma.us or 
by mail at the address on the back of this edition of 
The Bridge. 

1) 
Go to www.mass.gov/findpca. Click on How it 
works. 


2) 
Click on EstablisH an aCCount and complete 
all required fields marked with an asterisk (*). 


• 
remember to check tErms and 
Conditions. 
• 
Enter your massHealth number (process is 
secure and for verification purposes only)
. 
• 
Your e-mail address is your username. 
• 
You will receive a password by e-mail. You will 
be asked to change it the first time you log in. 
• 
later, you may log in from any page on the site 
by entering your e-mail address, password, and 
massHealth number. 
• 
You may change your information at any time. 
3) 
Click on ContinuE and go to aPPliCant 
sEarCH page.


• 
Enter your zip code. 
• 
From the distanCE From ZiP CodE 
pull-down menu, click on 10 miles, 20 miles, 
or whatever distance you wish. 

So You Want to Be a PCA 

One Consumer’s Perspective 


Liz Casey has been a consumer 
member of the PCA Workforce 
Council since it began 
operation in 2006. In May 
2009, Liz participated in a 
Council workshop given at the 
Massachusetts Rehabilitation 
Commission’s Annual 
Consumer Conference. Reprinted below is part of Liz’s 
presentation. To get more information on Liz Casey, go 
to www.mass.gov/pca, click on “About the Council,” and 
then click on “Council Members.” 

So you want to be a PCA. If you work as a PCA, 
a MassHealth consumer, like me, would be your 
employer, so let me tell you a bit about my life and 
your role in it. I have been employing personal 
care attendants (or PCAs) since 1990, almost 20 
years now. I would guess that over those years I’ve 
employed almost 200 people. With their help, I lead 
a tremendously satisfying life. Because of them, I 
have been able to stay in my own home in Roslindale, 
where I am surrounded by friends and neighbors 
I’ve known for years. Because of these PCAs, I have 
been able to manage my life so that I could raise my 
daughter, which has been one of my greatest joys. 

4) 
Click GEt rEsults. You will see a list of candidates 
who live near you. the most recent names will be at 
the top of the list. 

5) 
Click adVanCEd sEarCH to narrow your choices. 

• 
Click fields on the left to find the two or three 
characteristics most important to you (for 
example, “does applicant have a valid driver’s 
license?”)
. 
• 
Click on GEt rEsults at the bottom of the 
page. 
• 
sort results: Check up to three columns, such as 
City, Experience, and Certification. 
I work with the PCA Workforce Council, as well 
as the MS Society and the Boston Center for 
Independent Living, on issues that impact not only 
the disability community, but also the population in 
general, particularly when it comes to looking at the 
future of care in the home. 

My life is busy, productive, interesting, and secure, 
at least on most days. But there have been days when 
a PCA is sick or has a family emergency, and that 
has been when my life goes into a bit of a tailspin. If 
there’s no PCA, I am not getting out of bed. I won’t 
get my leg bag changed. I will not be able to eat. I 
will not make it to work commitments. I will not 
meet other deadlines. Then, when I finally do find 
somebody to get me up, we will face twice as much 
work needing to be done. It’s not a tragedy, but it sure 
is a hassle. 

Then, there are the truly hard times that I have 
watched my PCAs endure, when someone would have 
to choose between taking care of a sick child versus 
working so she could pay her bills and buy food; or 
when a person would leave me to find another job 
that had health benefits or paid time off. It was very 
frustrating and very sad for me. I try to have about six

6) 
Click on uPdatE Column oPtions for an 
overview of your choices. You may change fields and 
repeat. 

7) 
Click on ViEw to see candidate’s complete 
application. 

 
Help is available by calling toll free 
1-866-212-work (9675) or e-mailing 
eparker@rewardingwork.org. 



to-eight people working for me at once, so the shifts 
are shared among many, making it easier for people to 
cover each other for when emergencies come up. The 
time periods when I must seek out, hire, and train new 
PCAs sidetrack my regular schedule and these time 
periods happen more often than I would like. 

I think of others like me who are disabled with 
chronic conditions like the multiple sclerosis that I 
have lived with for 28 years. Many sit in their homes 
while their spouses go to work, waiting for their 
return so they can have something to eat or get help 
using the bathroom. Whether my PCAs are helping 
me get up and dressed and fed in record time so I can 
make a meeting, or helping me manage household 
tasks like mail, laundry, and dishes, I consider them 
superwomen. 

So what is it like to be a PCA? It is as varied as the 
people you work for. When people start the job, they 
are understandably nervous. Even people who have 
experience are a bit uncomfortable because I am 
literally “in their hands.” Whether my PCA is lifting 
me in the Hoyer lift or rolling me on the bed to get 
me dressed, we are just at the beginning of building a 
trust with one another. 

At the Start 

As we begin our first days together, I will say to 
a PCA, “expect to feel stupid for a while, it is 
inevitable.” There are so many tasks, from brushing 
my teeth, to stretching my legs, to changing my leg 
bag, to making sense of this crazy hair of mine, it can 
be a little exhausting to integrate everything at first. 
But after we get in the swing of things, we often enjoy 
each other’s company, making jokes, sharing morning 
yawns, and talking about common interests while we 
work. 

Without the help of my PCAs, my life falls apart very 
quickly; they are my lifeline. Think of all the things 

you do in a day. Now imagine asking somebody to 
do them all for you, and do them your way! I tease 
my helpers and call them multi-multi-multitaskers. I 
am so grateful to my PCAs, because they are the ones 
who enable me to live the full life I lead. 

They get me up in the morning, get me dressed, fix 
my breakfast, and feed it to me. After assisting me 
with my personal care needs, they help me with the 
house, dishes, laundry, mail, and picking up. You 
know the drill that we all do around our houses 
day to day. Imagine asking somebody to help you 
do every one of those little things. It can be a little 
overwhelming, but before I scare you away from this 
type of work, let me tell you a little bit about the 
positives. 

For any of you who have cared for someone who 
is dependent on you, you know the feeling of deep 
satisfaction when you make an impact on his or her 
life. Whether it is a child, or an elderly grandparent, 
or a person who has dependency needs due to a 
disability, when you care for someone who needs your 
help, you usually find a better part of yourself, and 
that is real wealth. 

Over the years, I have become personal friends with 
many of the PCAs who have worked for me. I stay 
in touch with former helpers who are all over the 
country and beyond. At times my roster of PCAs has 
looked like the United Nations, including persons 
from Ireland to India, South Africa to Romania. 
I have been to seven weddings of my PCAs. As a 
bonus, photos of beautiful babies arrive on a regular 
basis. 

Now is a really good time to become a PCA.You 
have many people fighting for your rights as workers: 
consumers, the union, and members of government. 
So please take this opportunity to consider becoming 
a PCA, a chance to do gratifying and meaningful 
work. 


Council Survey Shows Strong Support for PCA Program


Council member Denise Harvey asks a question 
during a presentation on the results of the 
consumer survey. Seated to her right is Councilor 
Joe Tringali. To her left are (l to r), Councilors Joe 
Bellil and Paul Spooner 
As reported in the last edition of The Bridge, the 
PCA Workforce Council commissioned a survey of 
consumers of the MassHealth PCA program. The 
Council contracted with JSI Research & Training 
Institute, an internationally known public health 
research and consulting firm, to plan, conduct, 
and analyze the survey. Staff from JSI conducted a 
telephone survey of approximately 500 consumers or 
their surrogates, interviewed more than two dozen 
people knowledgeable about the program, and hosted 
a series of focus groups that provided more in-depth 
information. The results of the survey were presented 
to the Council at the April 2009 meeting. 

The survey evaluated the following areas. 

• 
Consumer needs 
• 
Paid and unpaid assistance 
• 
PCA recruitment and retention 
• 
Administrative issues 
• 
Consumer satisfaction 
• 
Consumer recommendations for improving the 
program 
Survey data was collected from 381 consumers 
and 121 surrogates. Some of the survey results 
were surprising. For instance, 61% of respondents 
reported no turnover of PCAs in the past 12 months, 
and 57% said they were able to find and hire a PCA 
within one week or less. Consumer satisfaction with 
the administrative aspects of the program was at 
86%, while satisfaction with the services provided by 
their primary PCA stood at 96%. 

Higher wages and better benefits for PCAs were 
the most frequent recommendation (29%) for 
improving the program. The second-most-frequently 
cited recommendation was to expand the scope of 
services covered under the program (16%). From 
the focus groups, interviews, and surveys, consumers 
consider the most important benefits of the PCA 
program to be the following. 

• 
Increased quality of life 
• 
Relationships with PCAs 
• 
Consumer-directed nature of the program 
• 
Ability to live independently 
A PowerPoint presentation of the survey results is 
available at www.mass.gov/pca. 

Worker’s Compensation 

Has your PCa missed work because he 
or she was injured while working for 
you? Have you told your PCa that you 
are covered by worker’s compensation 
insurance? a recent survey showed that 
more than 30% of PCas were unaware 
that they could apply for worker’s comp if 
they missed work due to injury. tell your 
PCa today. details are available from your 
fiscal intermediary. 



Labor Management Committee Gets to Work


The first part of Article 8 of the labor agreement 
between the Council (representing MassHealth 
consumers) and 1199SEIU (representing MassHealth 
PCAs) states: 

In recognition of our mutual commitment to the success 
of the Council and the continued growth and stability 
of the PCA program, the Union and the Council shall 
establish a Labor Management Committee (LMC) to 
discuss topics of mutual interest. 

Labor management committees are a traditional 
feature of unionized operations, with representatives 
from both sides sitting down to resolve individual, 
procedural, and other practical problems that can 
arise in administering any labor agreement. 

The unique nature of the consumer/PCA 
employment relationship, however, has meant that 
labor relations, like many other aspects of the PCA 
program, will have a number of distinctive aspects. 
The LMC began meeting in early 2009. Representing 
the Council are members Joe Bellil, Liz Casey, and 
Paul Spooner. Jack Boesen, Council Director, is also 
a member of the LMC. Representing the union are 
PCAs Vicente de la Rosa, Brenda L. Lopez, Louis S. 
Wagner, and Lizete Rosa. Rebecca Gutman, Home 
Care Director for 1199SEIU United Healthcare 
Workers East, also serves on the LMC. 

Liz Casey said, “I was eager to join this committee, 
as it provides a real opportunity to foster the 
cooperation that should be the cornerstone of the 
Council’s relationship with 1199SEIU.” At the 
initial meeting of the LMC, the members agreed that 
decisions would be made by consensus rather than 
through voting. Liz Casey and Rebecca Gutman were 
elected co-chairs of the LMC. 

The first issue taken on by the LMC was the number 
of late payments of wages being made to PCAs. 
Although some late payments are caused by the late 
or incorrect filing of time sheets and related issues, 
both sides felt that the payment system itself should 

be reviewed. With assistance from Lois Aldrich, 
Director of the MassHealth PCA program, the LMC 
held a meeting attended by MassHealth staff, staff 
from the PCM agencies responsible for evaluating 
and training consumers, and staff from the fiscal 
intermediaries (FIs). The two-hour meeting included 
brainstorming, asking questions, and learning on the 
part of all participants. As a result, a protocol was 
developed for how PCAs should proceed if their check 
does not arrive on schedule (see list below). 

The union and the workforce council have also taken 
up in the labor management committee the issue 
of paid time off and have committed to using the 
forum to discuss additional training opportunities for 
PCAs. In the words of Rebecca Gutman, “The labor 
management committee is a great opportunity for 
PCAs and PCA employers to come together to discuss 
issues of mutual concern. Most often, PCAs’ and 
employers’ interests are very similar, and when there 
are differences, the labor management committee 
provides a good process for exploring creative 
solutions.” 

Procedure for PCAs to follow when they are 
missing a paycheck or receive an inaccurate 
paycheck 

1) 
The PCA must first directly address the issue 
with his or her employer upon not receiving 
a paycheck, or receiving a paycheck the PCA 
believes is inaccurate. 

2) The employer should then contact the FI or PCM 
directly to resolve the issue. 

3) 
If the employer is unable or refuses to contact the 
FI or PCM directly, the PCA may contact the FI 
or PCM directly about the payroll issue. 

4) 
If the payroll issue is due to the consumer’s lack 
of sufficient hours, the PCA should request that 
the employer contact the PCM agency. If the 
employer is unable or refuses to contact the PCM 
directly, the PCA may contact the PCM about 


Helping Your PCA 
Tips for Consumer/Employers 
Want to make sure your PCA gets his or 
her check as soon as possible? Here are 
a few things you can do. 
1. Ask your PCA to complete the directdeposit 
form provided by the fiscal 
intermediary. 
2. Be sure to complete all the 
paperwork required by the fiscal 
intermediary when hiring a new PCA. 
This paperwork must be completed 
and sent to the fiscal intermediary 
before the PCA can be paid. 
3. Be sure to send completed and 
signed timesheets for each PCA to 
the fiscal intermediary immediately at 
the end of each pay period. As the 
PCA’s employer, you are required by 
law to pay your PCAs within six days 
of the end of each pay period. 
the issue. The PCM agency cannot share personal 
information with the PCA, but will investigate 
further to determine what action, if any, can be 
taken to resolve the matter. 
5) Employers must abide by the laws and regulations 
of the Department of Labor, and must hire PCAs 
to work only the number of hours authorized by 
MassHealth. Failure to do so may result in PCAs 
filing a nonpayment-of-wage complaint against 
the employer with the Attorney General’s Fair 
Wage and Labor Division. 
First Aid Training 
The PCA Workforce Council 
has added first aid courses to the 
training opportunities offered to 
MassHealth PCAs. 
These courses will include the following. 
• Assessment of emergency situations and injury 
treatment 
• Basic Life Support: Review of CPR, Heimlich 
maneuver, and automated external 
defibrillators (AEDs) 
• Allergies, anaphylaxis: use of Epi-pen 
• Practicing self-care: preventing injury and disease 
transmission 
• Planning for emergencies 
The Council recommends that participants complete 
a CPR certification course before enrolling in the 
First Aid course. 
All working PCAs are welcome to attend at no cost. 
Check our Web site (www.mass.gov/pca) for the next 
available CPR and First Aid course offerings. 
7

New Councilor Appointed 


The PCA Quality Home 

Care Workforce Council 

members and staff are 

pleased to welcome 

attorney Denise Harvey 

as a new member of the 

Council. Ms. Harvey 

was recommended by the 

Massachusetts Home Care 

Association and appointed 
by Attorney General Martha Coakley in February 
2009. Ms. Harvey has a son receiving PCA services 
on whose behalf she acts as a surrogate. 

Denise Harvey has been practicing law since 1988. 
She received her B.A. from Regis College and her 
law degree from Suffolk University Law School. She 
has spent her legal career litigating civil and probate 
matters, particularly those relating to employment 
and civil rights, fiduciary disputes, and guardianship 
matters involving elders and disabled individuals. 

Ms. Harvey also worked pro bono for more than 
10 years preparing estate and guardianship plans for 
clients of both the AIDS Action Committee and 
the Home Hospice of Whidden Memorial Hospital. 
She is an active volunteer with Friends of Beverly 
School for the Deaf and was a founder and director 
of the North East Center for Conductive Education, 
an organization providing innovative therapy for 
children with cerebral palsy. 

Ms. Harvey is a long-time advocate for the rights of 
people with disabilities. As a member of both the 
PCA Workforce Council and the North Shore Aging 
and Disability Resource Consortium, Ms. Harvey 
will continue supporting the effort to keep elder and 
disabled persons at home, rather than in nursing 
facilities, through the use of PCAs and other supports. 

Contribute to the Bridge 

the bridge is a newsletter for massHealth members 
who use PCa services. we are very interested in your 
letters, articles, and thoughts about the PCa program 
and improving the PCa workforce. Please send your 
ideas to pcacouncil@state.ma.us. we can’t promise to 
print everything we receive, but all submissions will 
receive our serious attention. For consumers without 
e-mail, please call 617-210-5715 or forward your ideas 
to the address on the back of this edition of the bridge. 

How to Contact Us 

PCA Council 

600 Washington Street, Room 5189 
Boston, MA 02111 
Telephone: 617-210-5715 
Web site: www.mass.gov/pca 
E-mail: pcacouncil@state.ma.us 

Staff: Jack Boesen, 

Director 

Michelle Byrd, 

 
Executive Assistant 

Please share this publication with your PCA.