Southern Adirondack Independent Living has launched the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPA), a collaborative initiative with BRIDGES, an independent living center situated in Rockland County, New York.
This program is specifically crafted to empower consumers, allowing them to take charge of their own care and oversee their personal assistant.
CDPA represents a paradigm shift, offering a less restrictive level of care as an alternative to the conventional home health care model. Through a strategic partnership with BRIDGES, SAIL is committed to delivering both technical and practical support to individuals living with disabilities or chronic conditions, empowering them to tailor their care based on their unique plans.
In this innovative approach, each individual assumes the role of the employer for their personal assistant. The program is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for individuals with disabilities and older adults who require personal assistance at home.
Functioning as the Fiscal Intermediary (FI), BRIDGES takes on the responsibility of benefits and payroll administration for each self-directed employer. Every self-directed consumer has the autonomy to choose an FI to handle payment for their employees. SAIL not only enrolls new self-directed consumers but also provides comprehensive training on their role and responsibilities. Moreover, it offers guidance and essential materials to facilitate the process of hiring their own PA.
Those who qualify for the CDPA include individuals who are eligible for Long-Term Care; have a stable medical condition; are self-directing or, if non-self-directing, have a designated representative, and require some or total assistance with one or more personal care services, home health aide services, or skilled nursing services.
Interested individuals may reach out to Southern Adirondack Independent Living via phone at (518) 792-3537 or by emailing SAIL@SAILHelps.org.
Tyler Whitney, executive director of Southern Adirondack Independent Living, said, “This collaboration is an extraordinary way to further SAIL’s mission of assisting people in living more independently within the community.”
“SAIL and BRIDGES are organizations with the same exact mission – empowering any individual with a disability to live and lead a life of independence,” said Carlos Martinez, executive director of BRIDGES. “This partnership, to offer the best of Consumer Directed Personal Assistance to SAIL’S areas of service is the type of partnership that should have existed many years ago in order to make CDPA, through our Centers for Independent Living, more accessible. I am thrilled to partner with SAIL and to offer another choice for independence to people in the community.”