Sometimes children need extra help to complete their daily personal care routines. Children’s Personal Care Services may be able to help families and caregivers to pay for one-on-one support for a child needing additional assistance completing their age-appropriate activities of daily living, including dressing, bathing, grooming, toileting, eating and/or mobility.
To be eligible, a child must:
- Be younger than age 21
- Have Vermont Medicaid
- Be diagnosed with a health condition or disability by a licensed medical provider or clinician; and
- Need help with tasks like dressing, bathing, grooming, toileting, eating or mobility
To apply for services, the family must work with a trained assessor at their regional designated agency to complete the Children’s Personal Care application. The assessor will then send the completed application to Children's Personal Care Services to review and make a decision.
Children’s Personal Care Services is mostly a family-directed support. Families have control over who, how and when someone provides care to their child, within Medicaid guidelines.
Families or caregivers can hire the best person to meet the needs of their child. There are, however, a few rules about who can and cannot be hired - including policies relating to family members, age of paid caregiver and background checks. See the program guidelines.
Families and caregivers use a payroll agent (ARIS Solutions) to help them pay personal care attendants. The payroll agent makes sure personal care attendants (PCAs) are enrolled as employees after running background checks, the PCA is paid, state and federal taxes are paid and employees are covered by Unemployment and Workers' Compensation Insurance.
- Children’s Personal Care Services Intake Form (See a completed sample.)
- Children’s Personal Care Services Functional Ability Screening Tool (FAST)
Children’s Personal Care Services Care Plan(See a completed sample.)
- Supporting clinical and educational records (gathered by the family)
- Children with Special Health Needs Diagnosis Verification Form (for new applicants)
Children with Special Health Needs
Vermont Department of Health
280 State Drive
Waterbury, VT 05671-8360
Tel: 800-660-4427 or 802-863-7338
Fax: 802-863-6344
Email: AHS.VDHCPCS@vermont.gov