Mass Rehab Home Care Assistance Program:
HOMEMAKER Services

(Program was temporarily closed to new referrals from 7/13 through 9/13)

The Home Care Assistance Program
27 Wormwood Street, Boston, MA 02210-1606
Telephone/TTY 1-800-223-2559, then dial 3 or (617) 204 3853

The Home Care Assistance Program (HCAP) is part of the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission’s (MRC’s) Community Services Program. This is not a new program, but is one that is frequently under-utilized and misunderstood.

What is Home Care Assistance?
The Home Care Assistance Program provides homemaker services to eligible disabled adults who are functionally limited in meeting their own nutritional and environmental needs. The assistance of a homemaker helps individuals maintain their independence in the community

Homemaking services are defined as direct assistance with:

Homemaking services are provided either by homemakers trained and supervised by home care agencies in contract with HCAP, or by individual Home Care Assistants selected and supervised by the consumers and paid through contracts with MRC. HCAP case managers assess applicants for eligibility, coordinate service provision in conjunction with the home care agencies and assist consumers with information and referral as needed to advance independent living goals.

Eligibility:
An individual is eligible if he or she meets all of the following criteria:

Some people with disabilities are not eligible for HCAP:

What are the income limits?

If you get Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC), or Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled, and Children (EAEDC), you are financially eligible for HCAP.

Otherwise income must be no greater than 300% of the Federal Poverty Levels/Guidelines (scroll to 300% chart, near bottom of page).

-Above from www.massresources.org/home-care-assistance-program.html (Site closed 3/15)

To Apply:
Telephone/TTY 1-800-223-2559, then dial 3 or (617) 204 3853. Anyone can make a telephone referral to the HCAP Intake Coordinator. If the referral is made by someone other than the applicant, the Intake Coordinator will call the applicant to confirm the information.

Case Managers will collect financial data, medical documentation and in-home evaluation information before making a determination about eligibility and the number of service hours allowed. It generally takes 3-4 months to process an application, determine eligibility and arrange for services.

What Else You Should Know: The Home Care Assistant (HCA) Option:
If a HCAP member chooses to hire a Home Care Assistant (HCA) rather than using a contracted agency, the process is similar to hiring a Personal Care Attendant (PCA) . The HCA is an individual (other than a family member) who is hired by a consumer to perform homemaking tasks authorized by the MRC Home Care Assistance Program (HCAP). The HCA is considered a self-employed independent contractor.

Recruiting and Hiring a HCA:
There are different approaches to finding a HCA. One method is for the consumer to consider a friend or neighbor who would be able to do the work well. Consumers can advertise for HCA’s in local newspapers, grocery stores, and at community organizations. Many have found “word of mouth” and networking within their church, school or social organizations to be a helpful and low-cost way to locate a potential HCA

Once a consumer has interviewed and selected a HCA candidate, the consumer and the candidate should contact their HCAP case manager at 1-800-223-2559. The case manager will explain the program and gather necessary information to start the contract process. A CORI (Criminal Offender Records Information) check and a check against the Department of Public Health’s Patient Abuse Registry will be performed before a contract is approved.

HCA Tasks:
The HCA is responsible for the individual homemaker service plan for the consumer with whom s/he will work. This could include grocery shopping, meal preparation, light house cleaning and laundry. Examples of tasks the HCA CANNOT perform are:

Payment Information:
The HCA must have an approved contract and a verbal authorization from the HCAP Case Manager to start services. To receive payment, the HCA mails the completed timesheet and a payment voucher to HCAP at the end of each month. Checks are processed and sent to the HCA approximately 2 weeks after receipt of the timesheet.

-Most of original documents from which this article was adapted are no longer available online or have moved. Additional references/resources as of 12/11:

Revisions based on information from MassResources.org

6/07, rev 12/11