Practical assistance for people with disabilities,
with an end goal of independent living.

Consumer Directed Services (CDS)

Paraquad’s Consumer Directed Services (CDS) is a Medicaid-based program that provides personal care attendant services to individuals with disabilities, enabling them to live with greater independence in the community, rather than a nursing home.

Paraquad’s Consumer Directed Services (CDS) is a Medicaid-based program in which adults with disabilities hire, schedule, and manage their own personal care attendants.

Personal care attendants assist with tasks of daily living such as bathing/showering, toileting, obtaining medication, meal preparation and cleanup, housekeeping/laundry, essential transportation, etc., thus enabling them to live with greater independence at home and in the community, and not in a nursing home

To qualify for this program, a person must be:

  • 18 years of age or older with a disability

  • Has or is eligible for Medicaid

  • Capable of living independently with the services of a personal care attendant, and able to direct needed care to that attendant.

  • Has a level of care need as determined by the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services

To learn more, please call us at 314.289.4266 or contactus@paraquad.org

Why join/switch to Paraquad's CDS Program?

  • Paraquad performs ongoing background checks and pays all attendant wages and taxes via Medicaid reimbursement.

  • An attendant can be a friend or family member (excluding spouse or anyone under the age of 18).

  • Founded in 1970, Paraquad has vast experience in managing its CDS program and staying current with government regulations.

  • Each CDS participant receives dedicated customer service - a personal case manager who phones on a monthly basis, visits at least once on an annual basis, and strives to assist with independent living needs that go beyond personal care services.

  • By joining Paraquad’s CDS program, participants have greater access to other Paraquad programs including peer mentoring, employment, advocacy, and the Stephen A. Orthwein Center, Paraquad’s state-of-the-art fitness center.

CDS FAQS

  • CDS provides people with disabilities with assistance in the following areas. Participants may qualify for some or all of these services.

    Bathing
    Dressing
    Grooming
    Toileting
    Ostomy/colostomy hygiene
    Obtaining medication
    Transferring
    Range of motion
    Meal preparation, feeding, cleanup
    Housekeeping, laundry
    Errand transportation (shopping, paying bills/banking, picking up medication)

    You will also receive personalized attention from your CDS specialist, who will assist you with your independent living goals and offer resources to help you meet your needs and expand your knowledge.

  • A CDS program participant must:

    Be eligible for MO HealthNet (Medicaid).

    Be 18 years of age or older.

    Be able to direct his or her own care.

    Be physically disabled.

    Be capable of living independently with the services of a personal care attendant.

    Require at least a nursing facility level of care.

    The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) (or its designee) will assess people who meet the minimum qualifications to see if they are eligible for the CDS program. If a person is eligible, DHSS and the potential participant will create a care plan that outlines the type(s) of service(s) the person will be approved to receive from a personal care attendant through the CDS program.

  • If you meet the minimum qualifications, please visit our Get Services page or call (314) 289-4200. An intake specialist will complete a preliminary screening and refer you to DHSS for an assessment. Someone from our attendant services department will then help you get your personal care attendant Get Servicesprepared for employment.

  • CDS program participants can hire up to four personal care attendants. An attendant can be any qualified caregiver chosen by the CDS program participant, including a family member (other than a spouse).

    A CDS program participant is the legal employer of his or her personal care attendant. Participants are responsible for interviewing, hiring, scheduling, directing and, if necessary, firing an attendant. Personal care attendants do not work for Paraquad.

    Personal care attendants must pass a background check through the Family Care Safety Registry (FCSR) and the Employee Disqualification List. Attendants must also complete an employee eligibility check using E-Verify through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Paraquad completes all required background checks.

    If requested, Paraquad will provide support and assistance and training to a CDS program participant.

  • All perspective personal care attendants must visit Paraquad prior to being employed by a CDS program participant. When an attendant visits, he or she must present:

    a current, original state-issued photo ID.

    an original Social Security card.

    cash or a money order for $14.25 (one-time fee) to cover FCSR registration costs.

    If an attendant is already listed on the FCSR, please bring only a current, original state-issued photo ID and original Social Security card.

  • A personal care attendant cannot begin working for a CDS program participant until the participant has been assessed by DHSS and approved to receive service(s). A participant must also be trained by Paraquad to become a legal employer. The participant will then receive instructions on how to train their attendant to clock-in and clock-out and will be given a start date for an attendant to begin working.

  • The CDS program is funded by MO HealthNet (Medicaid). Participants who receive Medicare or have private insurance are not eligible for the CDS program.

    A participant must be eligible to receive MO HealthNet (Medicaid) in order for a personal care attendant to be paid.

    Verified and approved attendant services are billed to MO HealthNet (Medicaid) in accordance with the care plan authorized by DHSS.

    The attendant is paid by money received from a participant’s MO HealthNet (Medicaid) account for authorized care plan service(s) provided to the participant.

  • As of January 1, 2023, personal care attendants are paid at a rate of $13.00 an hour.