The Role of a Personal Agent
What is a PA? How do they help me access, plan, and monitor my support services?
A personal agent (PA) is an employee of a support service brokerage. Their primary role as a service coordinator and case manager is to use person-centered planning to assist individuals in planning, accessing, and monitoring the community-based supports and services that support their needs and goals. A PA’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Identifying an individual's personal goals and support needs.
Creating individualized support plans (ISP) in collaboration with an individual and their network of support, which may include family members, friends, etc.
Assisting in finding qualified providers and facilitating provider interviews.
Coordinating with providers and other agencies to ensure individual support needs are being appropriately met and in a cost-effective manner.
Monitoring the quality of services provided to individuals to make sure their support needs are being met.
Checking in with individuals as requested and required.
Revising individualized support plans (ISP) as needed.
Connecting and referring individuals to community resources.
Coordinating crisis services and safety planning.
Important Note:
A PA is neither a direct service provider (personal support workers or agency providers) nor the employer of providers. A direct service provider is responsible for assisting individuals with services detailed in the ISP. A PA may assist an individual in the process of enrolling providers, but the PA is neither the employer of a provider nor responsible for their payment. A PA reviews time sheets and invoices to monitor the quality of services provided to ensure they are both allowed by Medicaid and what the individual needs and wants.
Community Pathways’ administrative staff helps facilitate the qualification and payment process that occurs between the individual employer, PPL BetterOnline (Fiscal Management Agent Services) and the individual's providers or employees.
Community Pathways is not the employer of any person working directly with an individual. Our role at Community Pathways is to assist the individuals we serve with the process so they can get the support they need.
As a case management entity (CME), Community Pathways is responsible for ensuring the services provided to individuals are an allowable Medicaid service.