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CFSS Transition

Definitions

CFSS: Community First Services and Solutions (CFSS) is a new home care program in Minnesota as of October 2024. CFSS will gradually replace the current PCA program.

CSG: Consumer Support Grant (CSG) is a legacy budget model program which offers more people the opportunity for self-direction but does not qualify for federal matching funds. CSG will be phased out in 2025 as part of the transition to the new CFSS program.

FMS: Financial Management Service (FMS) providers support budget-model Clients/Responsible Parties with their employer responsibilities such as payroll, documentation, taxes, etc.

RP: A Responsible Party (RP) is someone who directs care on behalf of a Client who is assessed as unable to direct their own care. In CFSS, this role is called the Participant’s Representative.

PCA: Personal Care Assistance (PCA) is a legacy home care program which will be phased out in 2025. Both components of the PCA program – Traditional PCA and PCA Choice – will be replaced by the new CFSS program.

Make your own decision about what will work best for you

Before getting into the details, here’s the most important thing to know:

YOU DON’T NEED TO MAKE ANY DECISIONS UNTIL YOUR ANNUAL RE-ASSESSMENT.

If someone is pressuring you to make changes to your care or staff before your annual assessment, they may be doing so from their own self-interest. Before you make any changes to your home care, you will have an opportunity to discuss your options and ask about the impacts of your decision with someone (part of the new CFSS program called Consultation Services) whose job it is to provide accurate, unbiased information about your options.

What to Watch Out For

If your PCA agency or anyone else tries to change your program or influence your choice of a CFSS service model, make sure you are making informed decisions about what’s best for you. Ask questions. You can also reach out to SEIU at EMAIL to connect with other clients and workers who are dealing with the same sorts of misinformation.

Things to watch out for:

Why the misinformation?

CFSS will offer Clients/RPs two options for care. Only one of these options, the Agency model,  will use PCA/CFSS agencies. In the Budget model of CFSS, there will be a Fiscal Management Service (FMS) to support clients with payroll, paperwork, taxes, etc. Every client currently in the PCA program who chooses the Budget model of CFSS will be leaving their PCA agency – meaning a decline in income for the agency. While most PCA agencies will handle this transition responsibly, we have already seen some agencies try to confuse or scare their Clients/RPs about the CFSS Budget model.

Information for Clients/Responsible Parties (RPs)/Participant Representatives

What’s Changing?

Who Decides?

You are the only one who can decide which home care model is best for your care needs and your care staff. Many clients and responsible parties feel confused about the options available to them, or the impacts of this decision on their caregivers. The information on this page is meant to help you to make an informed decision. We know that program changes can be incredibly stressful. We’ll do our best to give you useful information as clearly as possible.

CFSS Transition DHS Info Page

CFSS Budget Model vs. CFSS Agency Model

What’s the Difference?

There are many differences between these options, and no one but you can decide which option best meets your needs. Your Consultation Services Provider will be best suited to explain the difference between the models when it comes to your access to goods and services, so we’ll focus here on how each model will impact your care staff.

Choosing an FMS Provider

There are several FMS providers to choose from in Minnesota. Many of them are based in Minnesota and only operate here, while others operate in other states as well. Each FMS is listed, along with their fees, here.

Information for Workers

What does the CFSS transition mean for me?

This transition means that the person (or people) you care for will be making decisions about their care that will directly impact your wages and benefits. Ultimately, it’s your Client’s decision which program best meets their care needs. These decisions should be based solely on what is best for the Client and their access to care, not on what’s best for the home care agency and also not just on what’s best for us as the caregivers.

You can discuss with your client/RP how their choice of model will  impact your wages, benefits, access to training, and worker protections, and make sure they fully understand the impact of the change they’re being asked to make. If they’re open to it, you can help them find alternative options that can allow everyone’s needs to be met (see the resources in the Client/RP section above). And you can encourage them to talk through the pros and cons of the Budget and Agency models with the Consultation Services provider they will get at their annual assessment.

Just as the Client decides which CFSS model to use, you get to decide where to invest your time and labor. Once your Client has gone through the assessment process and selected their CFSS model, you may experience big changes in your wages and benefits as a result. As caregivers, many of us have gotten used to self-sacrifice - some even pride themselves on it. But that is what has allowed our work to be devalued and exploited for so long, and in the end it hurts us, our families, and the people we care for. There are so many people who desperately need care. People across the state are on the verge of being forced into an institution and losing their ability to live in their homes and communities, due to not being able to find home care workers. You can have a career as a home care worker and demand a living wage for the work you do. If you’re looking for options, please reach out to us here: Discuss PCA Program Change Questions

DHS FAQ for Workers

What are the benefits for caregivers in the CFSS Budget Model?

The wages and benefits listed below, which are part of the current union contract between SEIU Healthcare MN/IA and the State of Minnesota, are only guaranteed to caregivers in the PCA Choice, CDCS (Consumer Directed Community Supports), CSG (Consumer Support Grant), and CFSS Budget Model programs. Home care workers whose Clients are in the traditional PCA program or CFSS Agency Model are not guaranteed these wages and benefits, as the wages and benefits in traditional PCA and CFSS Agency Model are decided by the agency.

Links to more info: