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Agency checklist

If you decide to hire a personal assistant (PA) through an agency, you will want to talk with agencies to learn what services they provide and what they charge. You will want to be sure the agency understands consumer direction, whether or not they can meet your needs, and if you will be able to work with them. Here are some questions that will help you to make your decision.


Yes No

What geographic area do you serve? Do you provide personal assistants in my area?
Yes No

What types of services do you provide?
Yes No

Do you have an emergency out-of-hours service and how do I contact it?
Yes No

How do you determine what services I need? Who does the assessment? How will I be involved?
Yes No

Do you provide literature explaining your services, my rights, eligibility requirements, fees, funding sources, etc.?
Yes No

Do you develop a written plan of care? How will I be involved in developing this plan? How often is this plan updated?
Yes No

Do you educate clients/families on the types of care being provided?
Yes No

What are your minimum/maximum hours of service in a day or week? Are there service limitations in terms of tasks performed?
Yes No

Are there service limitations in terms of times of the day/hours of the day? Are workers available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?
Yes No

How much choice do I have over my hours of service?
Yes No

Can I meet a personal assistant before they start working for me?
Yes No

How soon can a worker begin? Do you have a waiting list?
Yes No

Can a personal assistant go on vacation with me?
Yes No

How do you select or screen your workers prior to employment? Do you have references for all your personal assistants?
Yes No

What kind of general training do they receive? What kinds of specialized training do they receive (e.g., caring for people with dementia)?
Yes No

Are your personal assistants self-employed? If yes, who is responsible for the quality of their work?
Yes No

Do you provide benefits and liability and malpractice insurance for your workers? Will I be expected to have insurance coverage?
Yes No

Who pays the worker (agency or client)?
Yes No

Who supervises workers? How often do they visit?
Yes No

Whom do I call if the worker does not show up? How do you handle getting me a replacement worker? What happens if my regular personal assistant is sick, doesn't show up, or is away on a holiday?
Yes No

Whom do I call if I have a problem with my worker? Do you have a complaint procedure?
Yes No

Do you have a confidentiality policy?
Yes No

What are your fees? Do services cost more on weekends and holidays? What do fees cover? Will I have to pay any extras such as travel expenses?
Yes No

Do you have a sliding fee scale or subsidized service?
Yes No

Do you provide clients with a written statement of costs and payment option plans?
Yes No

How and when do I pay the agency?
Yes No

May I see in advance a copy of any contract that I may be required to sign?

Agency Checklist adapted from You're the Boss, http://disabilitygateshead.org.uk. Copyright 2000 Gateshead Council on Disability, Personal Assistance Project, Gateshead NE8 HDY, England. Reprinted with permission.

Tools > Agency Checklist

This tool is part of InfoUse's Working Together, a website for consumers of personal assistance services. http://www.infouse.com/pas/.

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