Personal Assistance Services Program Fact Sheet (PASP)

What is the Personal Assistance Services Program?

The Personal Assistance Services Program (PASP) established under N.J.S.A. 30:1-12; P.L. 1993, c 215 is designed to provide personal assistance services to individuals with permanent physical disabilities. These services enable adults with disabilities to be employed, prepare for employment and/or live independently. Personal assistance services differ from traditional home services in that they are consumer directed and supervised and are considered to be a non-medical model of assistance, rather than a home health care service.

Which counties have the Program?

The law establishes the program in each of the 21 counties in the State of New Jersey. County government has the responsibility for designating an office of county government or another community based agency, that has experience in providing information and services for persons with disabilities to administer the program locally.

Who will administer this program?

The law established the Personal Assistance Services Program in the State Division on Disability Services housed in the New Jersey Department of Human Services. The program for Bergen and Hudson in administered through the Bergen County Division on Disabilitiy Services. The county Division is responsible, under the supervision of the state Office of Disability Services, for consumer selection, assistant recruitment and local operation of the program.

What are Personal Assistant Services and who provides them?

Personal assistants are individuals with training or related experience in providing in-home services, who directly assist a person with a disability in carrying out routine non-medical tasks such as bathing, dressing, transfer to a wheelchair, meal preparation, laundry, shopping, household management and transportation.

Who is eligible to receive these services?

Consumers served under the program are subject to the following eligibility criteria.

*Permanently physically disabled

*Between the ages of 18 to 70

*Capable of self-direction and able to supervise a personal assistant

*Resident of the State of New Jersey

In selecting consumers for participation in the program, preference is given to those individuals who are in paid employment, in a program preparing them for employment (school/job training) volunteering or using services to support community based independent living.

Are there financial eligibility criteria?

No, under the law there are no financial eligibility criteria for consumers. Those persons who qualify under the current Social Service Block Grant (SSBG) guidelines receive the service at no cost; those with incomes in excess of those guidelines are expected to contribute toward the cost of their services based on a sliding scale. (Cost-share).

How are the hours and type of service determined?

Consumers selected for the program receive up to 40 hours of service per week based on their individual needs. A “Plan of Service” specifying the type of service required and the hours requested is completed by the applicant in the assessment process conducted by a registered nurse, social worker or rehabilitation professional. A professional assessment will be conducted to determine the person’s capacity for self-direction and the appropriateness of the requested plan of service to meet their needs. A recommendation will be made to the county division regarding the person’s suitability for the program and award of hours. Additional services that a consumer may be eligible to receive through other funding sources (Medicaid, private insurance etc) must be accessed first and are taken into account in formulating the final consumer Plan of Service.

Where can I get further information about the program?

Further information on the Bergen/Hudson Personal Assistance Services Program may be obtained by contacting:

Bergen County Division on Disability Services

One Bergen County Plaza, 2nd Floor

Hackensack, NJ 07601-7076

Liliana Zorrilla, PASP Coordinator (201) 336-6508

Anna Alpine, PASP Assistant Coordinator (201) 336-6502

https://www.co.bergen.nj.us/departments-and-services/about-health-services

TTY (201) 336-6505

Disclaimer: This information was taken directly from the Department of Disabilities handout and I give the County of Bergen’s Department of Human Services full credit for this information. I have never used the program before so I have no option on it. Please contact the office at the above phone numbers for more information.