The PCO program is designed to improve the quality of wife for those with disabilities and health conditions, and to prevent them from entering nursing facilities. Personal Care attendants provide a range of in-home services that enable individuals to live in their own homes and achieve the highest level of independence possible. The PCO program is available to individuals eligible for Medicaid coverage, age 21 years of age or older, who meet the level-of-care required for nursing facilities due to disability or functional limitations. Two options are available:

• Consumer-Directed: A consumer acts as his/her own employer - selecting, hiring, training, supervising, and terminating (if necessary) his/her personal care attendants. The type of training attendants receive is at the direction of consumers. However, a contract provider, not a consumer, serves as the fiscal agent and is responsible for processing all financial paperwork and issuing payroll.  

• Consumer-Delegated: A contract provider performs all employer related tasks - hiring, training, supervising, and terminating (if necessary) personal care attendants. The same contract provider that employs the personal care attendants is also responsible for processing all financial paperwork and issuing payroll.  Visit Aging and Long Term Services website at http://www.nmaging.state.nm.us/PCO_Program.html to find a provider near you. 

In both options, consumers may select family members (other than spouses), friends, neighbors, or anyone of their choice as their attendants. All attendants must be eighteen years of age or older, and be able to pass a nationwide caregivers’ criminal history screening. 

To apply for Personal Care Options, please contact Aging and Long Term Services Resource Center at 1-800-432-2080.  You may also want to visit their website at http://www.nmaging.state.nm.us/PCO_Program.html.