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Spinal Cord Commission

Attendant Care

Personal Care Services / Attendant Care

Most of us take for granted our abilities to feed ourselves, brush our teeth, get out of bed and get dressed or drive our vehicles until we are faced with a situation that limits our abilities to do those ‘simple’ tasks. Individuals who live with a spinal cord disability that results in tetraplegia, limited use of arms and legs, face these issues every day.  They must depend on someone else to perform even these most mundane activities for him or her. Many depend on family members. Some have public or private insurance that provides for personal care assistance.  Your ASCC Case Manager can assist you with learning about personal care programs that are available and in determining your eligibility. In addition, ASCC provides two small personal care assistance programs.

Long Term Attendant Care

For those ASCC clients who live with tetraplegia and do not do not have access to these services, ASCC has a small program, Long Term Attendant Care program (LTAC). Designed to keep clients out of nursing homes, this program provides up to four hours of   personal care services (‘attendant care’) each day. These services allow these individuals with tetraplegia to remain in their homes with the assistance of a personal care provider to assist with basic needs such as getting in and out of bed, hygiene, dressing, meal preparations and light chores. The program is consumer directed, which means that the individual is responsible for recruiting, hiring, training, supervising, paying th care provider and is reimbursed at an established rate by ASCC.  The paid care provider may not be a family member who lives in the home, as the program is also designed to provide some respite for family caregivers. 

ASCC clients interested in the LTAC program must meet criteria including:

  • Meet ASCC financial eligibility criteria (LTAC sliding scale)
  • sustained a spinal cord disability resulting in tetraplegia
  • sustained a spinal cord disability while a resident of Arkansas.
  • Has been a resident of Arkansas for the past five years.
  • Have a demonstrated need for four hours of attendant care per day.

Additional information regarding the LTAC program may be found in Chapter 11 of the ASCC Case Management Procedures Manual.  Funding for his program is limited. 
To apply, contact your Case Manager.

Short Term Attendant Care 

Many individuals are independent in their self-care or have a family caregiver and do not need personal care assistance. However, occasions arise when a person needs help for a short period of time.  A broken leg, severe pressure sore, recuperation from surgery or the illness or emergency of the primary caregiver may put someone in need of immediate care for a short time.  The ASCC Short Term Attendant Care program can be utilized in 372 hours in one state fiscal year. The program is consumer directed, which means that the individual is responsible for recruiting, hiring, training, supervising, paying the care provider and is reimbursed at an established rate by ASCC.  The paid care provider may not be a family member who lives in the home. 

Eligibility requirements for this program include:

  • Meet ASCC financial eligibility criteria.
  • Have a prescription from their physician describing the number of hours and the number of days or weeks that short-term attendant care is needed.

Additional information regarding the LTAC program may be found in Chapter 11 of the ASCC Case Management Procedures Manual. Funding for this program is limited. To apply, contact your Case Manager.