Consumer Directed Choices (CDChoices), a nonprofit corporation providing services for seniors and individuals with disabilities (“Consumers”) announces a partnership with Community, Work and Independence, Inc. (CWI) resulting in CDChoices expanding service area and membership. The strategic relationship allows CDChoices to provide fiscal intermediary services to CWI’s Consumers who self-hire their own home care workers (“Personal Assistants”) through the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance (CDPA) Medicaid program. This alliance creates efficiencies for both organizations while expanding opportunities for Consumers in the Adirondack region.

CWI, a nonprofit community rehabilitation provider, serving individuals in Warren, Washington, Saratoga, and Essex counties, offers a diverse array of innovative services to meet the needs of the medically frail, developmentally disabled, mentally ill, brain injured, learning disabled and other individuals in need since 1963.

This new partnership will ensure the availability of fiscal intermediary services to CWI’s Consumers and their Personal Assistants as New York State continues to implement a redesign of the CDPA program this year. 

“This collaboration is a smart decision, positively impacting and strengthening both organizations,” said Christopher Graber, CDChoices Chief Executive Officer. “We’re excited to extend important value-added service offerings and benefits to CWI’s Consumers, and their Personal Assistants, who will transition to CDChoices.”

Under this agreement, CWI Consumers will now have access to the following CDChoices services: 

• The ability to select, set, and control their workers pay rates and save for on-demand bonuses to reward worker performance, longevity, or other employer-related elements important for recruitment and retention.
• A specialized, user-friendly, and customized CDPA-specific Electronic Visit Verification timesheet portal.
• Access to a secure home care workforce recruitment database, PAChoices.com, to assist Consumers to search for potential workers.
• CDChoices’ value-added service offerings including, but not limited to, an onboarding and hiring self-service portal, notary services, access to a certified Peer Mentor to help answer employer-related questions and to provide ongoing support, and a resource lending library stocked with books and DVDs available to Consumers to help make informed employer decisions. 

Additionally, through the relationship, Personal Assistants will be paid weekly rather than bi-weekly, providing an alignment of work with earnings. 

“It’s important to keep the best interests of our Consumers and their Personal Assistants in mind,” said Mark Donahue, CWI, Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer. “We’ve developed a trusted relationship with Christopher Graber and CDChoices. This is a natural fit and as like-minded organizations, we are stronger together.”

“CDChoices is a Consumer-first driven business,” said Sally Hawley, CWI, Inc. Division Director of Community & Employment Services. “CDChoices makes great use of technology to create efficiencies that enhance the customer experience. They’ve devoted significant resources to support Consumers and their Personal Assistants. We could not be happier with this partnership.”