CDPAP Health Assessment Information

Personal assistants (PAs) in the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) must meet certain health requirements both before starting work and on an ongoing basis to remain eligible. These requirements help protect the health and safety of consumers and PAs and ensure compliance with New York State regulations.

For pre-employment, PAs must complete the following health items prior to beginning work:

• A physical exam ensuring PAs are healthy enough to serve.
• Certification of immunity or vaccination for Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR). Once immunity is established, no further action is required and there is no expiration date.
• TB testing results through a PPD skin test or QuantiFERON blood test, with a chest x-ray if results are positive. A QFT or PPD completed within the current year or previous 12 months may be accepted, as long as it falls within the pre-employment compliance period.
• A TB risk assessment for negative cases.
• Required physical documentation, including applicable pre-employment forms. Once completed within the pre-employment compliance period, future compliance moves to the annual Personal Self Health Assessment (PSHA) requirement.

On an annual basis, PAs must complete a PSHA, which is a PA-completed health questionnaire reviewed by a nurse or nurse practitioner, along with an annual TB screening.

If there is no history of a positive TB test, a TB Risk Assessment (TBRA) is required. If there is a history of a positive TB test and a negative chest x-ray, a TB Screening (TBS) is required.

A new QFT or PPD is not automatically required every year. However, based on the annual TB screening, a clinician may require additional testing, including a new QFT.

PPL partners with trusted, approved providers to manage the CDPAP health assessment process. Your provider is assigned to you when you register with PPL. The only approved partners for completing CDPAP health assessments are Mobile Health and The IMA Group. You can find out who your assigned health assessment provider is by going to the To Do List tab in PPL@Home.

Below are answers to common questions about pre-employment screenings, annual health assessments, required documentation, timelines, and what to expect throughout the process.

CDPAP personal assistants (PAs) need to complete a pre-employment health assessment to comply with New York State regulations and ensure the health and safety of consumers.

For pre-employment, PAs must complete the following health items prior to beginning work:

• A physical exam ensuring PAs are healthy enough to serve.
• Certification of immunity or vaccination for Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR). Once immunity is established, no further action is required and there is no expiration date.
• TB testing results through a PPD skin test or QuantiFERON blood test, with a chest x-ray if results are positive. A QFT or PPD completed within the current year or previous 12 months may be accepted, as long as it falls within the pre-employment compliance period.
• A TB risk assessment for negative cases.
• Required physical documentation, including applicable pre-employment forms. Once completed within the pre-employment compliance period, future compliance moves to the annual Personal Self Health Assessment (PSHA) requirement.

On an annual basis, PAs must complete a PSHA, which is a PA-completed health questionnaire reviewed by a nurse or nurse practitioner, along with an annual TB screening.

If there is no history of a positive TB test, a TB Risk Assessment (TBRA) is required. If there is a history of a positive TB test and a negative chest x-ray, a TB Screening (TBS) is required.

A new QFT or PPD is not automatically required every year. However, based on the annual TB screening, a clinician may require additional testing, including a new QFT.

Pre-employment requirements are the initial health compliance steps a PA must complete before working in the program. Annual requirements apply on an ongoing basis.

• Pre-employment may require immunity documentation, physical documentation, and TB test documentation.
• Annual compliance requires a Personal Self Health Assessment (PSHA) and annual TB screening.
• An annual TB Risk Assessment (TBRA) is used when there is no history of a positive TB test.
• An annual (TB Screening) TBS is used when there is a history of a positive TB test and a negative chest x-ray.

PAs will be contacted before their annual assessments expire. If Mobile Health is your health assessment provider, you can use the following link to complete the required forms quickly: https://patientportal.qa-azure.mobilehealth.com/login/user-login.

Yes. If a PA has valid documentation showing completion of the MMR vaccine series, titers are not required and the PA does not need to be vaccinated again. If vaccination documentation is not available, titers will be required. If the titer shows no immunity, the PA will need the MMR vaccine, which may require one or two doses.

If a PA has not met the health assessment requirement by the annual deadline and after receiving multiple reminders, they will be placed on hold in PPL’s system. Once placed on hold, PAs will no longer be able to submit time until a health assessment is completed and passed. PAs should not work while they are on hold as their work eligibility has been suspended due to non-compliance with the health assessment requirement. To be reactivated, PAs must complete the health assessment with a passing result. Reactivation in PPL’s system can take 2-3 business days.

PAs can see their own medical provider for the pre-employment CDPAP health assessment at their own expense. Please work with the health assessment provider assigned to you by PPL to obtain the necessary forms and paperwork to take to your own provider.

PAs working with Mobile Health can print the Mobile Health Pre-Employment Physical Examination Form and have their medical provider complete it. PAs must also complete the drug attestation form and upload it to Mobile Health using this link.

All CDPAP PAs must complete a health assessment prior to their employment with PPL and on an annual basis in order to serve in the program. Some vaccines may be declined for medical reasons, but you will need to provide exemption paperwork. Please call PPL at 1-833-746-8283 for details on the exemption process. Vaccine exemptions for religious reasons cannot be provided.

Most results take 3-5 business days. Results are sent to PPL directly.

For pre-employment health assessments, additional follow-up services from the health assessment provider or the PA’s primary care provider may be required before clearance can be granted. For annual health assessments, a nurse may follow up directly if clarification or additional information is needed to ensure the PA’s ability to safely provide CDPAP services.

Some vaccines may be declined for medical reasons, but you will need to provide exemption paperwork from your physician. Please call PPL at 1-833-746-8283 for details on the exemption process.

Vaccine exemptions for religious reasons cannot be provided. New York State mandates that all PAs maintain up‑to‑date immunizations and complete required health assessments as part of eligibility. If a PA refuses a required vaccine, they may be unable to meet the health standards required to work in the program.

For pre-employment, a QFT or PPD (TB skin test) will be accepted if it was performed within the pre-employment compliance period — within the current year or previous 12 months. As long as it falls within the pre-employment compliance period, it is acceptable. However, based on the TB Risk Assessment, the reviewing clinician may determine that a new QFT is required.

Not automatically. After pre-employment compliance is met, an annual QFT or PPD is not routinely required unless the annual TB Screening identifies a reason for additional testing and a clinician orders a new test.

All PAs are required to complete an annual TB screening. Depending on the PA’s TB history, this may be completed through either a TB Risk Assessment (TBRA) or a TB Screening (TBS).  

PPL works with trusted partners — Mobile Health and The IMA Group — to conduct required health assessments for CDPAP. Your provider is automatically assigned at the time of registration. You will see the name of your assigned provider when you submit your PPL registration and in the To Do List tab in PPL@Home.

No, health assessment providers are automatically assigned at the time of registration to help ensure a smooth and timely process. PPL partners with Mobile Health and The IMA Group, both of which are highly qualified to support you through all health assessment requirements. If you have a specific need or concern related to your assigned provider, you may contact us to discuss your situation and available options.

New York State regulations require that all PAs be medically evaluated to ensure they are healthy enough to safely perform caregiving duties. Annual assessments confirm that the PA is physically capable of providing care and does not pose any health risks — such as communicable illnesses — to the consumer receiving services. In many cases, a health assessment status questionnaire and TB risk assessment can be done in approximately 10 minutes to meet the annual requirements.  Additional steps will only be required if deemed necessary by a clinical review.

Additionally, CDPAP PAs are held to the same health testing and immunization standards as traditional home care workers, which includes a required health assessment once every 12 months to maintain compliance and remain eligible to work. Missing this requirement results in non‑compliance and can lead to loss of work eligibility.