The short version
- CFSS is governed by Minn. Stat. 256B.85. PCA is governed by Minn. Stat. 256B.0659.
- 256B.85, subd. 1(d) says that "upon federal approval, CFSS will replace the personal care assistance program." The PCA statute still appears in current law, including 2026 amendments, so the two coexist during the transition.
- DHS provider guidance states that CFSS replaced PCA and the Consumer Support Grant effective October 1, 2024, with PCA phasing out as members transition. Confirm current dates with DHS.
- Personal care services and CFSS (billed under T1019) are both on DHS's list of services that require EVV. See Minnesota EVV.
Side by side
| CFSS (256B.85) | PCA (256B.0659) | |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery models | Agency-provider model or budget model with a financial management services (FMS) provider (subd. 2) | Agency PCA, or PCA choice, where the recipient is responsible for hiring and a choice agency acts as fiscal intermediary (subd. 18(b)) |
| Planning | A service delivery plan developed through a person-centered planning process (subd. 6), and required consultation services (subd. 17) | Supervision by a qualified professional (QP) (subd. 1(k) and 14) |
| Evaluation and supervision | The agency must check worker competency by direct observation within 30 days (subd. 11b(a)) | QP evaluation within the first 14 days, then visits at least every 90 days for the first year and every 120 days after (subd. 14) |
| Worker training | Training on the participant's assessed needs, plus direct observation, monitoring and coaching (subd. 18a) | Standardized training set by the commissioner, including first aid, maltreatment training, OSHA precautions and emergency preparedness, plus orientation on the recipient's needs (subd. 11(a)(8) and (9)) |
| Family as workers | Parents and spouses may be support workers within limits, for example one parent up to 60 hours in a seven-day period (subd. 7 and 7b) | Spouses and parents or guardians of minors do not qualify as PCAs (subd. 11(c) and 3(a)(1)) |
| Hours | Units for the agency model, or a service budget for the budget model (subd. 8 and 18) | A PCA may be limited to up to 310 hours per month (subd. 11(a)(10)) |
| Records and pay | Providers must verify and maintain records of all services, including hours worked, and pay workers for actual hours (subd. 10). FMS records are kept at least five years (subd. 13a(e)(6)) | Not summarized here |
Statute sections were read on October 26, 2026. The PCA page was reviewed through subdivision 24. We did not review every subdivision of either statute, so use the citations to read the full text.
The two CFSS delivery models
In the agency-provider model, "a qualified agency provides services and supports through the agency's own employees and policies," and the participant has a significant role in selecting and dismissing support workers (256B.85, subd. 2).
In the budget model, the participant uses a service budget with help from an FMS provider (subd. 2). FMS providers handle payroll taxes, billing and budget monitoring, and agency-provider services cannot be provided by the FMS provider (subd. 13a(b)).
What to check in your own documentation
- Does your paperwork still describe PCA supervision visits where the person is now on CFSS?
- Can you show competency checked by direct observation within 30 days for CFSS support workers?
- Do your records show hours worked and are workers paid on actual hours?
- Do your visits flow to the state EVV aggregator under the right service code?
See Sothcare's Minnesota CFSS software and non-medical personal care pages.
Sources
Requirements change. Check these primary sources before you act on anything on this page. Last reviewed October 2026.
General information summarizing statute text, not legal advice. DHS manuals, rate sheets and bulletins add detail and change. Confirm current requirements with DHS.