Individual personal care assistance (PCA) and Community First Services and Supports (CFSS) training

Minnesota law requires all individual personal care assistance (PCA) providers to take the Department of Human Service’s (DHS) Individual PCA training and pass a one-time online test. Individual PCAs may take the training and test as often as needed.

This training is intended for:

People wanting to provide PCA or CFSS services for a person eligible for Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP)
PCAs currently employed and affiliated with an MHCP-enrolled agency

DHS also updated the training and test in preparation for the implementation of the Community First Services and Supports (CFSS) program. To prepare for CFSS implementation and ensure there are no delays in receiving reimbursement for CFSS services, complete the training by June 1, 2024.

Current individual PCA workers who took the test after April 15, 2020, and have a certificate titled “PCA and CFSS Support Worker Training” do not need to retake the training.
Current individual PCA workers who took the test before April 15, 2020, and have a certificate titled “Personal Care Assistant Training” will need to complete the training.

All CFSS workers will be required to complete this training. When DHS implements CFSS, workers who passed the combined test will be able to use their certificates for PCA and CFSS services.

Learning objectives
Upon completion of the training, learners will be able to:
- Describe the PCA and CFSS programs and the role the worker plays in them.
- Understand how to provide PCA and CFSS services in a person-centered manner.
- Respond appropriately in the event the person’s health and safety are at risk.
Prerequisites
People taking the online training must have:
- A computer, tablet or phone with Internet access (agencies may provide onsite access to their employees or potential employees)
- A valid email address
Registration and cost
Review the individual PCA training course as often as needed.

Register through the online training registration page to take the online test (you may take the test as often as needed, or until successfully completed). To register:
1. Select the radio button next to the PCA/CFSS support workers option.
2. Click the Next – Register button to open and complete the registration page and submit your registration.
3. Check your email for the next steps.
This online training is free.
Documenting successful completion

After passing the test, you will be able to print a certificate of successful completion. DHS will also send a copy of the certificate to the email address used to register for the test.

Give a copy of the completion certificate to the employer agency or agencies and keep a copy for your own records. If you lose your certificate, search your email for a message from dhs.dsd.learn@state.mn.us with a link to your certificate, or attempt to retrieve your certificate using the Certificate Lookup feature on the online training registration page. If you are unable to find your certificate, you can request a copy using the PCA certificate request form.

PCAs affiliated with a PCA provider agency should contact their PCA provider agency with questions. If the provider agency is unable to answer the question, the agency may contact the MHCP Provider Resource Center at 651-431-2700 or 800-366-5411.

PCAs not yet affiliated with a PCA provider agency may email questions to the DSD Contact Form to submit an inquiry or call 651-431-4300 or 866-867-7655.
Additional resources
- Individual PCA Worker Standardized Training section of the PCA Manual
- PCA Certificate – Request a Copy