A Practical Guide to Effective Personal Assistance Services (PAS) – O’Brien

This document is a comprehensive guide to understanding and evaluating Personal Assistance Services (PAS) for individuals with significant disabilities. ​ It emphasizes the importance of PAS in enabling people to live independently, contribute to their communities, and lead dignified lives. ​ The guide highlights three essential qualities of effective PAS: availability based on functional need, comprehensiveness to provide alternatives to institutional living, and user control to tailor services to individual circumstances.

Developed through research and collaboration with disability advocates, the checklist offers a detailed framework for assessing PAS policies and programs. It covers key areas such as accessibility, affordability, comprehensiveness, and participant control. ​ The document also explores how PAS integrates with other individualized supports like housing, transportation, assistive technologies, and healthcare to empower people with disabilities to pursue their life goals. ​

Readers will find practical criteria to evaluate PAS, including funding stability, fair pay for assistants, emergency backup systems, and the ability for participants to hire, train, and manage their own assistants. The guide also addresses the importance of removing barriers to employment, marriage, and community involvement for PAS participants.

Whether you’re an advocate, policymaker, or someone seeking to understand PAS, this resource provides valuable insights into creating systems that truly support independence and inclusion. ​ Dive in to learn how effective PAS can transform lives and communities! ​