To apply for CDPAP in New York, you need active Medicaid coverage, a medical form signed by your doctor, and a home assessment through the New York Independent Assessor Program. The paperwork moves through your local Department of Social Services or your Managed Long Term Care plan, and once you’re approved you enroll with Public Partnerships LLC (PPL), the statewide fiscal intermediary that handles payroll for every personal assistant in the program.
Confirm You’re Eligible Before You Start
CDPAP is only open to New York Medicaid recipients who have a stable medical condition and need help with at least one personal care task, home health aide service, or skilled nursing task that would otherwise require a certified home health agency.1New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. 18 NYCRR 505.28 – Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program
You also have to be self-directing, meaning you can choose your routine, understand the consequences, and instruct and supervise the person helping you. If cognitive impairment, age, or another reason prevents that, a designated representative can direct your care on your behalf. For a child, that’s typically a parent or legal guardian; for a non-self-directing adult, it can be a legal guardian or a responsible adult surrogate approved by the local social services district. The representative cannot also be your paid personal assistant and cannot be an employee or affiliate of the fiscal intermediary.1New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. 18 NYCRR 505.28 – Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program
Since September 1, 2025, applicants 21 and older also have to meet Minimum Needs Requirements. You qualify if you need at least limited help with physical maneuvering in more than two activities of daily living. With a dementia or Alzheimer’s diagnosis, the threshold drops to at least supervision with more than one activity of daily living. These minimums do not apply if you were already receiving personal care services or enrolled in an MLTC plan before September 1, 2025.2New York State Department of Health. Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program
Step 1: Get Enrolled in Medicaid
If you already have Medicaid, skip ahead. If not, apply using the DOH-4220 Access NY Health Care Application. This is the general Medicaid application for New York, not a CDPAP-specific form, but it’s the gateway to every long-term care program in the state.3New York State Department of Health. DOH-4220 Access NY Health Care Application
If you’re 65 or older, certified blind or disabled, or applying for coverage of nursing home or long-term home care, you also need to complete Supplement A (DOH-5178A) alongside the DOH-4220. Supplement A documents your resources: bank accounts, property, and other assets.4New York State Department of Health. DOH-5178A – Supplement to Access NY Health Care Application
Expect to prove New York residency. A utility bill, lease or rent receipt, property tax records, a mortgage statement, a driver’s license issued within the past six months, or a postmarked envelope sent to your home address will each work.5New York State Department of Health. Documents Needed When You Apply for Health Insurance
Mail the completed DOH-4220 (and Supplement A, if required) to the local Department of Social Services in the county where you live. Once you’re approved, you’ll receive a Medicaid Client Identification Number in the format XX00000X: two letters, five digits, and one letter. Keep that CIN handy because it goes on nearly every CDPAP form after this one.6New York State Department of Health. New York State Medicaid Update
Step 2: Get the Medical Form Signed
CDPAP requires written documentation from a medical professional that you need personal care or consumer directed personal assistance. The form depends on your age.
Adults 18 and Older
Your provider can complete either the DOH-5779 Practitioner Statement of Need or the DOH-4359 Physician’s Order. The DOH-5779 is shorter: the practitioner certifies direct knowledge of your condition and confirms you need the services. A physician, physician assistant, specialist assistant, or nurse practitioner can sign it.7New York State Department of Health. DOH-5779 – Practitioner Statement of Need
The DOH-4359 is more detailed. It requires a physical examination within 30 days of the physician’s signature date, and the doctor uses it to describe your functional limitations and indicate whether you are self-directing.8New York State Department of Health. DOH-4359 – Physicians Order for Personal Care/Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Services
Applicants Under 18
For minors, only the DOH-4359 physician’s order or the HCSP-M11Q form is accepted. The DOH-5779 is not an option.9New York State Department of Health. DOH-5786 – Immediate Need for Personal Care/Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Services
Check every field before the form leaves your provider’s office. Incomplete forms get returned, which delays both your application and your access to care.7New York State Department of Health. DOH-5779 – Practitioner Statement of Need
Step 3: Submit the Paperwork to the Right Office
Where your completed packet goes depends on your current Medicaid enrollment:
- If you are not yet in a managed care plan, submit the medical form and any supporting documents to your local Department of Social Services. In New York City, the equivalent office is the Human Resources Administration.
- If you are already enrolled in a Managed Long Term Care plan, contact the plan directly. The MLTC plan coordinates the assessment and authorization for CDPAP services.
Step 4: The NYIAP Home Assessment
Every Medicaid member seeking personal care services, consumer directed personal assistance, or MLTC enrollment goes through the New York Independent Assessor Program.10New York Independent Assessor Program. New York Independent Assessor Program
An assessor visits your home to evaluate your functional abilities, medical condition, and care environment using a state-approved tool. This is separate from your doctor’s order. The assessment determines how many hours of care you need and whether home-based services can safely maintain your health. Your local social services district or MLTC plan has to review the results and confirm medical necessity before they can authorize CDPAP hours.11New York State Department of Health. New York Independent Assessor Program – LDSS/MMCO
If no one has contacted you to schedule, call NYIAP directly at 1-855-222-8350.12PPL. NY Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program CDPAP
After the assessment and medical review, you’ll receive a written notice telling you whether your application is approved or denied, and if approved, how many hours of care you’ve been authorized.
Step 5: Register With PPL and Set Up Your Caregiver
Public Partnerships LLC is the sole fiscal intermediary for CDPAP in New York. You don’t pick one; PPL is mandatory.2New York State Department of Health. Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program
Once your MLTC plan or local district approves your application, they send a referral to PPL. From there, you:
- Create a PPL@Home account, enter your information, and sign the required Memorandum of Understanding.
- Download the Time4Care app, which your personal assistant uses to log hours and which you use to approve timesheets.
- Complete onboarding paperwork so PPL can handle payroll, tax withholdings, workers’ compensation insurance, and employment records.12PPL. NY Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program CDPAP
One of CDPAP’s defining features is who you’re allowed to hire. Your personal assistant can be a friend or family member, which is not permitted under most traditional home care programs. The restrictions are narrow: your personal assistant cannot be your spouse, cannot be your designated representative, and if you are under 21, cannot be your parent.2New York State Department of Health. Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program
There are no state-mandated training or certification requirements for CDPAP personal assistants. You set the qualifications and train your own caregiver, which is the point of self-directed care but also means the responsibility for safe hiring sits with you or your designated representative.13Medicaid.gov. Self-Directed Personal Assistant Services 1915(j)
If You Need Care Immediately
If you can’t wait for the standard timeline, you can request expedited processing by submitting an Attestation of Immediate Need, included in the DOH-5786 packet, along with a practitioner’s order.9New York State Department of Health. DOH-5786 – Immediate Need for Personal Care/Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Services
If Your Application Is Denied
A notice denying your CDPAP application, or reducing your authorized hours, triggers your right to request a fair hearing through the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. The denial notice includes instructions for requesting a hearing and the deadline. If you file within the timeframe specified on the notice (typically 10 days for aid-continuing purposes), your existing services may continue at the same level until the hearing decision is issued.
Fair hearings are administrative proceedings, not courtroom trials. You can represent yourself, bring an advocate, or have an attorney appear for you. The hearing officer reviews whether the agency followed the correct procedures and applied the eligibility criteria properly. Bring your medical documentation, assessment results, and any correspondence with your MLTC plan or local social services district.