Set Your Own Pace with PACER!

Tired of having some agency treat you like a patient? Want to take charge of your life? Set your own pace with PACER. The PACER program, operated by the Rockland Independent Living Center, is a different approach to personal care. It has been designed to give participants the opportunity to hire people they want to assist them with the activities they need so that they can live the type of lifestyle they choose.

Participants in PACER receive training in how to hire, train, supervise and terminate persons who provide personal assistance services to them. Training sessions are held at the center.

If you would like more information about PACER, please contact

Dora Cabrera
dora.cabrera
@rilc.org

 PACER Director,
 at RILC.

PACER
Personal Assistance Consumers/Employers of Rockland

PACER (Personal Assistance Consumers/Employers of Rockland) is a consumer-directed personal assistance program in which individuals who require personal assistance services assume responsibility for the hiring, training, supervision, and termination of persons who provide services to them. It represents a new, consumer driven, personal assistance program that addresses both cost effectiveness and quality-of-life concerns for citizens with disabilities.

The Goals of the program are:

• To improve the quality of life for those who require personal assistance
• To be an alternative to the traditional medical model of home health care
• To improve the quality of services delivered to consumers
• To raise the employment status of personal assistants.

The role of the Rockland Independent Living Center in this program is to provide assistance to the consumer in pursuit of these goals. RILC acts as the employer of record, providing basic administrative management for the day-to-day operation of the program (e.g., bookkeeping services and technical assistance.) RILC has a strong commitment to all consumer/employers and personal assistants.

Consumer/Employers are responsible for hiring people who are interested in working as personal assistants in the PACER program.

As employees of PACER,  personal assistants receive a salary and benefits. Personal assistants  assist consumers in activities of daily living, such as:

• Personal hygiene
• Grooming
• Meal preparation
• Housekeeping
• Recreational activities.

Applicants for this position should be:

• Highly motivated
• Willing to learn new skills
• Well organized and reliable.

Employment in this very unique program would be beneficial to anyone who is interested in working with individuals with disabilities.

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