A federal judge has extended the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) transition deadline to June 20, giving more time to New Yorkers who rely on in-home care.
On May 20, U.S. District Judge Frederic Block approved an extension to the preliminary injunction. The order gives CDPAP consumers and their personal assistants additional time to enroll with Public Partnerships LLC (PPL), the state’s sole financial intermediary since April 1.
The extension followed a May 15 court filing by the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) and Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP. Their pre-motion letter asked the court to extend the deadline to August 15 and require stronger support systems for people still struggling to enroll.
Advocates seek more support and oversight
NYLAG and Patterson Belknap represent plaintiffs in Engesser et al. v. McDonald, a class action lawsuit filed in March. They argue that the state’s sudden shift from over 600 fiscal intermediaries to just one created serious problems for CDPAP participants.
“Our team hears daily from consumers who still can’t register with PPL,” said Elizabeth Jois, supervising attorney at NYLAG. “Many personal assistants are also waiting to register or haven’t been paid correctly. The state must act to fix these problems immediately.”
To address these issues, the updated injunction proposes several changes:
- Deadline extension: Move the current June 20 deadline to August 15.
- One-on-one assistance: Assign facilitators to any CDPAP consumer who has lost care or experienced payment issues in the past two weeks.
- Facilitator access: Require the state to ensure facilitators have full access to enrollment and payroll systems.
- Transparency: Introduce public reporting to track enrollment, payments, and service disruptions.
System breakdowns leave New Yorkers at risk
CDPAP allows older adults and people with disabilities to direct their own in-home care. However, the rushed transition has left many consumers without services and personal assistants without pay.
Advocates say some workers are clocking time but not getting paid. Others have quit due to delays. While PPL is now the only fiscal intermediary, many are still navigating technical problems and inconsistent communication.
“The transition has been chaotic,” said Jois. “Without changes, more people will lose care, and more workers will face financial insecurity.”
Important upcoming changes and resources
One key policy shift is coming soon. On May 17, 2025, the blanket exception allowing paper timesheets will end. After that date, personal assistants must use digital tools like Time4Care, PPL@Home, or the Telephony system unless they have an individual exception granted by PPL.
Consumers can contact the CDPAP Transition Hotline at 833-947-8666 or email [email protected] for help. NYLAG also offers direct support and tracks community complaints at nylag.org/engesser.
What happens next?
NYLAG and Patterson Belknap are expected to file a motion next week to formally amend the existing injunction. In the meantime, both parties will continue negotiations ahead of the new June 20 deadline.
CDPAP participants experiencing issues can reach the legal team at [email protected] or call 212-946-0359. Advocates say they will keep pushing for more oversight, better communication, and faster resolutions from the state.
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