FEMA Personal Assistance Services Contracts Awarded

Posted: May 30, 2012

We are glad to announce that FEMA has awarded contracts to provide Personal Assistance Services to individuals with access and functional needs in congregate facilities during disasters, when this assistance is requested by the affected state.

Personal Assistance Services

The Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act (PKEMRA) identified an area of need in functional needs support services (FNSS) in general population shelters. To fill this gap, FEMA developed the Personal Assistance Services (PAS) contract vehicle. This service will be provided upon request by the affected state for survivors in shelters and other congregate sites who have access and functional needs and require PAS in order to maintain the same level of independence as they have at home.

FEMA Mass Care awarded two contracts, one to Dynamic Service Solutions, Inc. (DSSI), and the other to ResCare. DSSI has 3,000 federally funded health centers in all 50 states, including some US territories, and ResCare has 220 branches in 40 states with 1,200 nursing assistants. Both agencies provide home health aides.

PAS staff will provide basic level services, such as grooming, eating, bathing, toileting, etc. Additional trained PAS staff may also be deployed to provide a higher level of service that may include dispensing and/or administering prescription medications to survivors. The contractors will be able to provide certified personnel with the necessary skills, abilities, and resources within 24 hours of state request to any disaster locations in CONUS and, with additional time, to OCONUS.

Marcie Roth
Director
Office of Disability Integration and Coordination Department of Homeland Security/FEMA