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Consumer-Directed Attendant Support Services (CDASS)

The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) is committed to providing service delivery options that empower Health First Colorado (Colorado's Medicaid program) members and their families to direct and manage the long-term care services and supports they need to live at home.

Consumer-Directed Attendant Support Services (CDASS) lets you direct and manage the attendants who provide your personal care, homemaker, and health maintenance services.

CDASS is service delivery options under Community First Choice

CDASS Transition to Community First Choice (CFC)

As of July 1, 2025, Consumer-Directed Attendant Support Services (CDASS) is available only through the Community First Choice (CFC) program for the following services:

  • Health Maintenance Activities (HMA)
  • Homemaker
  • Personal Care

Newly enrolled members can now access CDASS directly through CFC instead of through Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver programs.

Current HCBS waiver members who already receive CDASS may continue under their waiver temporarily until they transition to CFC at their next Continued Stay Review (CSR) or sooner if a significant change in condition qualifies them for earlier transition. Your case manager can help determine when your transition occurs.

Learn more about Community First Choice (CFC)

What is CDASS?

Consumer-Directed Attendant Support Services (CDASS) is a service delivery option that allows members to manage their own care. With CDASS, members can:

  • Hire, train, and supervise their own attendants
  • Choose family members, friends, or others (with some restrictions) as paid caregivers
  • Determine work schedules and tasks
  • Manage a service budget with support from a Financial Management Services (FMS) provider

CDASS helps members live independently in their homes and communities with more choice and control over their daily care.

Who Can Use CDASS?

To use CDASS, you must:

  • Be enrolled in Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid program)
  • Meet eligibility for the CFC program, including:
    • Having an assessed need for Personal Care, Homemaker, and/or Health Maintenance Activities
    • Meeting an institutional level of care
      • If you are already enrolled in an HCBS waiver, you automatically meet institutional level of care
  • Participate in service planning with your Case Management Agency (CMA)
  • Have a desire to self-direct all aspects of your in-home care

If you’re still receiving CDASS through a waiver and haven’t yet transitioned to CFC, your Case Manager will guide you through the timing and next steps.

Learn more about CFC eligibility and services and connect with your local Case Management Agency to get started.

What Services Are Available Through CDASS (Under CFC)? 

As part of CFC, CDASS can be used to manage the following services:

  • Health Maintenance Activities - Includes skilled tasks like medication administration, medical management, or respiratory care
  • Homemaker - Includes routine light house cleaning, meal preparation, shopping, banking/money management
  • Personal Care - Includes assistance with bathing, dressing, grooming, eating, etc.

These services can also be delivered through In-Home Support Services (IHSS). Personal Care and Homemaker can also be provided using traditional agency-based models, depending on the member’s needs and preferences.

How To Apply

If you are already enrolled in Health First Colorado, contact your local Case Management Agency (CMA) which specializes in determining eligibility, planning care, and providing referrals.

If you are NOT yet enrolled in Health First Colorado Apply Now.

If you have more questions about this program contact your local Case Management Agency, the Member Contact Center, or Consumer Direct Colorado (CDCO).