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What is a personal care attendant?

Personal care attendants (PCAs) provide personal services, such as assistance with toileting, dressing, transferring from a wheelchair to bed, or showering.

How do students get a personal care attendant?

Students whose disability requires a PCA are responsible for identifying properly trained staff to fulfill their needs. External agencies, such as Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities or Boards of Developmental Disabilities, may be able to provide funding or other support for PCAs. If students would like to employ other students as a PCA, they are solely responsible for identifying, training, and compensating those individuals. SAS cannot assist with hiring PCAs.  

How is SAS involved with personal care attendants?

SAS facilitates access for PCAs by working with University Housing to get approval for PCAs to enter a student’s residence hall and room.  SAS can also work with Parking Services to allow PCAs to use the student’s parking pass to park near their building. Students are responsible for acquiring their own parking pass. Students should send the names, contact information, and license plate numbers of approved PCAs to SAS at the start of every academic year or whenever there is a change. Students should alert SAS whenever a PCA is no longer employed or if an access card is lost. 

What is a lab assistant?

A lab assistant is hired by SAS to provide assistance in a hands-on or experiential class. Lab assistants may be appropriate for students with sensory or physical disabilities. When appropriate, a lab assistant may be hired to do manual or visual tasks exactly as instructed by a student with a disability. Lab assistants do not re-teach material, serve as a substitute for the disabled student, or otherwise perform tasks that are not directly related to the in-class work of a laboratory class.  

Contact your Access Advisor with questions or concerns.