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Sheen, J., Barkdull, C., & Holt, J. (2005). Employment Personal Assistance Services (EPAS) evaluation report. Salt Lake City, UT: Utah Department of Health.
Abstract
Utah's EPAS program is a Medicaid-linked PAS program designed to support working individuals with disabilities at home and in the workplace. The purpose of this evaluation was to provide a description of the 35 participants in EPAS, to understand their perceptions of the program, and to identify strengths and weaknesses in program implementation. The study used state administrative data and interviews with service brokers and participants to develop preliminary findings and recommend improvements.
Over three-fourths of participants required help with transportation; about one-fourth required PAS in the workplace. In general, participants felt that the program had positive impacts on their work situation, capacity to work, and work attitudes. Although EPAS has contributed to participants' increased earnings and ability to maintain employment, many still had concerns about how work would impact their Social Security benefits and Medicaid coverage.
The study's recommended that EPAS provide additional training for participants in managing PAs, expand the number of fiscal employer agents, develop targeted outreach efforts, set up a pool of personal assistants for back-up support, and continue information and referral activities.
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