A federal judge has extended the deadline for thousands of New Yorkers enrolled in the state’s Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) to transition to Public Partnerships, LLC (PPL), the state’s new fiscal intermediary, following calls from State Sen. John Liu and legal advocates for more time to help underserved communities adjust to the shift.
The decision, issued Thursday, April 10, by U.S. District Judge Frederick Block, grants CDPAP consumers until May 15 to register with PPL, and caregivers until June 6 to enroll in the system. The preliminary injunction comes after Liu and the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) warned that rushed implementation and inadequate outreach—particularly in immigrant communities—left many unprepared for the transition.
“This extension is necessary to protect patients and caregivers,” Liu said in a statement. “Extending the deadline is a step in the right direction and PPL must double its efforts during this time to make sure every patient has the care they need.”
Liu previously criticized the transition process for failing to effectively reach non-English-speaking residents. He cited low turnout at PPL registration events in Flushing, where large Chinese, Korean, and Bengali populations reside. Without more time and support, he said, “thousands of families” faced “devastating disruptions” to critical care services.
PPL is now tasked with managing payroll and administrative functions for all CDPAP participants across the state, replacing a patchwork of fiscal intermediaries. The program, which allows chronically ill or disabled New Yorkers to hire their own caregivers—often family or friends—was restructured to improve efficiency and cut down on administrative waste and fraud.
The New York State Department of Health reported Monday that 87% of the roughly 220,000 CDPAP consumers have already completed registration with PPL. Of the approximately 280,000 individuals authorized for CDPAP services prior to April 1, about 60,000 have since transitioned to traditional personal care services. Overall, more than 276,000 consumers have taken action during the transition period, which began in January.
“We’ve made great progress as hundreds of thousands of consumers have access to the services they rely on, and personal assistants are registered and receiving their first payments from PPL,” said State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald. “We will continue to work with everyone moving forward to ensure all consumers have access to services and workers receive timely payments.”
To date, more than 245,000 personal assistants have started or completed registration. PPL reports that about 160,000 are fully onboarded and payroll-ready, with nearly 110,000 logging hours and receiving paychecks during the first April pay period. PPL’s Time4Care app, launched statewide on April 1, is available in 11 languages and compliant with federal Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) requirements.
The federal court agreement allows certain personal assistants to be paid by their previous fiscal intermediaries for a limited time while the transition continues. NYLAG, which is representing patients in the ongoing litigation, said the court order was a critical win for families at risk of losing services.
“This is a critical step forward in making sure CDPAP consumers are able to maintain their services right now and giving them more time to manage the transition to PPL,” said Elizabeth Jois, supervising attorney at NYLAG. “We’re advocating for increased in-person enrollment assistance events and expedited processes for consumers whose prior fiscal intermediaries are no longer available.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration, which mandated the transition last year, emphasized that the latest court decision supports the program’s long-term goals while allowing additional time for those still navigating the process.
“All parties involved in the litigation came to a thoughtful agreement,” said governor’s spokesperson Sam Spokony. “It provides a limited window for additional consumers and workers to complete their registration with PPL, with updated deadlines of May 15 for consumers and June 6 for workers.”
Spokony noted that the reforms are projected to save taxpayers $1 billion annually by curbing administrative overspending and fraud, including a recent $68 million scheme uncovered within the program.
PPL officials defended their outreach efforts following criticism, noting that Liu and his staff attended an early registration event in Flushing on Feb. 12, when the campaign was still ramping up. Subsequent outreach in the area drew more than 100 attendees per event, they said.
In total, PPL’s outreach has included community meetings, multilingual ads across 24 publications in 12 languages, and TV campaigns in English and Spanish. Officials also cited partnerships with local advocacy organizations like India Home, the Bangladeshi Center of Jamaica, and the Queens Developmental Disability Council.
“Our goal is to help people get the information they need to ensure care continuity,” said PPL President Maria Perrin. “We continue to focus on helping consumers and personal assistants complete registration and are offering daily webinars and live support for timekeeping training.”
Caregivers who live in the Bronx, Queens, and other downstate counties are also eligible for flex cards to use for health-related expenses, transportation, and medications. In addition to competitive pay, benefits offered by PPL include health plans, paid time off, holiday pay, 401(k) participation, and paid family leave.
Consumers and personal assistants still needing to register can do so by calling PPL’s support center at 1-833-247-5346 or visiting pplfirst.com/cdpap. A list of facilitators available to assist with enrollment is also available on the site.
