Vermont · personal care aide (PCA)
Vermont does not set minimum training hours for personal care workers. Instead, agencies certified by the state must train you on key topics and check your skills before you start. Here is how it works and how family caregivers can get paid.
At a glance
What the state asks of PCAs who work for licensed agencies or Medicaid programs.
| Job titles | Personal care attendant, personal assistant, direct care worker, direct support staff, unlicensed caregiver, homemaker |
| Training | No minimum hours. Certified home care agencies give orientation and set training topics before you serve clients. Self-directing clients train their own workers. |
| Exam | No state exam. A supervisor checks and signs off on your skills before you start. |
| Certification | None for workers. Vermont has no state certificate or registry for personal care workers. |
| Background check | Required under the state’s background check policy. Fingerprint versus name-based checks not confirmed in state sources. |
| Yearly training | Not confirmed in state sources; ask your agency. |
| Minimum age | 18 for workers hired directly by Choices for Care clients |
| Agency licensing | No state license found for non-medical agencies. Since October 2024, the state certifies them to serve Medicaid Choices for Care clients. |
Training
Since October 2024, the Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living (DAIL) certifies non-medical Home Care Providers to serve clients in Choices for Care, Vermont’s Medicaid long-term care program. These agencies must give you an orientation and, before you serve clients, training in client rights, cultural sensitivity, mandatory reporting, person-centered care, crisis management, emergency preparedness, incident reporting, and infection control. You also get training for each client’s specific needs.
After training, a supervisor must check your skills and sign off before you start, then visit in person at least every 90 days. Home health agencies must also train unlicensed caregivers for their tasks. If a client directs their own care, the client or their stand-in employer is in charge of your training.
The steps
The usual path for a new aide.
Family caregivers
Yes, in many cases. Vermont’s Choices for Care and Attendant Services Program let clients direct their own care and hire family members.
Some limits apply. In Choices for Care, a spouse or civil union partner cannot be paid for household tasks, respite, or companion care, and a court-appointed guardian cannot be paid for personal care. In the Attendant Services Program, a spouse or civil union partner cannot be paid for attendant care.
Read our full guide: how to get paid to care for a family member.
Compare
All three help people with daily care. Training, tasks, and pay differ.
| Personal care aide | Home health aide | CNA | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Training | No set hours; agencies train and check skills | 75 hours federal minimum, including 16 hands-on | State-approved program, 75 hours or more |
| Medical tasks | Mostly not. Help with daily living, like bathing, dressing, meals, and housework | Some, like vital signs, under nurse supervision | Yes, under nurse supervision |
| Where you work | Clients' homes, group homes, assisted living | Clients' homes, through home health agencies | Nursing homes and hospitals |
| Median pay (VT) | $20.00 an hour* | $20.00 an hour* | $22.66 an hour |
*Federal pay data groups personal care aides with home health aides. Many PCAs later become CNAs, which opens more jobs and higher pay.
FAQ
Short answers to what people ask most.
No. Vermont has no state certificate or registry for personal care workers. Certified agencies must train you and have a supervisor check your skills before you start.
Vermont sets no minimum hours. Certified agencies must cover required topics and each client's needs before you start, so the length depends on the agency.
Yes, if your parent is in Choices for Care or the Attendant Services Program and directs their own care. Family members can be hired, with some limits for spouses. You must be 18 or older.
Since October 2024, DAIL certifies non-medical Home Care Providers to bill Medicaid for Choices for Care personal care, respite, and companion services. Certification lasts up to three years.
Home health and personal care aides in Vermont earn a median of $20.00 an hour, based on the May 2025 federal wage survey.