Personal Assistants

 

Personal Assistants: An Independent Living Resource

As part of the Independent Living philosophy, Access Living provides disabled people with the resources to hire and employ their own personal assistants. We also train people who would like to become a personal assistant for people with disabilities. The State of Illinois pays personal assistants $17.25/hour and CNAs $18.50/hour.

Please Note: Access Living is not a hiring agency for personal assistants.

How do I become a Personal Assistant (PA)?

Access Living provides training for people interested in becoming a Personal Assistant. Training sessions are held several times a month at Access Living and at other local community organizations.

Important Information about the PA training program:

  • Our program is for training only
  • In many cases, the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS/IDRS) serves as the fiscal agent, which means that they will pay you. Access Living is not responsible for payment or regulation of payment.
  • PAs are hired by people with disabilities themselves, meaning you’ll be employed by the person you’re hired to support, not by Access Living.
  • The State of Illinois pays personal assistants $17.25/hour, and CNAs $18.50/hour.

To attend PA trainings you must bring your:

  • Photo ID (Driver’s License or State ID)
  • Social Security Card
  • Resume and three professional references
  • Certified Nursing Assistant Certificate (if applicable)

Upcoming training dates are as follows and please RSVP to Tim Granzow or Nadia Dawson

Brighton Park Library – 4314 S. Archer Ave.Tuesday, March 4, 202512:00pm-2:30pmNadia Dawson
Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave.Tuesday, March 11, 202512:00pm-2:30pmNadia Dawson
Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave.Wednesday, March 12, 202510:30am-1:00pmTim Granzow
Woodson Regional Library – 9525 S. Halsted St.Thursday, March 13, 202512:00pm-2:30pmNadia Dawson
Harold Washington Library – 400 S. State St. (6th floor)Monday, March, 17, 202512:00pm-2:30pmNadia Dawson
Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave.Tuesday, March 18, 20251:30pm-4:00pmTim Granzow
Virtual – ZoomWednesday, March 19, 202512:00pm-2:30pmNadia Dawson
McKinnley Park Library – 1915 W. 35th St.Thursday, March 20, 202511:00am-1:30pmTim Granzow
Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave.Tuesday, March 25, 202512:00pm-2:30pmNadia Dawson
Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave.Tuesday, March 25, 20252:30pm-5:00pmTim Granzow
Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave.Thursday, March 27, 202512:00pm-2:30pmNadia Dawson
South Chicago Library – 9055 S. HoustonFriday, March 28, 20259:30am-12:00pmTim Granzow
Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave.Tuesday, April 1, 202511:30am-2:00pmTim Granzow
Lozano Library – 1805 S. Loomis StreetTuesday, April 1, 202512:30pm-3:00pmNadia Dawson
Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave.Thursday, April 3, 202512:00pm-2:30pmNadia Dawson
Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave.Tuesday, April 8, 202512:00pm-2:30pmNadia Dawson
Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave.Wednesday, April 9, 20259:00am-11:30amTim Granzow
Little Village – 2311 S. Kedzie Ave.Thursday, April 10, 20251:00pm-3:30pmTim Granzow
Harold Washington Library – 400 S. State St. (6th floor)Monday, April 14, 202512:00pm-2:30pmNadia Dawson
Bezazian Library – 1226 W. AinslieTuesday, April 15, 202511:00am-1:30pmTim Granzow
Virtual – ZoomWednesday, April 16, 202512:00pm-2:30pmNadia Dawson
Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave.Tuesday, April 22, 202512:30pm-3:00pmTim Granzow
Whitney  Young Library – 415 E. 79th St.Tuesday, April 22, 202512:30pm-3:00pmNadia Dawson
Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave.Thursday, April 24, 202512:00pm-2:30pmNadia Dawson
Pullman Library – 11001 S. Indiana Ave.Thursday, April 24, 20251:00pm-3:30pmTim Granzow
Austin-Irving Park Library – 6100 W. Irving Park Rd.Tuesday, April 29, 202512:00pm-2:30pmNadia Dawson
Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave.Thursday, May 1, 202512:00pm-2:30pmNadia Dawson
Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave.Tuesday, May 6, 202510:00am-12:30pmTim Granzow
Uptown Library – 929 W. BuenaTuesday, May 6, 202512:30pm-3:00pmNadia Dawson
Clearing Library – 6423 W. 63rd PlaceFriday, May 9, 20259:30am-12:00pmTim Granzow
Legler Regional Library – 115 S. Pulaski Rd.Friday, May 9, 202512:00pm-2:30pmNadia Dawson
Virtual – ZoomWednesday, May 14, 202512:00pm-2:30pmNadia Dawson
Bucktown-Wicker Park Library – 1701 N. Milwaukee Ave.Thursday, May 15, 202510:30am-1:00pmTim Granzow
Harold Washington Library – 400 S. State St. (6th floor)Monday, May 19, 202512:00pm-2:30pmNadia Dawson
Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave.Tuesday, May 20, 20252:00pm-4:30pmTim Granzow
Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave.Wednesday, May 21, 202510:00am-12:30pmTim Granzow
Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave.Thursday, May 22, 202512:30pm-3:00pmNadia Dawson
Roden Library – 6083 N. Northwest HwyTuesday, May 27, 202512:00pm-2:30pmNadia Dawson
Location TBDThursday, May 29, 202511:30am-2:00pmTim Granzow
Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave.Thursday, May 29, 202512:00pm-2:30pmNadia Dawson
 

Tim Granzow

Senior PA Training Coordinator

tgranzow@accessliving.org

(312) 640-2193

View bio
 

Nadia Dawson

PA Coordinator

ndawson@accessliving.org

(312) 640-2184

 
 

I’m a disabled person. How do I hire my own personal assistant?

Access Living keeps a database of certified personal assistants available to hire for people with disabilities to access. You tell us about your needs and what you’re looking for, and we’ll send resumes for you to review. After that, you choose which people you’d like to interview and hire.

Our coordinators can help you navigate any issues you might have with your personal assistant, such as communicating how you would like an activity performed, terminating their employment, and more.

To access the PA database, or to learn more, please contact a Personal Assistant Coordinator.