Consumer directed services · Festus
Consumer Directed Services in Festus, Missouri
Communicare Elite serves Festus as a Consumer Directed Services vendor under MO HealthNet. You choose the attendant, a family member other than your spouse included, and the payroll, paperwork and Medicaid billing are ours.
Why home care matters in Festus
Festus and neighboring Crystal City sit toward the southern end of our service area, and they are the part of it that feels least like a suburb. This is a small-city and rural community where households are spread out, families have often been in the area for generations, and the nearest neighbor may be a field away.
Rural distance changes what home care has to look like. Agency staffing thins out badly this far from St. Louis, and an aide dispatched from the county line will not be reliable through a Jefferson County winter. Hiring someone local — a daughter-in-law two roads over, a neighbor, someone from church — is not a compromise here; it is the arrangement most likely to hold. Mercy Hospital Jefferson is close by, which keeps the medical transportation side of a care plan manageable.
What are the steps to start Consumer Directed Services in Festus?
It begins with MO HealthNet eligibility, then a state assessment at home on 866-835-3505, then an authorized care plan. Vendor choice comes after. The full six steps.
Which tasks can your Festus attendant be paid for?
Your authorized plan sets which tasks are paid — personal care, meals, housekeeping, appointments. The complete list.
Can you hire a relative as your paid caregiver in Festus?
Distance makes a local family attendant especially valuable this far south. Every relationship except spouse qualifies. How it is arranged.
How far is Festus from the Communicare Elite office?
Communicare Elite is at 4477 Woodson Rd, Suite 106, St. Louis, MO 63134, minutes from Lambert International Airport — about 45 minutes from Festus. Most business is handled by phone, but you are welcome at the office; call ahead so someone is expecting you.
We serve Missouri only. Consumer Directed Services is a Missouri Medicaid program. Illinois residents are served by Illinois programs and Illinois providers, even a few minutes across the river.
Questions from Festus families
Am I too far out to qualify?
Festus is near the outer edge of our roughly 40-mile radius but within it. If you are unsure about your specific address, call (314) 809-6655 and we will tell you plainly.
Can a neighbor be my paid attendant?
Yes. There is no requirement that an attendant be related to you — only that they are not your spouse and that they clear background screening.
Do you serve Crystal City, Herculaneum and De Soto?
Crystal City and Herculaneum, yes. De Soto is close to our limit — call and check with your address.
Can my attendant work for more than one person?
That depends on the authorized hours involved; we go through it before payroll is set up. How pay is calculated.
How much does an attendant earn?
Attendant pay and the payroll cycle are published rather than negotiated case by case. Attendant pay and payroll.
Why hire someone local in Festus instead of waiting on an agency?
Agency staffing thins out badly this far from St. Louis, and an aide sent from the county line will not be reliable through a Jefferson County winter. Hiring someone who lives nearby, such as a relative two roads over, a neighbor or someone from church, is the arrangement most likely to hold. You choose the person; we employ and pay them.
Who handles payroll and Medicaid billing for my attendant?
Communicare Elite does. We serve Festus as a Consumer Directed Services vendor under MO HealthNet. You choose the attendant, and a family member other than your spouse can be that person. The payroll, the program paperwork and the Medicaid billing are ours, so your time goes to the care itself rather than the administration.
Can my attendant take me to Mercy Hospital Jefferson?
Yes, if appointments are part of your authorized plan. Your plan sets which tasks are paid, and it can include personal care, meals, housekeeping and appointments. Mercy Hospital Jefferson is close to Festus, which keeps the medical transportation side of a care plan manageable for a local attendant.
Nearby communities we also serve
Arnold · Kirkwood · St. Louis County · St. Louis City — or see the whole service area.
Serving Festus and the surrounding area.
Call us for a free consultation, or text us. We serve St. Louis City, St. Louis County and Missouri communities within about 40 miles of our office.