Full Definition

Community First Choice (CFC) is a Medicaid state plan option that Texas implemented to provide personal attendant services (PAS) and habilitation to eligible members who meet nursing facility level of care but wish to live in the community rather than a facility.

CFC services include assistance with activities of daily living (bathing, dressing, eating, mobility), health maintenance tasks (such as medication reminders), and habilitation support. Services are available in a person’s home or other community setting.

To qualify for CFC in Texas, an individual must be enrolled in STAR+PLUS Medicaid and meet the clinical criteria for nursing facility level of care — meaning their functional needs would warrant institutionalization without the support. Unlike HCBS waivers, CFC does not have a separate waitlist; it is a state plan benefit available to all eligible members.

For families trying to keep a parent at home rather than moving to a facility, CFC-funded personal attendant services can be a critical bridge. Families can contact their loved one’s STAR+PLUS managed care organization to request a needs assessment and service authorization.