Since 1977, the Private Care Association has been committed to protecting for-profit caregiver registries through its active government relations program, designed to present its position to public policymakers. As the only national voice for caregiver registries, PCA is continuing to expand its membership to develop greater capability for nationwide grassroots advocacy to promote our interests and the consumer directed model of care.

Consumer-directed care is reinforced by a philosophical orientation that emphasizes the rights, within their abilities, of the elderly and people with disabilities to assess their own needs and make choices about what services would best meet those needs. The principal advantages of consumer-directed care are that it costs less, allows consumers to individually select caregivers, provides greater continuity in caregiver relationships, more generously compensates the caregiver, and supports caregiver entrepreneurship.