The Pennsylvania Department of Aging has introduced a new web-based screening tool designed to increase transparency, strengthen accountability, and protect older adults who rely on in-home care services.
The platform, called C-Screen, evaluates and verifies the hiring practices of in-home care provider agencies that work with the state’s network of 52 Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs). The goal is to help families make informed choices and safeguard older residents from abuse, neglect, and fraud.
Each AAA can use C-Screen to request, review, and track screening data for care providers, creating a consistent framework for quality assurance across all 67 counties. Sixteen agencies, including Lehigh County, have already begun using the system. In Lehigh, all new provider contracts now require a verified C-Screen rating. The tool also gives local agencies the option to publicly share provider ratings, a move intended to build public trust in in-home services.
Aging Secretary Jason Kavulich said the initiative reflects the department’s commitment to protecting the state’s aging population by ensuring that every care provider meets the same high standards of safety, professionalism, and integrity.
The rollout of C-Screen is part of a broader set of reforms under the Shapiro Administration aimed at improving services for older Pennsylvanians. Earlier this year, the Department of Aging launched the Comprehensive Aging Performance Evaluation (CAPE), which consolidates agency monitoring into a single, holistic review process. Performance results for 14 agencies covering 24 counties are already posted publicly online.
In addition, the department recently introduced the PA CareKit, a free resource that supports unpaid caregivers such as spouses and adult children. The CareKit was developed as part of the state’s 10-year Aging Our Way, PA plan and has received national recognition for helping families navigate care decisions.
Officials say the new C-Screen platform represents a major step forward in empowering older adults and their families to make safe, informed choices about care in their own homes.
Residents can learn more about available services and supports at the Pennsylvania Department of Aging’s website.
Source: pa.gov