Tim Granzow
Senior PA Training Coordinator
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
| Location | Date | Time | Facilitator |
| Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave. | Tuesday, August 6, 2024 | 10:00am-12:30pm | Tim Granzow |
| Coleman Library – 731 E. 63rd St. | Friday, August 9, 2024 | 9:30am-12:00pm | Tim Granzow |
| Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave. | Tuesday, August 13, 2024 | 12:00pm-2:30pm | Nadia Dawson |
| Virtual – Zoom | Wednesday, August 14, 2024 | 12:00pm-2:30pm | Nadia Dawson |
| West lawn Library – 4020 W. 63rd St. | Friday, August 16, 2024 | 12:00pm-2:30pm | Nadia Dawson |
| Harold Washington Library – 400 S. State St. (6th floor) | Monday, August 19, 2024 | 12:00pm-2:30pm | Nadia Dawson |
| Merlo Library – 644 W. Belmont | Tuesday, August 20, 2024 | 1:00pm-3:30pm | Tim Granzow |
| Douglass Park Library – 3353 E. 123th Street | Thursday, August 22, 2024 | 12:30pm-2:30pm | Nadia Dawson |
| Bucktown-Wicker Park Library – 1701 N. Milwaukee Ave. | Tuesday, August 27, 2024 | 2:00pm-3:30pm | Nadia Dawson |
| Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave. | Wednesday, August 28, 2024 | 11:00am-1:30pm | Tim Granzow |
| Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave. | Wednesday, September 4, 2024 | 10:30am-1:00pm | Tim Granzow |
| Garfield Ridge Library – 6348 S. Archer Ave. | Thursday, September 4, 2024 | 12:00pm-2:30pm | Nadia Dawson |
| Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave. | Tuesday, September 10, 2024 | 12:00pm-2:30pm | Nadia Dawson |
| Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave. | Wednesday, September 11, 2024 | 9:00am-11:30am | Tim Granzow |
| To Be Determined | Friday, September 13, 2024 | 9:30am-12:00pm | Tim Granzow |
| Harold Washington Library – 400 S. State St. (6th floor) | Monday, September 16, 2024 | 12:00pm-2:30pm | Nadia Dawson |
| Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave. | Tuesday, September 17, 2024 | 1:00pm-3:30pm | Tim Granzow |
| Virtual – Zoom | Wednesday, September 18, 2024 | 12:00pm-2:30pm | Nadia Dawson |
| Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave. | Tuesday, September 24, 2024 | 12:00pm-3:00pm | Nadia Dawson |
| Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave. | Wednesday, September 25, 2024 | 10:30am-1:00pm | Tim Granzow |
| Avalon Park Library – 8148 S. Stony Island | Thursday, September 26, 2024 | 12:30pm-3:00pm | Tim Granzow |
| Mayfair Library – 4400 W. Lawrence Ave. | Friday, September 27, 2024 | 1:30pm-4:00pm | Nadia Dawson |
| Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave. | Tuesday, October 1, 2024 | 12:00pm-2:30pm | Nadia Dawson |
| Little Italy Library -1336 W. Taylor St. | Monday, October 7, 2024 | 12:00pm-2:30pm | Nadia Dawson |
| Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave. | Tuesday, October 8, 2024 | 2:00pm-4:30pm | Tim Granzow |
| To Be Determined | Thursday, October 10, 2024 | 11:00am-1:30pm | Tim Granzow |
| Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave. | Thursday, October 10, 2024 | 12:00pm-2:30pm | Nadia Dawson |
| Virtual – Zoom | Wednesday, October 16, 2024 | 12:00pm-2:30pm | Nadia Dawson |
| Harold Washington Library – 400 S. State St. (6th floor) | Friday, October 18, 2024 | 12:00pm-2:30pm | Nadia Dawson |
| Toman Branch Library – 2708 S. Pulaski Ave. | Tuesday, October 22, 2024 | 12:00pm-2:30pm | Nadia Dawson |
| To Be Determined | Tuesday, October 22, 2024 | 1:30pm-4:00pm | Tim Granzow |
| Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave. | Wednesday, October 23, 2024 | 10:30am-1:00pm | Tim Granzow |
| Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave. | Thursday, October 24, 2024 | 12:00pm-2:30pm | Nadia Dawson |
| To Be Determined | Friday, October 25, 2024 | 9:30am-12:00pm | Tim Granzow |
| Access Living – 115 W. Chicago Ave. | Tuesday, October 29, 2024 | 11:00am-1:30pm | Tim Granzow |
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.