California Home Help

CitiesSan Jose / South Bay

Home-care help in San Jose / South Bay

Updated September 16, 2026. Reviewed September 16, 2026 against public CDSS, DHCS, Medicare.gov, VA, and CareScout 2025 California tables. County wages, hours, and wait times still change. Official .gov pages decide.

South Bay adult children often work on a campus that sits in a different county from the parent’s house. Palo Alto and Gilroy share Santa Clara County IHSS. Menlo Park does not. Start with the address, then SOC 295, then the registry if you need a licensed agency beside family care.

If you are the adult child

If you live in San Francisco and the parent lives in San Jose, file IHSS in Santa Clara County. If the parent lives in Los Altos Hills and you work in Menlo Park, check the county line. Menlo Park is San Mateo County. Los Altos is Santa Clara County.

Settings in this metro

South Bay private-pay quotes are often described as high. This page does not publish an invented Silicon Valley rate. It uses CareScout’s California median, then invites you to ask licensed agencies for written local terms and to open the Santa Clara County IHSS page.

County IHSS

Cost of care

Setting costs

Licensed agencies

Official California sources

Official program pages: CDSS: In-Home Supportive Services, CDSS: IHSS for children, County IHSS offices, CDSS: IHSS providers, CDSS: county IHSS wage rates, CDSS: provider orientation, CDSS: Electronic Visit Verification, CDSS: Electronic Services Portal, DHCS: Medi-Cal, Apply for Medi-Cal, BenefitsCal, CDSS: hearing requests, CDSS: forms catalog, CDSS: IHSS overtime and workweek, DDS: regional centers.

Questions people ask

How do I start IHSS for a parent in San Jose / South Bay?
Open the county IHSS page for the home address, confirm Medi-Cal, and send SOC 295 to that county. If you live in San Francisco and the parent lives in San Jose, file IHSS in Santa Clara County. If the parent lives in Los Altos Hills and you work in Menlo Park, check the county line. Menlo Park is San Mateo County. Los Altos is Santa Clara County.
Where do I find a licensed home care agency in San Jose / South Bay?
Use the California Home Care Registry county pages linked here. Listing is informational, not an endorsement. Confirm the license. IHSS individual providers are a different path.
How much does private home care cost in San Jose / South Bay?
Open the San Jose / South Bay cost-of-care page. It uses CareScout 2025 California statewide medians, not an invented city table. Ask a licensed agency for a written local rate.
Can California Home Help file the case?
No. We help adult children organize paperwork. County IHSS staff and Medi-Cal decide eligibility, hours, and who can be paid.

See if IHSS may apply

A coordinator can walk through Medi-Cal, county forms, and the home visit with you. The county still decides eligibility and hours.

For example: starting an IHSS application, provider enrollment, or county forms. Keep medical records and diagnoses for the county packet.