Aged, blind, or disabled
IHSS is for eligible aged, blind, or disabled people, including some children. The county and Medi-Cal apply those definitions. We will not decide them from a website form.
Eligibility basics
A short list. The county still has to say yes.
The California Department of Social Services publishes the core IHSS criteria below. Meeting them does not enroll you automatically. A county social worker and Medi-Cal eligibility staff complete the determination.
California resident
You must live in California.
Medi-Cal determination
You must have a Medi-Cal eligibility determination. If you are not on Medi-Cal yet, apply — IHSS does not replace that step. Some people qualify for Medi-Cal with a share of cost; that can affect what the recipient later pays the provider.
Living at home
You must live at home or in an abode of your own choosing. Acute-care hospitals, long-term care facilities, and licensed community care facilities do not count as “own home.”
Health Care Certification
A completed Health Care Certification form (SOC 873) — or acceptable alternative documentation signed by a licensed health care professional — must reach the county before services are authorized.
In-home assessment
A county social worker interviews you at home to judge which tasks you need help with and how many hours to authorize.
What we will not guess
- Income, asset, citizenship or immigration details, and any Medi-Cal share of cost are decided by Medi-Cal rules — we will not quote numbers here.
- Who may be paid as a provider (including a spouse or a parent of a minor) depends on the IHSS sub-program (PCSP vs CFCO, IPO, or IHSS-Residual) and on finishing provider enrollment. Confirm with your county IHSS office.
- Hours, wage rates, overtime, and union rules vary by county and change. Ask the social worker assigned to the case.
- To apply, submit the IHSS application (SOC 295) to your county IHSS office. We can help you gather and track those forms.
Official program pages: CDSS IHSS, IHSS for children, DHCS Medi-Cal, and county IHSS offices.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is California Home Help a county or Medi-Cal office?
No. We are a private service operated by Sevah Robotics, Inc. We help families understand IHSS and complete paperwork. Approvals, hours, and payments are made by the county and the state.
Do you guarantee that I will be approved or paid?
No. Nobody except the county IHSS program and Medi-Cal can decide eligibility, authorized hours, or provider enrollment. We will not tell you that you “qualify” from a website form.
Can a family member be paid?
Often yes for an adult child, other relative, friend, or neighbor who finishes provider enrollment. A spouse, or a parent of a child under 18, is generally not paid under PCSP. Other IHSS sub-programs can allow it. Check with the county rather than treating a national article as California law.
Does the family ever pay the caregiver?
The State issues the provider check for authorized hours. If the recipient has a Medi-Cal share of cost, CDSS says unpaid share of cost can be deducted from that check and the recipient then pays the provider. Ask the county whether a share of cost applies. We will not quote an amount.
Is this the same as home health or a nursing facility?
No. IHSS is in-home personal and household help for people who can live at home. Skilled nursing and therapy are different Medi-Cal or Medicare benefits.
What do you need from me to get started?
A name, a way to reach you, your county if you know it, and whether you are the caregiver or the person who needs care. Please do not send medical records or diagnoses through the form.
We handle the paperwork.
Tell us whether you give care or need it. A coordinator helps with IHSS and Medi-Cal forms. The county still decides.
Get started