For patients & families
IHSS is a California program for eligible aged, blind, or disabled people — including some children — who need in-home assistance as an alternative to out-of-home care. It is administered with Medi-Cal. A county social worker assesses what you need and how many hours can be authorized.
If you are approved, CDSS says you hire your individual provider — and you are that person’s employer (hire, train, supervise, and fire). That can be a family member, a friend, or someone the county Public Authority list can help you find. Some counties also offer contracted providers or county homemakers.
A county social worker interviews you at home, looks at which daily tasks you can safely do yourself, and authorizes service types and hours using Functional Index Rankings and Hourly Task Guidelines. You (and, if appropriate, family or a licensed health professional) can share information. A Health Care Certification form (SOC 873) — or acceptable alternative documentation — must reach the county before services are authorized.
IHSS is for people living at home or in an abode of their own choosing. Acute-care hospitals, long-term care facilities, and licensed community care facilities are not “own home” for this program.
Official program pages: CDSS IHSS, IHSS for children, DHCS Medi-Cal, and county IHSS offices.
FAQ
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Tell us whether you give care or need it. A coordinator helps with IHSS and Medi-Cal forms. The county still decides.
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