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How to Get SOC 873 Signed by a Licensed Health Professional
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.
Practical steps for taking SOC 873 to a clinician and returning it, without adding records the county did not ask for.
About 4 minutes to read. Based on CDSS and DHCS public program pages retrieved 2026-09-16. County offices apply these rules. Hourly rates, hour totals, and wait times are local and change.
Short answer
Ask the county for a blank SOC 873 if you need one, take it to a licensed health professional who knows the person who needs care, and return the signed page to the county IHSS office. Do not add hospital records unless the county asked for a specific page. If the office will not complete SOC 873, ask the county whether alternative documentation is acceptable.
Who decides
A licensed health professional completes SOC 873 or alternative documentation. The county IHSS office decides whether that page is complete enough to move the case.
What to do next
Call the clinician’s office, ask how they handle IHSS Health Care Certification forms, and take a blank SOC 873 plus a photo identification for the applicant if the office requires it.
Start with a blank form and a plan to return it
SOC 873 is the Health Care Certification. A licensed health professional completes it. You still have a job: get a blank, get it in front of the right clinician, and get the signed page back to the county. CDSS says this certification, or acceptable alternative documentation, must be received before services are authorized.
Ask the county IHSS office how they want the page returned: mail, drop-off, or upload. Write that method down before the clinic visit so you are not guessing in the parking lot. If you are helping a parent, put their name on your reminder the same way it appears on SOC 295 and on Medi-Cal.
Who to take the form to
Take SOC 873 to a licensed health professional who already follows the person’s condition when you can. A primary clinician is a common choice. A specialist who manages a long-term impairment can also be the right person. The county needs a licensed signature, not a family signature and not a neighbor’s note.
For a child, the same idea applies. CDSS still asks for SOC 873 or acceptable alternative documentation. Do not treat a school form or a routine childcare note as the certification. IHSS is not routine childcare. Ask the county if you are unsure which clinician they will accept.
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Questions people ask
- What if the clinic has never seen SOC 873?
- Bring a blank copy and the county’s return instructions. If they offer a letter instead, ask the county IHSS office whether that letter is acceptable alternative documentation.
- Should I bring the full medical chart to the signing visit?
- The clinician already has a chart. You do not need to hand the county a second copy of that chart unless they named a page. Extra dumps can slow the IHSS file.
- Can I sign SOC 873 for my parent?
- No. A licensed health professional completes the certification. You can carry the form, schedule the visit, and return the signed page.
Official sources for this guide
Related pages on California Home Help
Reviewed against CDSS, DHCS, Medicare.gov, and CareScout public pages. We do not quote IHSS wages. County IHSS offices and Medi-Cal decide eligibility, hours, and pay. For current county wage rates, use the official CDSS wage page. CDSS county IHSS wage rates.
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.