GuidesForms
Forms
IHSS Forms in California: SOC 295 and SOC 873
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.
Cards for official CDSS IHSS PDFs: SOC 295, SOC 873, and related provider forms. Download from cdss.ca.gov only. The county files the packet and decides the case.
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
SOC 295 starts the IHSS case. SOC 873 is the usual Health Care Certification. Other SOC pages cover provider enrollment. Download those PDFs only from CDSS. The county files the packet, assigns a social worker, and later authorizes tasks. Medi-Cal is a separate determination.
Who decides
Your county IHSS office files the forms, assigns a social worker, and later authorizes tasks and hours. Medi-Cal staff decide the Medi-Cal eligibility that IHSS builds on.
What to do next
Download SOC 295 and SOC 873 from the official CDSS PDFs on this page, complete the pages the county asks for, and send them to the county IHSS office listed on the CDSS county office page.
Why this page only links official PDFs
Adult children searching “IHSS forms SOC 295 SOC 873” usually want the files, not a story. The California Department of Social Services publishes those pages. This hub is a card list that points at those official PDFs and at the CDSS forms catalog. It does not host a local copy. It does not invent a county packet. If a clerk names a form you do not see here, open the catalog, not a search result that looks similar.
The longer form walkthroughs remain: SOC 295, SOC 873, and common IHSS forms. Use this page when you need the official download first. Use those pages when you need to know who signs which line.
SOC 295 starts the recipient case
SOC 295 is the statewide In-Home Supportive Services application. The applicant is the person who needs care, not the adult child who is organizing the packet. Use the name that already appears on the Medi-Cal case when you have one. A name mismatch between SOC 295 and Medi-Cal is a common reason a file comes back. If you are filling the form for a parent, write their information in the applicant fields and use the helper or contact fields the form provides for yourself.
SOC 295 tells the county who is applying and how to reach them. It does not authorize hours. It is not a Medi-Cal application, a provider enrollment packet, or a timesheet. Pair it with Medi-Cal status on BenefitsCal or the DHCS apply page. Send the completed form to the county IHSS office for the home address. Mail, drop-off, phone, and upload rules are local. Ask that office which door they use.
Free account
Create a free account to unlock the complete guide
The short answer and first sections stay free. Create a free account to unlock the rest, including printable checklists and full planner detail. Education first — the county still decides.
Checking your account…
Questions people ask
- Is SOC 295 the same as a Medi-Cal application?
- No. SOC 295 starts the IHSS case. Medi-Cal is a separate determination, often through BenefitsCal or the county Medi-Cal office. IHSS cannot finish until Medi-Cal eligibility is decided.
- Where do I send SOC 295 and SOC 873?
- Send them to the county IHSS office for the person who needs care. CDSS publishes a statewide list of county IHSS offices. Confirm the local mailing, drop-off, or upload method with that office.
- Should I use a copy I found on a blog?
- No. Forms change. Use the official CDSS PDF linked on each card. The CDSS forms catalog is the backup if a clerk names a page this hub does not list.
- Do provider forms go in the same envelope as SOC 295?
- Usually no. SOC 295 and SOC 873 open the recipient case. Provider enrollment is a later track after the county authorizes tasks. Mixing them is how packets get messy.
Official pages to open
SOC 295: IHSS application
The statewide application CDSS publishes. The person who needs care is the applicant. Send the completed form to the county IHSS office on the CDSS list.
Open the official SOC 295 PDFSOC 873: Health Care Certification
The usual Health Care Certification. A licensed health professional in California documents need so the person can remain safely at home. The county may accept named alternatives.
Open the official SOC 873 PDFSOC 426: provider enrollment
Used when someone, often an adult child, enrolls as an individual provider after the county authorizes tasks. Orientation and a background check may also apply.
Open the official SOC 426 PDFSOC 846: provider agreement
The provider agreement CDSS publishes. It sits with enrollment, not with the recipient application. Do not send it as a substitute for SOC 295.
Open the official SOC 846 PDFSOC 2298: live-in self-certification
Live-in providers who self-certify have different Electronic Visit Verification steps. Ask the county whether this page applies before you assume a timesheet method.
Open the official SOC 2298 PDFCDSS forms catalog
If a clerk names a form this page does not list, open the official catalog. Do not download IHSS forms from blogs, hospital flyers, or unofficial document hosts.
Open the CDSS forms catalog
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.