Post-hospital IHSS checklist for adult children

1. Step 1

   Confirm the home they will return to

   A hospital, nursing facility, or licensed community care facility is not “own home.” If the plan is a facility stay, ask that discharge team about facility coverage. If the plan is the parent’s house or apartment, IHSS may be the program to discuss with the county.

2. Step 2

   Check Medi-Cal status

   Ask whether Medi-Cal is active, pending, or missing. Start or renew on BenefitsCal or with the county Medi-Cal office. Ask whether a share of cost applies. Do not guess an amount from another household.

3. Step 3

   Send SOC 295 to the home county

   The applicant is the parent. File with the county IHSS office for the home they will live in, even if you live somewhere else. Use the CDSS county office list for the official contact path.

4. Step 4

   Ask the discharge clinician about SOC 873

   A licensed health professional completes the Health Care Certification or acceptable alternative documentation. Take a blank SOC 873 to the clinician already involved in discharge when you can. A discharge summary helps the care team. It is not automatically SOC 873.

5. Step 5

   Prepare a typical-day page for the later visit

   The social worker will come to the home after the person is there. Describe morning, afternoon, and night help. Leave a hoped-for hour total off the page.

Week-by-week timeline

If you want a checklist that changes with days since discharge or an upcoming assessment, open the after-discharge timeline. Timing varies by county; not a guarantee.

Guides for this path

• Helping a parent apply after the hospital
• After hospital discharge and IHSS
• Hospital discharge, Medi-Cal, and IHSS together
• Compare home, agency, and facility paths
• SOC 295 application
• SOC 873 explained