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The Personal Assistance Services Council of Los Angeles County
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In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS)
The In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Program pays for services that enable eligible individuals who are disabled (including children) and seniors to remain safely in their own homes. The IHSS Program includes personal care services such as bathing, grooming and dressing; domestic services such as cooking, house cleaning and laundry; protective supervision for individuals with mental impairment; paramedical services such as assistance with medications, bowel and bladder care, and catheter insertion; and accompaniment to medical appointments. IHSS is an alternative to costly institutional care.
Who Qualifies to Receive IHSS?
What Does A Person Do Once Approved for IHSS?
Who Qualifies to Receive IHSS?
To be eligible for the IHSS Program a person must;
Other Criteria:
IHSS in Los Angeles County is administered by the Department of Public Social Services (DPSS). DPSS is responsible for determining the eligibility of potential IHSS consumers and takes applications for IHSS through the “IHSS Application Hotline,” which can be reached at 888-944-4477 or TTY: 1-800-735-2922. After the initial call, a county social worker will schedule an in-home interview with the potential IHSS recipient. Using information gathered during the in-home interview, DPSS will complete an assessment of the person’s needs and determine whether or not he/she qualifies to receive IHSS.
In addition, all new IHSS consumer applicants are required to obtain a licensed healthcare professional's written certification that he or she needs assistance with some activities of daily living to remain safely at home, before services will be approved. A licensed healthcare professional could be a physician, physician's assistant, regional center clinician or clinician supervisor, occupational therapist, physical therapist, psychiatrist, psychologist, optometrist, ophthalmologist or a public health nurse. The written certification should be submitted to the county by using the IHSS Medical Certification Form (SOC 873), which should be given to the applicant by their social worker. It can also be downloaded here.
In cases where the consumer applicant is being discharged from a hospital or nursing home, services may be approved prior to receipt of the certification.
What Does A Person Do Once Approved for IHSS?
Once approved for IHSS, it is the responsibility of the recipient, or consumer, to hire his/or her own homecare provider and to act as the provider’s employer. This includes all training, supervision, and maintaining or terminating the employment relationship. Wages for the homecare provider will be paid through a combination of Federal, State and County funds. Also, if the recipient or consumer has a Share of Cost, it is his/her responsibility to pay the Share of Cost to the homecare provider once a month.
There are two ways in which IHSS payments are made: Advanced and arrears. Advanced pay is a payment option available only to IHSS consumers with severe disabilities. Under this option, a check is mailed directly to the IHSS consumer at the beginning of each month and he/she pays the homecare provider(s). The arrears option is that in which payment is made directly to the homecare provider(s) on a bi-weekly basis.
Toll Free 877-565-4477 Fax 818-206-8000 TTY 818-206-7015
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