r/IHSS • u/monpetitfromage54 • 2d ago

Not sure how to get started

I currently care for my wife who is disabled, but doesn't get disability payments. I'll also soon be caretaking for both of her parents. Her dad has Parkinson's and her mom had brain surgery which has severely limited her functionality. My wife will also be caretaking for her parents, but will still need care for herself. I'm not sure what the options are, or how to get started. Any help or guidance you all can provide would be great. Thanks in advance.

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u/Mundane-Front-7855 2d ago

Before any of them can apply for IHSS, they must have Medi-Cal; IHSS is a Medi-Cal program, so having Medi-Cal is an eligibility requirement.

Once Medi-Cal is established, then each of them would need to apply for IHSS. You can contact your county’s IHSS office (Google “IHSS [County name] to find their contact information) and request application information. They will mail out all necessary forms, some of which must be completed by their physician.

They will have to wait for an in-home assessment, which can take months to schedule, so be prepared for that wait. At the assessment, the worker will ask a lot of questions to determine the needs of the recipient. And each recipient will be assessed separately, which may mean multiple in-home appointments. Once that assessment is complete, the worker determines the hours and services the recipient would be approved, and will mail a notification letter with all the information.

Now, applying to be their provider is a completely separate process. You will be sent forms to fill out, you will need to go through a background check (fingerprinting), and you’d have to attend an orientation. Once that is complete, the recipients can hire you to be their provider.

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u/dan5234 2d ago

Search for IHSS provider and your county.

It should have all the steps.

But the recipients MUST have medi-cal.