The IHSS Program is a federal, state and locally funded program designed
\ to help pay for services provided to you so that you can remain safely in
your own home. To be eligible, you must be over 65 years of age, or disabled,
or blind. Disabled children are also eligible for IHSS. IHSS is considered
an alternative to out-of-home care, such as nursing homes or board and care
facilities.
The types of services which can be authorized through IHSS are housecleaning,
meal preparation, laundry, grocery shopping, personal care services (such as
bowel and bladder care, bathing, grooming and paramedical services),
accompaniment to medical appointments, and protective supervision for the
mentally impaired.
You May Be Eligible for IHSS If You:
You must be a citizen of the United States or a qualified alien.
You must also be a California resident.
You must live at home or an abode of your own choosing (acute
care hospital, long-term care facilities, and licensed community care
facilities are not considered "own home").
Your personal property may not exceed $2,000 for an individual
or $3,000 for a couple.
Personal property that is considered in determining your resources
includes cash on hand, checking and saving accounts, the value of stocks,
bonds, trust deeds, real property (other than the home you own and live in),
automobiles and recreational vehicles, promissory notes and loans.
Personal property that is not considered in determining your resources
includes the home you own and in which you live, one automobile needed for
transportation to medical appointments or work, and all life insurance
policies if the combined face value is $1,500 or less.
If you do not receive SSI/SSP, your income will be used to determine
your eligibility for IHSS. Depending on the amount of your income, you
may be required to pay for a portion of your IHSS benefits (share of cost).
Medi-Cal Benefits
IHSS recipients are automatically eligible for Medi-Cal for their
medical/health care. For most people who qualify for IHSS, the in-home care
benefits are paid for under the Personal Care Services Program (PCSP)
which is a Medi-Cal benefit. Under certain circumstances, the State of
California will have the right to have your estate pay for the cost of some
Medi-Cal benefits received after age 55, upon your admission to a skilled
Nursing facility.
How Does The IHSS Program Work?
You must make a referral for IHSS to the San Bernardino County
Department of Aging and Adult Services by calling the following office
closes to your residence:
Barstow
536 E. Virginia Way
(760) 256-5544
Every other Thursday at 10:00 a.m.
Needles
1300 Bailey Street
(760) 326-9274
First and Third Wednesday at 9:00 a.m.
Rancho Cucamonga
9445 Fairway View Place, Suite 110
(909) 948-6200
Every Thursday from 9 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Spanish: First and Third Thursday at 1:00 p.m.
San Bernardino
686 E. Mill St.
(909) 891-3700
Every Thursday at 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
Spanish: Third Thursday 1:00 p.m.
Victorville
17270 Bear Valley Road Suite 108
(760) 843-5100
Every Thursday at 9:30 a.m. (English and Spanish)
Yucca Valley
56357 Pima Trail
(760) 228-5390
Every Friday at 9:00 a.m.
If you are currently receiving Medi-Cal Services, a county social worker
will interview you at your home to determine your eligibility and need for IHSS.
Based on your ability to safely perform certain tasks for yourself, the social
worker will assess the types of services you need and the number of hours the
county will authorize for each of these services. This assessment will include
information given by you and, if appropriate, by your family, friends, physician
or other health practitioner.
If you are not receiving Medi-Cal Services, a county Eligibility Worker
will send you an application for Medi-Cal Services to assess your eligibility.
If you qualify for Medi-Cal Services, then a a county social worker will interview
you at your home to determine your eligibility and need for IHSS. Based on your
ability to safely perform certain tasks for yourself, the social worker will
assess the types of services you need and the number of hours the county will
authorize for each of these services. This assessment will include information
given by you and, if appropriate, by your family, friends, physician or other
health practitioner. This process may take slightly longer depending on how
you respond to the Eligibility Worker’s request for information.
You will be notified if IHSS has been approved or denied. If denied,
you will be notified of the reason for the denial. If approved, you will be
notified of the services and the number of hours per month which have been
authorized for you.
If you are approved for IHSS, you must hire someone (your individual
provider) to perform the authorized services. You are considered your provider's
employer and, therefore, it is your responsibility to hire, train, supervise,
and fire this individual.
If you do not have a provider then you may contact the San Bernardino
County IHSS Public Authority to assist you in finding a provider. The Public
Authority phone number is 1-866 985-6322.
A social worker will conduct a reassessment of your needs on an annual basis,
however, if your needs or condition changes, it is your responsibility to notify
your social worker immediately.
How Are IHSS Payments Made?
The rate paid to provider in San Bernardino County is $9.25 per hour.
This rate is determined by negotiations by the Service Employee International
Union (SEIU) and the employer of record which is the Public Authority (PA)
in San Bernardino County. The State issues all checks for individual provider
payments. If the provider qualifies, the State withholds the applicable amounts
for disability insurance and Social Security taxes.
Your provider must attend Provider Orientation. This is a training
that assists the provider in learning about the IHSS program, how to work safely
in your home and how to complete their timesheets properly.
Provider Orientations are held on Thursday. The times and locations
are as follows:
Barstow
536 E. Virginia Way
(760) 256-5544
Every other Thursday at 10:00 a.m.
Needles
1300 Bailey Street
(760) 326-9274
First and Third Wednesday at 9:00 a.m.
Rancho Cucamonga
9445 Fairway View Place, Suite 110
(909) 948-6200
Every Thursday from 9 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Spanish: First and Third Thursday at 1:00 p.m.
San Bernardino
686 E. Mill St.
(909) 891-3700
Every Thursday at 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
Spanish: Third Thursday 1:00 p.m.
Victorville
17270 Bear Valley Road Suite 108
(760) 843-5100
Every Thursday at 9:30 a.m. (English and Spanish)
Yucca Valley
56357 Pima Trail
(760) 228-5390
Every Friday at 9:00 a.m.
You and your provider must complete, sign, and submit timesheets verifying
the delivery of authorized services for the month. If you receive services under
the Personal Care Services Program, you and your provider must complete the PCSP
Provider/Enrollment Agreement form. Your provider will not be paid until this
form is submitted to the IHSS social worker.
If your provider has questions regarding their payment, they should
contact the Public Authority Provider Paycheck Questions line at 1 (800)
722-4595 or they can e-mail the PA at IHSSpaychecks@hss.sbcounty.gov.
IHSS Fraud
Medi-Cal fraud is an intentional attempt by some providers, and in some
cases beneficiaries, to receive unauthorized payments or benefits from the program.
This fraud can take many forms, but the most common involve providers knowingly
billing for unnecessary services, for services not performed, or for more expensive
services than they actually provide.
You may report Fraud to the IHSS Office.
You may report Fraud to the San Bernardino Fraud, Waste and Abuse Hotline
at 1-800-547-9540
The Department of Health Care Services asks that anyone who observes or
has knowledge of suspicious health care activity to call the DHCS Medi-Cal Fraud
Hotline telephone number, 1-800-822-6222, to report it. The recorded message may
be heard in English and four other languages: Spanish, Vietnamese, Cambodian,
and Russian. The call is free and the caller may remain anonymous. You can also
e-mail us at stopmedicalfraud@dhs.ca.gov
IHSS Advisory Committee
The Committee's mission is to serve as advisors to improve the IHSS system
for consumers and providers by being an on-going conduit of information and advocacy
to the Board of Supervisors for the entire community.
The IHSS Advisory Committee is a citizen body comprised of 11 voting members
and 5 alternates, who are appointed by the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors.
The committee has a majority of consumers of home based services. The other members
may be caregivers, advocates for senior and disabled adults or children, or
interested community members.
The Committee's responsibility is to advise the Board of Supervisors, the Public
Authority, Department of Aging and Adult Services, and other involved agencies,
or programs, about IHSS and make recommendations to improve services.
The IHSS Advisory Committee meets the first Wednesday of each month at 9:30 a.m.
at the Department of Aging and Adult Services located at 686 East Mill Avenue,
San Bernardino, CA 92415. The public is welcome to attend.
If you have any questions about the IHSS Advisory Committee, please use the
contact address or telephone number listed below.
IHSS Advisory Committee
600 N. Arrowhead Ave
San Bernardino, Ca 92415-0034
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