In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS):
The In-Home Supportive Services program is a
state program administered in all 58 California counties. IHSS
provides assistance to those
eligible aged (65 and over), blind and disabled individuals who are unable
to remain safely in their own homes without this assistance.
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IHSS provides services based on need and
may include: domestic services (vacuuming, dusting, etc.); related
services (meal preparation, shopping, running errands, etc.);
non-medical personal care services (bowel and bladder care, grooming,
bathing, etc.); transportation; and protective supervision.
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Eligibility for IHSS services requires
that the applicant is a California (Yuba County) resident, lives in
his/her own home, currently receives SSI/SSP benefits or meets all
SSI/SSP eligibility criteria but has too much income for a cash grant.
If the person's income is above a certain level but still low enough to
qualify, the excess income must be used to pay a share of the cost of IHSS.
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Applicants hire and supervise their own
provider. Assistance with locating a provider is provided by the
Public Authority Registry.
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The
Yuba County In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program has a
professional, multicultural team of Social Workers, A Public Health
Nurse, and support staff to serve the needs of IHSS consumers.
Qualifying for IHSS:
To be eligible for IHSS, you must be on Medi-Cal, be blind,
disabled, or 65 years of age or older, AND be unable to live at home safely
without help.
You may also receive or be eligible to receive a cash grant
through Cash Assistance for Permanent Immigrants, CAPI Program, which is
administered through the Yuba County Eligibility Division.
If you are not on Medi-Cal, you must apply
for Medi-Cal through Yuba County Eligibility staff, and be determined
eligible and granted Medi-Cal before applying for IHSS.
How to apply for IHSS:
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You can call (530) 749-6471; IHSS staff
will complete a referral over the phone. Be prepared to provide the
following information:
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Name, gender, address, telephone
number, date of birth, social security number, Medi-Cal number,
ethnicity, and language spoken; spouse's name, social security
number, and date of birth; guardian or contact's name, relationship,
and telephone.
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Provide information related to
housing and income, if known; medical problems or diagnoses,
including name of medical doctor, address and telephone number; and
client's level of mobility or function (e.g., walks alone or
bed-bound).
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Also provide
information about other home supportive resources currently being
used, if known (e.g., Home Health Agency, Meals-on-Wheels, etc.).
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You can also come into the office Monday
through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The Adult Services
Division of the Yuba County Health and Human Services Department is
located at the Feather River Center, 6000 Lindhurst Avenue, Marysville,
CA 95901.
NEW LOCATION in July 2007:
5730 Packard Avenue (off of Lindhurst Ave.), Marysville, CA 95901.
Needs Assessment:
The next step in the application process is a home visit from
an IHSS Social Worker. The Social Worker arranges a personal interview
with the applicant in his/her home and assesses what services are needed.
The need for IHSS is based on the person's medical
condition or disability, the specific type and frequency of the help
required, living arrangement including number of persons in the household,
and what help is provided of available from family, friends, or community
resources. The person's physician may be contacted to verify his/her medical
condition or disability. IHSS Social Workers determine if you qualify for
IHSS by assessing your functional need for specific in-home services and by
identifying the amount of time to be allotted for the performance of
services.
If the applicant is not receiving SSI/SSP or CAPI, an
Eligibility Worker must figure out whether or not the person meets the
eligibility criteria for SSI/SSP or CAPI. This worker will provide the
required forms for SSI/SSP or refer to CAPI and will calculate any amount
that must be paid out of the person's income as his/her share of cost for IHSS.
Both the needs assessment and the eligibility determination
is performed prior to authorization of IHSS, annually thereafter, or
whenever there is any change that affects the recipient's need for services
or eligibility for IHSS.
Services That May Be Available Through IHSS:
Services that may be
authorized by the Social Worker through the Yuba County IHSS Program include
the following:
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Domestic Services-these include the usual housekeeping chores, such as sweeping,
vacuuming, cleaning, changing bed linen, etc. (no more than 6
hours per month per household in most cases).
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Services Related to Domestic Services-these include meal preparation and meal cleanup, laundry, grocery
shopping, and errands.
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Personal Care Services-these include sub-categories for personal care services, such as help
with feeding, dressing, bathing, ambulation, respiration, bowel and
bladder care, etc.
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Other Services-Other miscellaneous services which may be authorized, under certain
circumstances, include paramedical services, transportation
accompaniment, non-medical protective supervision, and heavy cleaning. A
restaurant meal allowance may be paid for individuals with adequate
cooking facilities but who are unable to cook for themselves.