Provide IHSS

An In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) provider is employed by the IHSS recipient to perform authorized services under the IHSS Program.

An IHSS recipient may hire anyone (i.e., family member, friend, or referral) who meets the IHSS provider enrollment requirements and who can meet their authorized needs.

The types of care may include:

• Domestic Services (general household chores); Meal Preparation and Clean-up; Routine laundry; Shopping for food or other necessary items.
• Non-Medical Personal Care Services (i.e., bathing, dressing, assistance with walking or transfer; feeding, etc).
• Medical Accompaniment: Transporting a recipient to and from authorized medical appointments may be authorized for an IHSS recipient who needs assistance with an IHSS authorized task either in transit to/from or at the location of the appointment with the health care professional.
• Special Circumstances: In some circumstances, the recipient may be authorized for services such as Heavy Cleaning, Yard Hazard Abatement, Protective Supervision, Teaching and Demonstration, and Paramedical Services.

Please note: The type of care and other services are limited to the recipient’s authorized program services.

To become an IHSS Provider, you must:

• Complete and sign all mandatory forms included in the IHSS Program Provider Enrollment Packet and return it to the County IHSS Office.
• Be fingerprinted and go through a criminal background check by the California Department of Justice (DOJ). Information regarding Live Scan fingerprinting sites will be provided to you, and you are responsible for paying the fingerprinting fees. Download the request for Live Scan here.
• Provide valid proof of identification and employment, such as, your original signed Social Security Card or Employment Authorization Card; original Driver’s License, Identification card, U.S. Passport or Military Identification.
  
  Note: The presentation of original documentation to verify your identity is required and a photocopy will be made for your record.

• Attend the IHSS Program Provider Orientation and submit a signed IHSS Program Provider Enrollment Agreement form SOC 846. Remote or In-Person orientation options are now available (refer to the "How to Enroll" page).

To become an IHSS Provider, you must complete all steps outlined below within 90 days from the date you begin the enrollment process.   

1. Complete the Orientation and Sign the Agreement

Remote Orientation

To attend and complete a remote orientation (online), begin your online application by CLICKING HERE.

In-Person Orientation

To attend an in-person orientation, click on the Orientation Calendar below to find a date/time in your preferred language:
Provider Orientation November 2023
Provider Orientation December 2023
Provider Orientation January 2024
Provider Orientation February 2024

Please contact the IHSS Call Center at (510) 577-1877 for more information.

2. Complete the Provider Enrollment Packet
Complete and return the provider enrollment forms (packet) available below to the IHSS Program office.
You may now submit all required enrollment documents one of the following ways:

•    Email to:  IHSSProviderEnrollment@acgov.org
•    Fax to: (510) 577-1803
•    Mail to: If you are unable to submit documents by email or fax, you may mail to the AAS office address below

              In-Home Supportive Services
              6955 Foothill Blvd., Suite 300
              Oakland, CA 94605 

•    Drop-off to: Office Lobby at Suite 143.

All forms are available in multiple languages below (click on the +) and can be downloaded by selecting the form.

3. Enrollment
Once we have processed all your required forms and received a clear background check, your enrollment is complete. You are eligible to receive payment for providing IHSS to your recipient.
As an IHSS provider, you may also be placed on the PA registry to be hired by other IHSS recipients. Contact the Public Authority for more information.

Your recipient is responsible for your work schedule and approving your timesheet.

Timesheets

Manage electronic and/or telephonic timesheets using the Electronic Services Portal (ESP) to:

• View your timesheet and payment status
• Enter and submit timesheets
• Enroll in direct deposit
• Claim sick leave

By completing your timesheets online, you will:

• Be able to view timesheet details
• Track payment status
• Receive faster payments
• Review timesheet history
• Make fewer timesheet errors
• Avoid potential overtime violations

For questions regarding IHSS Payroll Information, you may call: (510) 577-1877.

Overtime and Travel Time

 If your IHSS Recipient needs you to work more than their maximum weekly hours:

1. Your Recipient must contact their IHSS social worker to obtain an exception allowing you to work the additional hours.
2. After approval, your Recipient adjusts your hours to ensure that you do not work more than their authorized monthly services hours.

If you have multiple clients, the state will pay for up to a maximum of seven (7) hours per week for travel time between clients on the same workday.

To receive travel time for IHSS:

1. Submit the SOC 2255 following instructions on the form 
2. Claim your travel time payment on a separate travel claim form and submit to the following address:

      IHSS TIMESHEET PROCESSING FACILITY
      PO BOX 989780  
      WEST SACRAMENTO, CA 95798-9780 

IHSS providers are eligible for paid sick leave through the IHSS program.

You need to accrue enough sick leave to cover your paid time off. You can check your balance of paid sick leave hours on Electronic Services Portal. Unused sick leave will expire at the end of each state fiscal year (June 30).  

View rules and submission details to request paid sick leave.

This new program is an optional retirement program designed for all California individuals, including IHSS providers, which offers automatic employment retirement contribution options. All IHSS providers, including live-in providers, can choose to enroll in the CalSavers Retirement Savings Program to save their earnings for retirement.  Enrollment and access to an individual’s account is available online, over the phone or app.  Multilingual support and materials are available, as well. 

For more information, please click on the flyers below:

English | Spanish | Chinese

For instructions on how to submit requests, click here.  The IHSS Request for Verification of Employment/Income (Form 70-23) is available for download in the following languages:

English | Spanish | Chinese | Cambodian | Vietnamese | Farsi/Dari | Tagalog

An IHSS provider will receive a violation for any one of the following actions:

• Working more than 40 hours in a workweek for a recipient without receiving county approval when the recipient’s maximum weekly hours are 40 or less;
• Working more hours in a workweek than the recipient’s maximum weekly hours resulting in more overtime hours in a month than he/she normally works without receiving county approval;
• Working more than the maximum weekly limit of 66 hours when working for multiple recipients;
• Claiming more than seven (7) hours of travel time in a workweek.

1st Violation

• Notice of violation with information on how to request a county review

2nd Violation

• Notice of violation with information on how to request a county review.
• Complete one-time training, 2nd violation avoided.
• Not complete one-time training within 14 days of notice, 2nd violation confirmed.

3rd Violation

• Notice of violation with information on how to request a county review.
• Optional: State Administrative Review if the violation is upheld.
• Suspended as an IHSS Provider for 3 months, or 90 days

4th Violation

• Notice of violation with information on how to request a county review.
• Optional: State Administrative Review if the violation is upheld.
• Terminated as an IHSS Provider for one year, or 365 days

Each violation received will remain on the provider's record. However, after one year of no additional violations, the total number of violations will be reduced by one. If the provider receives a fourth violation and is terminated for one year, when the year is up, s/he may apply again to be an IHSS provider, and the violations count will be reset to zero.

For more information, you can view the FLSA Program Requirements video below:

For questions regarding FLSA, call the IHSS FLSA Informational Line at:

English (510) 577-3572  |  Español (510) 577-3591  |  廣東話/广东话 (510) 577-3592

Public Authority - Providers

Public Authority Registry

If you are interested in opportunities for rewarding and flexible work caring for IHSS recipients, you may be eligible to join the list of Public Authority Registry providers. For more information, click here.

Public Authority Training

Click here if you are interested in honing your skills as a provider, you can participate in free certificate classes on emergency response, job performance, nutrition, health and safety, etc.

Public Authority Health Benefits

If you are an IHSS Provider, and you are paid 80 or more hours per month consistently, you likely meet the criteria for the health benefits coverage. Our group health plan includes medical, dental and vision coverage.