The Basics
In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) provide people with low-income who are blind, disabled, or 65 years old or older with personal assistance and other services so they can live safely in their homes. If you sign up for IHSS, you become a recipient and work with providers that help throughout your day. Providers may do a range of tasks, such as household chores, personal care like dressing and bathing, and paramedical services. IHSS providers can also help at your workplace or when you are in the community. The IHSS program allows people to live in their own homes, instead of in assisted living or nursing facilities. The program is funded by state, county, and federal dollars.
IHSS is available for people who receive full-scope Medi-Cal. You apply at your county In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) office: when the county gets your application for IHSS, the county will contact you to schedule a home visit. During the home visit, a county employee will do a needs assessment to see what types of services you require to stay safely in your own home and the number of hours that the program will pay for. IHSS recipients may qualify for up to 283 hours of service per month and can work with one or multiple providers.
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Eligibility and Application
If you are a California resident, you may be eligible for IHSS if:
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You live in your own home
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You get Medi-Cal benefits
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You have a disability and need personal assistance during your day, and
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You need IHSS to stay safely in your home as an alternative to out-of-home placement, such as assisted living or nursing facilities.
If you do not get Medi-Cal yet, learn more about qualifying for it in DB101’s Medi-Cal article.
Your home is the place you choose to live. Some examples of places that IHSS considers a home are a house, an apartment, a mobile home, a room in a dormitory, or a room with board. You do not live “in your own home” if you live in an acute care hospital, long-term care facility, or community care facility. If you live in one of those facilities, it may be possible to apply for IHSS and move into your own home. IHSS can do a preliminary needs assessment while you are still staying at the facility. Once you move out of the facility and into your own home, IHSS will do another assessment in your home.
Applying for IHSS
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If you already have Medi-Cal or once you are approved for it, call or visit your county In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) office to complete an IHSS application. Once IHSS gets the application, a caseworker will contact you and schedule a time to visit your home and understand your needs.
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Your caseworker will come to your home and do a needs assessment to figure out if you are eligible for IHSS and what services you will get. The caseworker will ask about your mental and physical abilities and limitations; identify the tasks you can perform safely on your own; identify the tasks you might need help with; and evaluate your living and social situation.
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After the needs assessment, IHSS will contact you to let you know if you have been approved or denied. If you are approved, IHSS will also let you know the kinds of services and number of hours you will get. If services are denied or you think that you need more IHSS hours than were approved, you have the right to appeal. The appeals procedure is outlined on the back of the notice you get.
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The Benefit
In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) provide people with low-income who have disabilities or are 65 years old or older with in-home and personal care services to help them live safely in their own homes.
If you get IHSS, you will be a recipient and get services from providers. You can hire your own providers and have them sign up to get paid by IHSS. You can also find providers through your county’s IHSS registry, which lists providers who may want more work.
Services you can get through IHSS include:
- Domestic services, such as sweeping, vacuuming, taking out the garbage, wheelchair cleaning and battery recharging, and changing bed linens
- Related services, such as meal preparation and cleanup, laundry, and shopping
- Personal care services, such as feeding, bathing, grooming, dressing, bowel and bladder care, and help with medications
- Transportation to medical appointments or alternative sources of services like day programs
- Removal and cleanup of yard hazards
- Heavy cleaning
- Protective supervision for cognitively or mentally impaired persons to safeguard from self-injury or hazard
- Paramedical services, as ordered by a physician, such as injections, range of motion exercises, and catheter insertion, and
- Help with personal care services at a disabled person’s workplace, but not with job-related services.
IHSS is often seen as an alternative to out-of-home placement, such as assisted living or nursing facilities. If you live at home, these services are important to stay in the community. If you are currently in out-of-home placement, you may be able to apply for IHSS and move to your own home.
IHSS provides services for a maximum of 283 hours per month, which is about 9.5 hours per day. If you need more help each day, you need to make other arrangements for your non-IHSS hours, such as through a Home and Community-Based Waiver (HCBW). HCBWs can add extra hours per day, up to full 24-hour care for recipients who need providers all the time. To learn more about HCBWs, contact the California Department of Health Care Services In-Home Operations at 1-916-552-9105 (Northern California) or 1-213-897-6774 (Southern California).
Your Responsibilities with Your Care Provider
In many ways, being a recipient is like running a small business. You are responsible for hiring, firing, and supervising your care provider.
You can hire a friend, relative, neighbor, or other care provider. IHSS offices also have “registries” of providers who may want more work. If your county has contracted IHSS providers, you can hire them to provide you with the necessary services. You can work with one provider or have a team for different days and times. New providers must enroll with IHSS to get paid by the state; they must also go through a training and background check.
You can find the Individual Provider Wage Rate for IHSS care providers in your county online. You and your care providers must submit timesheets for all authorized services provided. The state will manage the payment and taxes for your care providers. Providers that work enough hours can also get benefits such as health insurance and overtime pay.
The In-Home Supportive Services Consumer Training Handbook offers detailed information about how to supervise a care provider, including issues like hiring, firing, communication, safety, and handling payment. There is more information about this on the California Department of Social Services’ website.
Timesheets and Electronic Visit Verification (EVV)
Providers must submit timesheets twice per month to IHSS. IHSS uses a system called Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) where your provider tells IHSS what time they started and stopped working and the total hours worked each day. The California Department of Social Services has EVV training materials, webcasts and webinars.
You should also track the time that each provider starts working and when they stop. Then, each provider will fill out a timesheet and you will approve it. You and your providers can fill out paper timesheets and mail them to the IHSS office, or you can use IHSS’s online timesheet service.
Make sure that every timesheet is filled out correctly. If timesheets show that two providers worked at the same time, you could get a warning from IHSS. If your provider’s timesheets show that they worked for you and somebody else at the same time, your provider could get a warning from IHSS. If you or your provider get too many warnings, you or your provider may be put on probation. You may want to use a paper calendar, spreadsheet, or other system to track the hours so they are accurate.
How Your Providers Get Paid
Your IHSS providers may get paid through arrears or with advance pay:
- Arrears means the state sends paychecks to your provider after the provider submits a completed timesheet. IHSS pays providers with a paper check or through a direct deposit to a bank account. If providers use an online timesheet and get direct deposit, it’s fast. Paper timesheets and checks take extra time to go through the mail and be processed by the state.
- Advance pay means the state sends you funds at the beginning of the month, so you can pay your care provider directly from your bank account. You and your providers must still submit timesheets and the hours you submit must match the amount of money IHSS gives you. To get advance pay, you must be considered “severely disabled,” meaning you need at least 20 hours per week in personal care services, meal preparation and cleanup, and/or paramedical services.
Note: With advance pay, the money the state sends each month will be at least $1,000 and could be much higher, depending on the number of IHSS hours you get each month.
What You Pay
Many people get In-Home Supportive Services free of charge. This includes anybody who gets one of the following types of Medi-Cal:
- Income-based Medi-Cal (also called "Medi-Cal expansion")
- Aged & Disabled Federal Poverty Level Medi-Cal (A&D FPL)
- SSI-linked Medi-Cal
- Medi-Cal through SSI 1619(b) for people who used to get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) cash benefits and now make up to $64,517 per year ($66,542 for people who are blind).
- Medi-Cal's Working Disabled Program (WDP), which lets people with disabilities make up to $79,270 per year and get coverage. Note: Medi-Cal's Working Disabled Program used to have a monthly premium. Starting on July 1, 2022, there is no more premium. Learn more about this change.
Read more about these types of Medi-Cal in DB101’s article on Medi-Cal.
Do You Have to Pay a Share of Cost?
Here are the most common groups of people who pay a share of cost for IHSS, if their income is high enough that they no longer qualify for one of the Medi-Cal categories listed above:
- People who get Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and do not work at all.
- People who get veterans benefits or other unearned income and do not work at all. Note: Many veterans do not have a share of cost.
- People who get Social Security or other retirement benefits and do not work at all.
In this case, you could qualify to pay a share of cost through Aged, Blind, & Disabled Medically Needy Medi-Cal (ABD–MN). Depending on your income level and the number of hours of IHSS you need, your share of cost could be very expensive. Learn more about ABD–MN and calculating your share of cost in DB101's Medi-Cal article.
If you have a disability and you start working, you could probably qualify for no-cost IHSS, because you could sign up for Medi-Cal’s Working Disabled Program (WDP). Read more about WDP in DB101’s article about Medi-Cal.
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IHSS Programs
There are four IHSS programs:
- The IHSS Residual (IHSS-R) Program is for people who are not eligible for full-scope Medi-Cal. It provides a maximum of 283 hours of services per month for people with severe disabilities and a maximum of 195 hours for people with disabilities that are not severe.
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The Personal Care Services Program (PCSP) is for people with full-scope Medi-Cal who are:
- Adults who get care services from a parent, or
- Adults who don’t have a spouse to provide services, or
- Children under 18 who don’t have a parent to provide services.
Severely and non-severely disabled people can get up to 283 hours of services per month, including protective supervision.
- The IHSS Plus Option (IPO) Program is for people who get services from a spouse or parent (for people under age 18), or who get restaurant meal allowance or advance pay. The program provides a maximum of 195 to 283 hours of services per month, depending on the severity of the impairment.
- The Community First Choice Option (CFCO) Program is an alternative for PCSP and IPO recipients. CFCO provides home and community-based attendant services and supports, including help with household chores, personal care services, paramedical services, and protective supervision. Severely and non-severely disabled people can get up to 283 hours of services per month, including protective supervision.
Hours per Week for Services
There are limits on how many IHSS hours can be used for certain services.
|
Service |
Maximum Hours |
Exceptions |
|---|---|---|
|
Domestic chores |
6 hours per month |
Children usually are not eligible for IHSS domestic chores |
|
Laundry services |
1 hour per week |
1.5 hours if you have to use a laundromat |
|
Food shopping |
1 hour per week |
|
|
Other shopping and errands |
.5 hours per week |
Note: If you can show that you need more hours than what is listed above, you may qualify to get it. You must tell your IHSS worker about this additional need during the needs assessment process.
Protective supervision hours will be provided for up to 195 hours per month or 283 hours, depending on the severity of the impairment and the person’s IHSS program.
IHSS for Children
If you’re a child under age 18, you can get IHSS in different ways. Depending on your living situation, one parent can be a provider, or you can hire someone other than your parent to provide IHSS.
If you live with at least one parent, you can pay someone other than your parent to provide IHSS if:
- Your parents are absent because of employment, education, or training for vocational purposes.
- Your parents are physically or mentally unable to perform the needed services
- Your parents are absent because of ongoing medical, dental or other health-related treatment, or
- A combination of the above.
- Note: If your parents must be absent to go shopping, do other essential errands, or take care of your siblings, you can pay another person for IHSS for up to 8 hours per week.
If you live with at least one parent, your parent can be paid to do IHSS if:
- Your parent has no full-time employment or can’t get full-time employment because of the need to provide you with IHSS; and
- No other suitable provider is available.
- Note: If you don’t get the IHSS your parent is supposed to provide, you may require inappropriate out-of-home placement. That means you wouldn't live in your own home with your parent anymore.
If you live with both parents, one of your parents can be paid to do IHSS if:
- One of your parents cannot provide the services because they are working, getting an education, or are physically or mentally unable to provide the services.
IHSS in the Workplace
You can use IHSS personal care services to help you get, keep, or return to work. Services that can be performed in the workplace include meal preparation and cleanup, personal care services (except routine bed baths), and paramedical services. IHSS hours cannot be used for assistance with college courses or vocational training.
If you want to use IHSS personal assistance hours at the workplace, first contact your IHSS worker and specify the number of hours and services you need.
Note: You can request to transfer IHSS hours to the workplace but you cannot request additional hours specifically for use at the workplace.
You currently get 80 hours of IHSS for use at your home. You request 20 hours of service for use at your workplace. Your caseworker may approve those 20 hours, but if that happens, you will only get 60 hours of IHSS at home.
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Example
Jack's Story
Jack is 56 years old and has cerebral palsy. He has been living alone for 30 years and is having an increasingly difficult time taking care of himself and his home. Tasks like cooking, bathing, and getting dressed in the morning take far more energy than they used to.
Jack has become depressed about the situation. He is very independent and has always prided himself on his ability to take care of his affairs on his own. The last thing he wants to do is move into an assisted care facility. He explains his situation to his friend Henry over lunch one day. Henry suggests that Jack look into In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) as an alternative to moving into an assisted care facility.
“What’s In-Home Supportive Services?” asks Jack.
“Well, I don’t know a whole lot about it,” says Henry, “but I’ve heard it helps people with disabilities remain in their homes safely. I think they help you with the kinds of things you’re talking about — cooking, cleaning, getting in and out of bed.”
“How much does it cost?” asks Jack.
“I think it depends on your income level. If your income is low enough, I think it’s free. It’s a public program,” says Henry.
“Hmmmm. Sounds like it could be really helpful,” Jack says.
“Why don’t you call the county In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) office,” says Henry. “I bet they’ll have information on it.”
So Henry and Jack search online to find the phone number of the nearest IHSS office. Jack calls and is transferred to an IHSS intake coordinator named Ms. Smith. Jack briefly explains his situation to her.
“I think the In-Home Supportive Services Program could be exactly what you need,” says Ms. Smith. “Let me ask you a few questions first. So you said you have cerebral palsy, correct?”
“Yes.”
“OK,” says Ms. Smith. “IHSS is available to people with disabilities, if they need it. I’ve got a few more questions. Are you a California resident?”
“Yep. I’ve lived here my whole life.”
“Good. Are you getting Medi-Cal?” asks Ms. Smith.
“Yes, I am.” Jack says.
“Excellent!” says Ms. Smith. “That means you may qualify for IHSS if you need it. Are you on any other public benefits programs?”
“Nope, just Medi-Cal,” says Jack.
“OK,” says Ms. Smith. “Do you work?”
“I sure do,” Jack says. “Part-time as an accountant for a local manufacturing company. I make $1,600 per month,” says Jack.
“OK,” says Ms. Smith. “Do you have any other sources of income? Earned or unearned?”
“Nope. That’s it.”
“Well, you definitely qualify for the program,” Ms. Smith says. “Now we'll check if it's free of cost to you.”
“What do you mean?” asks Jack.
“Well, sometimes people with countable income above $1,133.73 per month might have to pay something for Medi-Cal and IHSS,” says Ms. Smith.
“$1,600 is more than $1,133.73, so I’m going to have to pay something, right?” asks Jack.
“Not necessarily – let me do the math here. So you have $1,600 per month in earned income. First, we’ll need to subtract $65 from that — that’s your earned income exclusion — and another $20 — that’s your general income exclusion. So that leaves us with $1,515. Do you have any impairment related work expenses?”
“Well, I couldn’t work if I wasn’t taking my medication. And I pay $40 a month in copayments for that. Does that count?” asks Jack.
“It sure does,” says Ms. Smith. “So let’s see, we subtract $40 from $1,515. That’s $1,475. $1,475 divided by 2 is $737.50. So actually, you only have $737.50 in countable income each month, which is lower than $1,206.94. That means, you qualify for no-cost In-Home Supportive Services,” says Ms. Smith.
“That’s some pretty weird math, but it’s great news for me!” exclaims Jack.
“It sure is,” says Ms. Smith. “Why don’t you come in tomorrow and fill out an application to get the process started.”
So the next day, Jack goes down to the county In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) office office and fills out an IHSS application. Several days later, a county worker named Ms. Jones comes to visit him at his home. She is there to do a needs assessment so she can figure out what Jack needs help with and how many hours of assistance IHSS will pay for. She asks him a series of questions about his physical and mental abilities and limitations to figure out which tasks he can safely perform on his own and which tasks he needs help with.
Clearly, Jack has a sharp mind but needs assistance with things like cooking, cleaning, getting dressed, and getting in and out of bed.
“How about work,” Ms. Jones asks Jack. “Do you need any assistance there?”
“Not currently. Why? Can I use IHSS there too?”
“Yes, you can. We’d have to transfer some of the hours assigned for in-home support to the workplace, but it can be done. You can use IHSS to help you get, keep, and return to work.”
“Well, that’s good to know,” says Jack. “I probably don’t need that now. But I’ll keep it in mind for the future.”
Ms. Jones completes the needs assessment and informs Jack that he will get a Notice of Action in the mail letting him know if he has been approved or denied In-Home Supportive Services. She also tells Jack that if he is approved for services, he will be responsible for hiring and supervising his care provider. He will need to complete a Provider Enrollment Agreement form with his provider and make sure all timesheets are done properly.
Two weeks later, Jack gets a Notice of Action in the mail with good news. He has been approved for 60 hours of IHSS each month. Jack won’t have to pay anything and all of his authorized services will be covered by IHSS. Jack is thrilled and hires Wendy, a retired neighbor and long-time friend, to provide the services. Wendy comes by every day to help Jack in and out of bed. She prepares meals for him, cleans, and does some of his laundry. She also provides personal care services like dressing, grooming, and bathing. When necessary, she drives Jack to his doctor’s appointments.
It turns out to be a great arrangement. Wendy enjoys the part-time work and Jack is extremely grateful for the help. His depression has lifted, he has more energy than he used to, and he is thrilled to be able to remain in his own home. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are In-Home Supportive Services?
In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) provide people with low income who are blind, disabled, or 65 years old or older with personal assistance and in-home services so they can safely stay in their homes or continue working. Services range from assistance with household chores to personal care and paramedical services. IHSS is often seen as an alternative to assisted living or nursing facilities.
Who is eligible for IHSS?
All California residents living in their own homes who get Medi-Cal and need In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS).
What services does In-Home Supportive Services provide?
IHSS includes:
- Household chores, such as cooking, cleaning, and laundry
- Personal care services, such as dressing, bathing, and feeding
- Transportation and accompaniment to medical appointments
- Protective supervision, and
- Paramedical services as ordered by a physician.
Who provides IHSS?
Some counties have contracted IHSS care providers. Community care providers, friends, neighbors, and relatives can provide services as well. You are responsible for hiring, firing, and supervising your IHSS caregiver.
Who pays for IHSS?
In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) are financed by state, county, and federal funds. Depending on your countable income, you may have to pay for a portion of the cost of services. This is known as share of cost.
If you work, you may qualify for no-cost IHSS even if you think you have to pay a share of cost. That’s because if you have a disability, you could sign up for Medi-Cal’s Working Disabled Program (WDP). Read more about WDP in DB101’s article on Medi-Cal.
How many hours of IHSS will I get per month? What about per week?
Depending upon your circumstances, you may be eligible to get up to 283 hours of IHSS each month. The county will do a needs assessment to figure out the services you need and how many hours you qualify for.
You can use up to a quarter of your monthly hours each week. For example, if you get 40 hours per month, you can use 10 per week. IHSS will include your maximum weekly hours when they send you a final approval letter.
How do I apply for IHSS?
Call or visit the local county In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) office to fill out an IHSS application and verify your eligibility for the program. Next, someone from the county IHSS office will come to your home to conduct a needs assessment to figure out the services you need and how many hours you qualify for.
How do I find out if I qualify for IHSS?
After the needs assessment, IHSS will send you a letter called a Notice of Action that will let you know if you have been approved or denied services. If approved, you will be notified of the services and number of hours authorized for each service. If services are denied or you are not happy with the number of hours authorized, you have the right to appeal by requesting a State Hearing. The back of the Notice of Action has information about how to appeal.
Are there limitations on the number of IHSS hours provided per task?
Yes. For example, your care provider cannot spend more than 6 hours per month on domestic services or more than 1 hour per week shopping for food. If you can show that you need more time for a specific service, your county IHSS worker will see if additional hours can be authorized to meet your needs.
Are there medical eligibility requirements for IHSS?
People with disabilities must meet Social Security's medical eligibility criteria to qualify for IHSS.
Can I use IHSS hours in the workplace?
Yes. You can use IHSS hours to help you get, keep, or return to work. To do this, you need to transfer hours that were for in-home services to the workplace. IHSS will not give you more hours than you originally were getting before you started using IHSS in the workplace.
To transfer hours to the workplace, contact your IHSS caseworker and say which services you need and the number of hours you wish to transfer.
I'm in college. Can I use IHSS hours to help me with my courses?
No. You cannot use IHSS hours to help you with college courses or vocational training.
I live in an assisted living facility. Can I use IHSS there?
No. If you live in a nursing home or other assisted living facility, you do not qualify for IHSS. If you plan to live in your own home in the future, you can apply for IHSS while you are in the facility. An IHSS employee can do a preliminary needs assessment while you are still residing at the facility. Once you move out of the facility and into your own home, IHSS will do another assessment in your home.
Who hires and supervises my IHSS caregiver?
You, the recipient of In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), are responsible for hiring, firing, and supervising your caregiver.
How do I make sure IHSS timesheets are accurate?
Your IHSS provider will fill out the timesheet and you will approve it, so it is important to work together to come up with a system that makes sure the timesheets are accurate.
IHSS recipients and providers each have their own ways to track hours. Sometimes, providers just enter each day’s work on a timesheet right away, then submit the whole timesheet at the end of the pay period. Some recipients and providers use calendars or spreadsheets to track hours and then fill out everything at the end of the pay period. Your system should also help you make sure you stay within your maximum hours per week and per month.
Can I own my own home and qualify for IHSS services?
Yes, you can live in your own home and qualify for IHSS.
Can I hire family members to provide my IHSS?
Yes. You can hire relatives, friends, neighbors, and other caregivers to provide you with IHSS.
My provider works with other recipients. Does that affect how much we can work together?
IHSS providers with two or more clients can work a maximum of 12 hours per day and 66 hours per week between all their clients combined. If a provider goes directly from one recipient to another, they can get paid for that travel by filling out a travel timesheet.
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Frequent Pitfalls
Basing decisions on misinformation
Most of us usually rely on other people’s experiences to understand how to deal with our own situations. The problem with this is that disability and government benefits are person-centered. Benefits programs fit each person differently, based on a variety of facts and conditions, such as:
- Your work history
- How much you earn
- What you own
- What your disability is and the extent of your impairment
- How clearly you report the details of your condition to your medical provider
- How well your medical provider understands or documents these details
- What benefits an employer provides, and
- What benefits you have purchased individually.
Failing to share information with your medical provider
Many people do not clearly discuss their plans to apply for benefits with their medical provider(s). Ideally, you and your medical provider should share complete information to figure out how long your disabling condition may last. If this step is not included, you may end up with a Medi-Cal (or other benefits program) application that does not support your claim. This could be because the information you provided does not clearly reflect how long the disabling condition may last or how it affects your day to day activities.
Not looking into Medi-Cal's Working Disabled Program if you use IHSS hours at work
If you are enrolled in Medi-Cal's IHSS program, you need to continue to meet income and resource requirements. Working additional hours, because you are able to transfer IHSS hours to the workplace, may put you above income or resource requirements. If this occurs, you may want to consider the Working Disabled Program (WDP), which allows you to earn up to $79,270 annually and keep getting Medi-Cal and IHSS. If you enroll in WDP, you will not have to pay a share of cost for your IHSS.
Not considering IHSS when your income grows
You should always consider the value of In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) when your income goes up, because providers can cost tens of thousands of dollars per year if you have to pay on your own.
One great way to keep getting your IHSS benefits is through Medi-Cal's Working Disabled Program (WDP). For WDP, your countable income must be at or below 250% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG). Depending on your situation, the way income is counted means that you could earn as much as $79,270 per year and still qualify for WDP and IHSS.
But if your countable income goes over that limit, you will lose IHSS and have to pay your care providers with your own money, and your extra money might not make up for your extra expenses. DB101's Medi-Cal for the Working Disabled Estimator is a good way for you to see how much countable income you might have if you earn more at work and can help you see if you will still qualify for Medi-Cal or WDP.
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Resources
In-Home Supportive Services Resources
Call or visit your county In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) office to complete an IHSS application. Once IHSS gets your application, a caseworker will conduct a needs assessment to figure out the services and number of hours IHSS may provide to assist you.
The California Department of Social Services provides a variety of resources and information on IHSS, including many fact sheets and videos.
Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) is a system for recording a provider's hours and services. The California Department of Social Services has EVV training materials, webcasts and webinars.
The California Association for Public Authorities for IHSS helps consumers gain access to service providers in their local area.
The California Advocates for Nursing Reform provide a fact sheet and local phone numbers for information on IHSS.
Disability Rights California has articles on various topics related to IHSS.
Learn more about Medi-Cal
To learn more about Medi-Cal:
- Visit the Medi-Cal website, which has a helpful set of frequently asked questions.
- Visit or call your local county social services agency.
- Get local help from Covered California.
- If you have a disability, talk to a benefits planner to learn more about health programs for people with disabilities.
The Health Consumer Alliance website provides publications on many aspects of Medi-Cal.
The National Immigration Law Center has a section on immigrants and public benefits, including health care.
Getting Help with Your Benefits
If you get Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), or Childhood Disability Benefits (CDB), and you're looking for a job, a trained Benefits Planner can help you avoid problems with your job plan. If you need help or have questions about your situation, you can call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY), Monday through Friday.
View DB101's full list of experts who can help you understand different benefits.
Community-Based Organizations
Various community-based organizations guide people through state, federal, public, and private health and income programs. Some organizations may work with specific populations while others work with people with any type of disability. Here are a few examples
Goodwill Industries services range from personal evaluation and office skills training to career counseling, childcare, and transportation. Some Goodwill Industries centers also do benefits planning for people who get SSI, SSDI, and Medicare. Find locations at www.Goodwill.org, or by calling (voice) 1-800-466-3945.
The California Foundation for Independent Living Centers lists centers serving people with all disabilities. Many of these centers do benefits planning for people who get SSI, SSDI, and Medicare. If they don't offer benefits planning themselves, Independent Living Centers can refer you to local benefits planners. Find the list of independent living centers at www.CFILC.org, or by calling (voice) 1-916-325-1690 or (TTY) 1-916-325-1695.
The California Department of Public Health's Office of AIDS lists 1,300 organizations offering HIV/AIDS services throughout California. Some of these organizations provide case management, benefits planning, and benefits counseling services that can include help with public and private benefits programs. You can search the list online, or call (voice) 1-800-367-AIDS (2437) or (TTY) 1-888-225-AIDS (2437).
Disability Rights California provides representation for consumers of public programs who are disabled. Website publications include topics on health care, benefit programs, and In-Home Supportive Services.