In-Home Supportive Services
Elder Abuse Awareness Month
June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month. The purpose of Elder Abuse Awareness Month is to shed light on the abuse and neglect that our elderly and vulnerable adults face. Many people are unaware that self-neglect is the most often reported type of elder abuse.
I would personally like to thank all the local In Home Support Service Providers who care for our elderly and disabled adults. All of you who carefully assist our vulnerable population, allowing them to stay safely in their own homes, with dignity and respect are true heroes.
If you are interested in becoming an IHSS Provider, please contact Amy Hippler directly at 530.598.6877 or ahippler@co.siskiyou.ca.us.
Overview
The IHSS program provides services to eligible people over the age of 65, the blind and/or disabled. The goal of the IHSS program is to allow a person to live safely in their own home and avoid the need for out of home care. Services almost always need to be provided in the individual’s own home. This could be a house, apartment, hotel, or the home of a relative. If a person receives Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or meets all Medi-Cal eligibility requirements, they may qualify for IHSS services. IHSS is a Medi-Cal Program and is funded by federal, state, and county dollars.
Services
Types of services IHSS can provide:
- Personal care services like dressing, bathing, feeding, toileting
- Paramedical services like helping with injections, wound care, colostomy and catheter care under the direction of a licensed medical professional
- House cleaning
- Cooking
- Shopping
- Laundry
- Accompaniment to and from medical appointments
Some of the things IHSS cannot pay for include:
- Moving furniture
- Paying bills/reading mail
- Caring for pets, including services animals
- Gardening
- Repair services
- Companionship services
- Waiting for you in the doctor’s office
Application Process
How to Apply:
- Contact Siskiyou County Adult Services by telephone at (530) 841-4200
- In person at Siskiyou County Adult & Children’s Services located at 2060 Campus Drive, Yreka.
- A Social Worker will ask questions to gather information about the nature of your disability, things that you need help with, your income, and assets. This will take approximately 20 minutes.
Home Visit:
- A Social Worker will come to your home to determine the types of authorized services that you need and the number of hours for each service.
- Some of the things the County will consider are:
- your medical condition,
- living arrangement,
- any resources that may already be available.
Health Care Certification Form:
You will receive a form for your doctor to complete, certifying your need for IHSS. This form must be completed before service can be authorized.
Authorization:
The County will send you a Notice of Action (NOA) telling you if you have been approved for IHSS. The NOA will specify what services have been approved, how much time is authorized for each service, and how many total monthly hours have been approved.
Hiring Provider(s):
- Once eligibility is established, you can hire one or more individuals to provide your care.
- A friend or relative may serve as your care provider, or a referral may be obtained through the IHSS Public Authority Caregiver Registry.
- The coordinator for the Siskiyou County Public Authority Registry can be reached at (530) 841-2711.
- Your care provider must complete all the necessary provider enrollment steps prior to starting work.
- You or your provider can contact your Social Worker or the Public Authority for more information about provider enrollment requirements.
