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Public Authority for IHSS

Enhancing the IHSS Experience Since 1993

  • About Us
    • Staff
  • Our Services
    • Registry
    • Training
      • Recipient Training
      • Provider Training
    • Health Benefits for Alameda County IHSS Providers
    • IHSS Programs
  • Recipients
    • Recipient Registry
    • Recipient Training
    • Apply for IHSS
    • Find My IHSS Social Worker
  • Providers
    • Provider Registry
    • Provider Training
    • Alameda County IHSS Provider Health Benefits
    • Getting Paid by IHSS
  • Advocacy
    • Advisory Committee
    • Advisory Committee Members
  • Publications
    • For Recipients
    • For Providers
  • FAQs
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  • Contact Us

FAQs

FAQs

Advocacy

Q1. What kind of advocacy does the Public Authority do?

A1. The PA Advisory Committee members work with other advocacy groups and visit and communicate with legislators and those who manage State and County social and health care programs to express support or opposition regarding public policy, budget proposal, and legislation, and to provide feedback on how services are delivered.

Q2. How can I participate?

A2. Stay informed; attend the quarterly Advisory Committee meetings; go the the PA website regularly to find out what’s happening; get on the PA’s mailing list for newsletters and committee meetings; visit and communicate with legislators and those who make public policy.

Q3. Have you made a difference?

A3. Since 2004, IHSS and the PA have been targeted nearly every year for budget cuts. Legislators have said that advocacy efforts, especially by Recipients, made a real difference and have prevented proposed cuts. Committee members and staff have participated in legal efforts that blocked major cuts to IHSS and IHSS worker wages. The Committee has made recommendations to the Alameda County IHSS program and several improvements were implemented.

Advisory Committee

Q1. How do I join the PA Advisory Committee?

A1. When the Committee has an opening, we inform community agencies and others on our mailing list and accept applications and the Committee recommends new members to be approved by the Board of Supervisors.

Q2. How much time does it take to be a Committee member?

A2. Most Committee members attend quarterly meetings and spend additional time doing advocacy and keeping up with what’s going on.

Q3. Can I attend Advisory Committee meetings?

A3. Yes. All Committee meetings are open to the public.

Q4. Does the PA reimburse me for expenses I have as a Committee member?

A4. Yes. Your actual expenses for travel and other costs are reimbursed and Committee members receive an additional $25 stipend for each meeting they attend each month (up to a maximum of three stipends per month).

Training

Q1. What classes do I have to take to be an IHSS Provider?
A1.

  • There is a one and a half hour mandatory IHSS Orientation for all IHSS Providers in the State of California.
  • The Public Authority Training Program classes are all voluntary but provide valuable information for both new and experienced IHSS Providers.
  • Individual IHSS Recipients may require their Provider(s) to have a certain level of training as well.

Q2. How can I find out more about the IHSS Program in Alameda County?

A2. Go to our Publications Page to download or request information. You can also come to the IHSS offices to speak with IHSS staff and pick up brochures, factsheets and forms.

Q3. I’m an IHSS Provider, where can I find information about my paycheck?

A3.

  • Contact IHSS by calling payroll at 510-577-1877
  • Visit IHSS office 6955 Foothill Blvd, Suite 143 Oakland, CA 94605
  • Still can’t resolve your problem? Call your union, SEIU2015, at 1-855-810-2015

Registry

Q1. Do I have to be on the Registry to be an IHSS Provider?

A1. No. Anyone who has passed the Department of Justice (DOJ) background check and attended the County Orientation can work as an IHSS Provider. The Registry is merely a referral service that may help eligible IHSS Providers find work; however, it is not a guarantee of work.

Q2. Are Registry Providers supervised by the Registry?

A2. No. As with any other IHSS Recipient-Provider relationship, the Recipient is your employer, your supervisor. The Recipient, as the employer, is responsible for hiring, managing, training, and firing the Provider. The Registry is merely a referral service. The Registry does not perform any criminal or other background checks of the Recipient participants in Registry programs. Nor does the Registry supervise the Recipient or the employment of Providers. You therefore must use your own judgment and assume all risks of accepting or engaging in the employment relationship with any Recipient.

Q3. If the Recipient is the employer, why do I have to apply to be listed on the Registry?

A3. You do not need to be listed on the Registry to work as an IHSS Provider. However, if you are interested in being listed on the Registry, it is important for you to know that the Registry is a referral service offered to IHSS Recipients who need a little help finding Providers. In order to be able to give our Recipients a list of reliable Providers, we need some assurances from the Providers who want to be listed on the Registry. It is a privilege to be listed on the Registry and by definition that means that this benefit does not extend to everyone. The Registry application process is the way we make our selections. The Recipient may also decide to do his or her own reference check.

Recipients

Q1. If I get a list of Providers and hire a Provider from the Registry, is the Registry responsible for supervising my Provider?

A1. No. As with any other IHSS Recipient-Provider relationship, you – the Recipient – are the employer, the supervisor. You, as the employer, are responsible for hiring, managing, training, and firing the Provider. The Registry is merely a referral service and takes no responsibility in any failed Recipient-Provider relationships that may occur through a Registry referral.

Q2. Since the Registry checks references and interviews Registry Providers, why should I have to interview Providers that I get from a Registry referral list and check their references too?

A2. You, the Recipient, are the employer and therefore are responsible for whom you hire to be your Provider. Just because the Providers on the Registry list have passed the Registry’s requirements does not necessarily mean that they will pass your requirements. Therefore, it is important for you to interview each Provider carefully and make your choice based on your needs. The Registry is not responsible for any failed Recipient-Provider relationships that may occur through a Registry referral.

IHSS Provider Benefits

Q1. How do I qualify for health benefits?

A1. If you are consistently paid 80 or more hours per month, you may be eligible for medical, dental and vision coverage. You qualify for health benefits once you have completed and sent in your enrollment packet and you have been paid 160 hours over two consecutive months, with at least one hour paid in each month.

Q2. Where can I get an application?

A2. You can call 510 577-3551, and request that a health benefits application packet in English, Spanish or Chinese be mailed to you.

Q3. I completed my application; how long will it take for my health benefits to begin?

A3. It may take up to 90 days for your coverage to begin. Once you have met the eligibility requirement of being paid 160 hours over two consecutive months, with at least one hour paid in each month, you will receive a letter explaining that your benefits will begin the first of the following month. For example, if you are paid 80 hours in April and 80 hours in May, you will receive a letter in June notifying you of a July 1st start date.

Q4. My Recipient was in the hospital for two weeks and I was not paid, will I lose my health benefits?

A4. If you should have a period of lower than 80 hours in any month, you will receive a warning letter, however if you are paid 80 hours or more the following month your benefits will not be affected. You risk losing your benefits if you are paid less than 80 hours in two consecutive months.

Q5. What happens if I lose my benefits?

A5. If you lose your benefits due to a decrease in hours, you may be able to continue the same benefits through COBRA for a period of 18 to 36 months. If you lose your benefits due to a shortage of pay, you remain enrolled and will be covered once again as soon as you re-meet the original coverage criteria of 160 paid hours over a two-month period of time.

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Registry

Contact Our Registry!

Recipient Phone:

510.577.1980

Provider Phone:

510.577.5694

For Recipients: How to obtain a list of providers
  • In order to be served by the Registry, recipients must already be signed up with the IHSS program. If you are not already signed up with the IHSS program, please call the IHSS intake line at (510) 577-1800 to see if you are eligible and to request an application or see our IHSS page for more information.
  • If you have IHSS hours and need a list of providers, call the Registry at (510) 577-1980 and talk to one of our Registry Coordinators.
  • The Registry will do a short intake with you over the phone.
  • If you want someone else to talk to us on your behalf, we do require a signed consent form be on file with us before we proceed. You may download a consent form from Publications-Recipients, and fax it to us at (510) 577-3579, drop it by the IHSS lobby or mail it to us. We will then have it on file when you or your representative calls us.
For Providers: How to be a Provider on the Registry.
  • You have to apply to be listed on the Registry.
  • See our Criteria For Acceptance Sheet to see an outline of the complete process.
  • Call the Registry at (510) 577-5694 to learn more!

FAQs



FAQ Links
Advocacy
Advisory Committee
Training
Registry
Recipients
Benefits


Important Numbers

Public Authority/Health Benefits Enrollment Specialists (510) 577-3551

Training Hotline (510) 577-3554

Registry Recipient Line (510) 577-1980

Registry Provider Line (510) 577-5694

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Location:
By Mail: 6955 Foothill Blvd., Ste 300
Oakland, CA 94605
In Person: 6955 Foothill Blvd., Ste 143
Oakland, CA 94605
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Contact Us

Main Phone: (510) 577.3552
Fax: (510) 577-3579

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