Sacramento County IHSS
Sacramento County In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) helps eligible older adults, blind individuals and people with disabilities receive assistance so they can remain safely in their own homes. This article explains who may qualify, how to apply, what happens during the home assessment, and how recipients and caregivers handle enrollment, timesheets and payroll. It also identifies the offices responsible for each part of the process so you can direct your application or question to the right place.
What IHSS Can Provide
IHSS is a Medi-Cal-based program funded by county, state and federal dollars. It pays for authorized caregiver services for eligible people who need assistance to remain safely at home. The program serves low-income aged, blind and disabled individuals, including eligible children, as an alternative to care outside the home, such as a nursing home or board and care facility.
The Sacramento County IHSS program page identifies several types of assistance that may be authorized:
Housecleaning, laundry, meal preparation and grocery shopping.
Personal care, including bathing, grooming, and bowel and bladder care.
Paramedical services.
Accompaniment to medical appointments.
Protective supervision for individuals with mental impairments.
These are service categories the program can cover, rather than a standard package every recipient receives. A county social worker assesses the applicant’s needs and ability to perform tasks safely. The county then determines which services to authorize and how many hours are needed for those services.
Eligibility for Sacramento County Residents
Sacramento County’s application instructions identify the following requirements for applicants and recipients:
Live in Sacramento County.
Be a U.S. citizen or a legal permanent resident of California.
Be age 65 or older, blind, or disabled at any age.
Have a Medi-Cal eligibility determination.
Live at home or in an abode of your own choosing.
Be unable to live safely at home without assistance.
Submit a completed Health Care Certification form, SOC 873.
For IHSS purposes, an acute care hospital, long-term care facility or licensed community care facility does not qualify as the applicant’s own home. The program is intended to support eligible people in their home setting.
Medi-Cal eligibility and the need for in-home assistance are separate parts of the process. A Medi-Cal eligibility determination does not establish which IHSS tasks or hours will be authorized; those decisions depend on the county’s assessment. Sacramento County’s Department of Human Assistance handles Medi-Cal eligibility services, while the IHSS office handles the application for in-home supportive services.
Application Methods and Required Information
You may apply for yourself or contact IHSS on behalf of another person. Sacramento County also allows anyone who recognizes that a person needs in-home assistance to make a referral. A referral begins the process; the applicant must still meet the program’s requirements.
Information to Gather Before Applying
Having the county’s requested information ready makes it easier to explain the applicant’s situation during the initial contact. Prepare the following:
The applicant’s name, home address and mailing address if different.
Phone number, date of birth and Social Security number.
Gender, ethnicity and marital status.
Preferred spoken and written languages.
Names of everyone living in the household.
The number of minor children related to the applicant who live in the home, if applicable.
A summary of the services being requested.
Any disability-related accommodations needed.
Information about involvement with other community agencies.
Authorized representative information, if applicable.
The name of a prospective care provider.
The requested service summary should describe the assistance the person needs at home. For example, explain difficulties with bathing, preparing meals, doing laundry or attending medical appointments when those are the tasks prompting the application. This gives the county information about daily care needs in addition to the applicant’s personal and household details.
Phone and Written Applications
Telephone applications are available Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., through the IHSS office identified at the end of this article. You may also complete Form SOC 295, the Application for In-Home Supportive Services. The county’s IHSS application instructions and forms provide versions in 14-point and 18-point type.
Completed applications may be mailed to the IHSS mailing address, faxed to (916) 854-8828, or emailed to IHSSApplications@saccounty.gov. Use the application channel for the request for services. Provider enrollment and payroll have separate contacts and procedures.
Form SOC 295 and Form SOC 873 serve different purposes. SOC 295 is the application. SOC 873 is the Health Care Certification that supports the eligibility determination. Submitting the application does not replace the certification requirement.
Health Certification and Home Assessment
A licensed health care professional must complete the Health Care Certification, SOC 873, indicating the applicant’s need for services. The county must receive the completed certification before authorizing IHSS services. Sacramento County explains that a social worker is assigned to assess needs once the Health Care Certification and Medi-Cal eligibility requirements are met.
The California Department of Social Services IHSS program information explains that the assessment includes an interview at the applicant’s home. The social worker evaluates the person’s ability to perform tasks safely and determines the types of assistance and hours to authorize.
What the Social Worker Reviews
The assessment considers the applicant’s medical condition, living arrangement, other people in the home and resources already available. Information may come from the applicant and, when appropriate, family members, friends, a physician or another licensed health care professional involved in the person’s care.
Be prepared to discuss medical history and diagnoses, medications and their purposes, physician information, emergency contacts, household members and language preferences. Explain whether an interpreter is needed. These subjects are part of the state’s description of the needs assessment.
During the interview, describe how daily tasks are actually performed and where assistance is needed. A diagnosis provides context, but the assessment also examines the person’s ability to carry out specific activities safely. Explain existing help from other people as well, because the county considers available resources and household circumstances when determining need.
Approval Notices and Changing Needs
The county will notify the applicant whether IHSS is approved or denied. An approval identifies the services and number of monthly hours authorized. A denial explains the reason and the right to appeal, as described in the county’s 2026 IHSS brochure.
Review an approval notice for both the authorized tasks and the monthly hours. Those details establish the services the caregiver is being hired to provide. If you have questions about the determination, discuss them with the social worker assigned to the case.
IHSS assessments occur at initial intake and during annual reassessments. Recipients may request a reassessment at any time if their needs or circumstances change. A change in the assistance required at home can therefore be raised with the county before the next annual reassessment.
Caregiver Selection and Recipient Responsibilities
After services are authorized, the recipient hires a caregiver to perform the approved work. A friend or relative may serve as the caregiver. Sacramento County can also assist with locating a caregiver through the IHSS Registry.
The recipient acts as the caregiver’s employer. Responsibilities include hiring, training, supervising and, when necessary, terminating the provider. The recipient also reviews and signs or approves timesheets. Choosing a provider is therefore more than giving the county a name: the recipient must explain the authorized work and supervise its performance.
Before work arrangements are established, discuss the tasks on the authorization, how assistance should be provided and how the recipient and provider will communicate. The California Department of Social Services publishes IHSS recipient fact sheets covering interviewing and hiring, job agreements, communication, supervision, boundaries and timesheets. The same collection includes information about authorized tasks and the recipient’s right to request a hearing.
The Public Authority’s Separate Role
The Sacramento County IHSS Public Authority works closely with county IHSS but is a separate entity. It handles provider enrollment, operates the provider registry, and offers education for providers and recipients.
Direct an application for care services to Sacramento County IHSS. Direct questions about becoming an enrolled caregiver or obtaining registry assistance to the Public Authority. A recipient’s approval for services and a caregiver’s enrollment are separate processes, even when the caregiver is a family member already helping at home.
Provider Enrollment and Orientation
All care providers must complete enrollment requirements to be paid through IHSS. The Public Authority states that new providers, and providers who have not been paid by IHSS in more than a year, must complete the provider enrollment process.
The county brochure identifies a required background check at the prospective provider’s expense, a mandatory provider orientation and completion of required forms. Selecting a relative or friend does not remove these enrollment requirements.
November 2026 Enrollment Changes
The Sacramento County IHSS Public Authority website announces a provider enrollment database transition in November 2026. Provider orientation appointments are unavailable during November 2–6 and November 9–13. The notice states that the new enrollment link will be posted on November 16, 2026.
Providers already completing activities in BOUNDS may continue through November 6, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. The Public Authority states that those providers will receive an email containing a username and temporary password for the new portal and will be able to log in on November 16. Provider enrollment questions may be emailed to DCFAS-PA-PE@saccounty.gov.
Consult the Public Authority’s posted enrollment instructions when beginning or resuming the process. The enrollment portal serves a different purpose from the Electronic Services Portal used for timesheets and payroll.
Electronic Timesheets and Payment Records
The Electronic Services Portal, commonly called ESP, allows IHSS providers to submit electronic timesheets and manage several payroll functions. Recipients can review timesheets and approve or reject them online. The system works with a tablet, smartphone, laptop or desktop computer.
The state’s Electronic Services information page provides the registration route, instructions and training materials. Registration begins by selecting “Register Here” on the portal and following the prompts. Provider and recipient registration materials address their different roles in the system.
Provider and Recipient Portal Tasks
Providers can complete and submit timesheets, view payment status and payment history, enroll in or change direct deposit, and submit sick leave claims. Recipients use the system to review the submitted time and approve or reject timesheets.
Timesheet submission and recipient approval are separate steps. Providers should distinguish entering and submitting time from the recipient’s review. Recipients should review the reported work before approving a timesheet, consistent with their responsibility to supervise the caregiver.
The state also provides training materials for the Telephone Timesheet System. Its electronic services page includes registration and approval training, one-time passcode information, and materials in several languages. These instructions can help users resolve questions about their role in the system before seeking individual assistance.
Payroll Questions and Technical Assistance
Sacramento County IHSS Payroll handles payroll questions for Sacramento County providers. Its help desk operates Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Payroll-only forms may be emailed to ihss-payroll@saccounty.gov, and only PDF attachments are accepted.
The statewide IHSS Service Desk assists recipients and providers with the Electronic Services Portal and timesheet questions. Its hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding major holidays. Use the county payroll office for Sacramento County payroll matters and the state service desk for assistance with the electronic system.
Provider Wages and Employment Records
Sacramento County’s IHSS care provider information gives an hourly provider rate of $19.15 beginning January 1, 2026. The rate applies to provider pay; it does not determine how many service hours a recipient receives. Authorized hours are established through the county’s needs assessment.
The state issues individual provider payments. Providers can review payment history through ESP, which also offers access to their own wage verification details.
All provider verification-of-employment requests must be made in writing. For questions about those requests, contact Sacramento County IHSS Payroll. Providers injured while working as Sacramento County IHSS caregivers should also contact that office for information about workers’ compensation benefits.
Language Access and Accessible Materials
Tell IHSS the applicant’s preferred spoken and written languages and any disability-related accommodations needed when making the application. Language preferences and the need for an interpreter are also considered during the assessment.
The California Department of Social Services states that individuals have a right to free and timely oral interpretation, sign language services and written translations of English-language content. Its IHSS materials include translated applications and educational information. Sacramento County also provides the application in two print sizes.
When preparing for a call or home interview, identify the communication assistance needed to discuss daily care, understand the county’s questions and review program responsibilities. Making those needs clear helps the applicant participate in the application and assessment process.
IHSS Offices and Contacts
Sacramento County In-Home Supportive Services
P.O. Box 269131
Sacramento, CA 95826
Phone: (916) 874-9471
Sacramento County In-Home Supportive Services Public Authority
9300 Tech Center Drive, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95826
Phone: (916) 874-2888
Sacramento County IHSS Payroll Help Desk
Phone: (916) 874-9805
Sacramento County Department of Human Assistance
Phone: 1-800-560-0976
IHSS Service Desk
Phone: (866) 376-7066