Before you can be paid as an IHSS provider, you have to finish orientation and enrollment. The rules are statewide, but every county runs its own process. Some do almost everything online, and others ask you to come in person.
Here’s what every county requires, what to ask yours, and how to keep track so nothing slips.
At a glance
Becoming an IHSS provider, in plain words
- Your county runs itOrientation and enrollment go through your county IHSS office or Public Authority, not the state.
- Four state requirementsOrientation, two signed forms (SOC 426 and SOC 846), and a criminal background check.
- Watch the clockCounties generally give you 90 days to finish. Start early and don’t let it lapse.
What provider orientation is
Orientation teaches you how IHSS works and what’s expected of you as a provider: how hours and timesheets work, the program rules you’ll agree to follow, and how to avoid mistakes that can cost you pay. Your county IHSS office or Public Authority runs it. The state doesn’t run orientations or process enrollment forms.
Worth knowingThe California Department of Social Services posts provider orientation videos in English, Spanish, and Chinese. They’re a good way to learn the basics ahead of time. Watching them on your own may not count as your orientation, though. Your county decides how you complete it. See the state’s orientation page
The four state requirements
Every new IHSS provider in California must:
- Complete provider orientation.
- Sign the IHSS Program Provider Enrollment Form (SOC 426).
- Sign the IHSS Provider Enrollment Agreement (SOC 846).
- Get fingerprinted and pass a criminal background check through the California Department of Justice.
Your county will also check your original, unexpired photo ID and your Social Security card. The name on your Social Security card is the name on your paycheck.
Step by step
Counties order these steps differently, but most people go through something like this. Use the tracker to check off each step and see your finish-by date.
My IHSS enrollment tracker
Check off each step as you finish it. Enter the day you started, and we’ll show your 90-day finish-by date. Your progress stays on this device only.
Steps and order vary by county. Your county IHSS office or Public Authority has the final word.
FlagCounties generally give you 90 days from when you start to finish every enrollment requirement. If something outside your control, like a background check delay, holds you up, ask your county about a “good cause” extension before the deadline passes. If time runs out, you may have to start over.
The background check
Your county gives you a Live Scan form. Take it and your photo ID to a Live Scan location, where your fingerprints are scanned and sent to the Department of Justice. In many counties, you pay the fingerprinting fee. Call the location first to check hours and price, and keep your receipt.
Worth knowingCertain convictions can keep you from being an IHSS provider. The most serious group, which includes child or elder abuse and fraud against a government health program, can’t be waived by a recipient. For a second group, which includes certain serious or violent felonies, the recipient who wants to hire you can sign a waiver (form SOC 862). That waiver lets you work only for that recipient, in that county. If you have a record, ask your county how it applies to you before you pay for Live Scan.
Mistakes that slow people down
- Waiting for a link instead of calling the county. Nothing starts until you contact them.
- Names that don’t match. Your ID and Social Security card should show the same name. Fix any mismatch first.
- Putting off fingerprinting. Background checks can take time, and the 90-day clock keeps running.
- Missing county emails or letters. Check spam, and tell the county if your address or phone changes.
- Starting work before you’re enrolled and hired. Ask your county before you count on being paid for that time.
After you’re approved
Once you’re approved and a recipient hires you, register for the Electronic Services Portal (ESP) or the Telephone Timesheet System so you can send timesheets and get paid. New to the ESP? Read What Is the ESP for IHSS? and set up IHSS direct deposit.
Don’t have a recipient yet? Create a free caregiver profile on IHSS Connect so families across California can find you. For tips on doing the job well, read Essential Guidance for Home Health Care Professionals and Preventing the Injuries That End a Caregiving Career. Caring for someone on a regional center’s waiver? See the WPCS program guide.
Sources
Sources
- CDSS — IHSS Provider OrientationThe four enrollment requirements; counties run orientation; state videos in English, Chinese, and Spanish
- Los Angeles County DPSS — IHSS Provider Enrollment RequirementsOriginal ID and Social Security card; 90 days to finish, plus 45 for good cause; disqualifying crimes
- Fresno County — IHSS Provider Online Enrollment and OrientationExample of an online county process; names on ID and Social Security card must match; provider pays for Live Scan
- San Bernardino County IHSS Public Authority — Enrollment Requirements for New Providers (PDF)Example of another county’s steps; hiring with SOC 426A; timesheet registration
- CDSS — All County Letter 16-53 (PDF)Tier 1 and Tier 2 crimes; recipient waivers (SOC 862) apply to Tier 2 only, for that recipient and county
- California Department of Justice — Fingerprints (Live Scan)How Live Scan works; find a location
CDSS is the primary authority. County pages are examples of how local processes differ; check with your own county.
About this article
This guide explains how to complete IHSS provider orientation and enrollment in California. It replaces our earlier version, which pointed to specific county links that change often. Because every county runs its own process, we focus on the steps that apply statewide and tell you what to ask locally.
IHSS Connect is an independent, free registry for families and caregivers. We are not part of any state agency or county, and this article is general information, not legal advice.
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