In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) pays for caregivers to help eligible Californians stay safely in their own homes. But what exactly can a caregiver be paid to do?
IHSS covers four main kinds of help. The services and hours each person gets are set by a county social worker after a needs assessment.
At a glance
What IHSS can pay a caregiver to do
- Personal careHands-on help with daily living. Often the biggest share of hours.
- Household helpTasks that keep the home safe and livable, when the recipient can’t do them.
- Paramedical careHealth-related tasks a trained caregiver does as a doctor directs. Needs form SOC 321.
- Protective supervisionWatching someone who can’t recognize danger, to prevent injury.
Hours: set by a county social worker based on need, up to 283 hours a month at most.
Who qualifies and how hours are set
IHSS is run by each county and paid for with state, county, and federal Medi-Cal funds.
To get IHSS, you generally need to:
- Live in California, in your own home
- Be 65 or older, blind, or have a disability (children can qualify too)
- Have Medi-Cal, in most cases
- Need help with at least one IHSS service to stay safely at home
A county social worker visits your home, looks at what you can and can’t do safely in each area, and assigns time for each service. Those add up to your monthly authorized hours, the most your caregiver can be paid for. The maximum is 283 hours a month.
Services are based on need, not a fixed menu. Two people with the same diagnosis can get very different hours, depending on their abilities, living situation, and support at home.
IHSS services, at a glance
Search for a task or tap a category to see what’s covered, and what isn’t.
Is it covered? Search IHSS services
Type a task, like “laundry” or “pets,” or tap a category.
Hands-on help with daily living. Often the biggest share of hours.
- ✓BathingTub baths, showers, or bed baths
- ✓Oral hygieneBrushing teeth, denture care, mouth rinsing
- ✓GroomingBrushing hair, shaving, nail care
- ✓DressingPutting on and taking off clothes, including adaptive clothing
- ✓FeedingHelp eating when the recipient can’t feed themselves
- ✓Respiration (help with breathing)Non-medical help, like helping with oxygen and cleaning breathing equipment. It’s listed under personal care on the Notice of Action; more involved tasks, like suctioning, are often authorized as paramedical
- ✓Help with medicationsHelp with medications the recipient takes on their own, like opening bottles and setting them out
- ✓Bowel and bladder careToileting, incontinence care, and help with menstrual care
- ✓Transfers and walkingGetting in and out of bed or a wheelchair, walking, and repositioning
- ✓Rubbing skinHelping prevent skin breakdown, such as for someone in bed most of the day
- ✓Standby helpStaying close during bathing, transfers, and similar tasks to prevent falls
- ✓AccompanimentGoing with the recipient to medical appointments and some other approved places
Tasks that keep the home safe and livable, when the recipient can’t do them.
- ✓House cleaningSweeping, mopping, vacuuming, kitchen and bathroom cleaning
- ✓LaundryWashing, drying, and folding clothes and bedding
- ✓ShoppingGroceries and other essential errands
- ✓Meal preparationPlanning and cooking meals, including special diets
- ✓Meal cleanupDishes, counters, and putting food away
Health-related tasks a trained caregiver does as a doctor directs. Needs form SOC 321.
- ✓Giving medicationsIncluding injections, when a licensed health care professional orders it and trains the caregiver
- ✓Bowel and bladder programsCatheter care, colostomy care, and prescribed enemas
- ✓Range-of-motion exercisesPrescribed exercises to keep joints moving
- ✓Wound careDressing changes as a doctor directs
- ✓Breathing supportHelp for people who use a ventilator or trach, such as suctioning
- ✓Tube feedingPrescribed feeding through a feeding tube
- ✓Turning and positioningPreventing pressure sores for people who can’t move themselves
Watching someone who can’t recognize danger, to prevent injury.
- ✓Protective supervisionFor people with a cognitive impairment, mental health condition, or other condition who can’t keep themselves safe and need supervision around the clock
Things IHSS doesn’t pay for.
- ×Medical care outside the planNursing or medical care that isn’t ordered as a paramedical service, and medical decisions
- ×Paying for every hour of 24/7 careHours are capped by the assessment; continuous care is rarely fully paid
- ×Yard work and home repairsMowing, painting, fixing appliances
- ×Pet careWalking, feeding, or cleaning up after pets
- ×ChildcareCare for the recipient’s children or other household members
- ×Non-essential shoppingShopping beyond basic necessities
- ×Social or personal tripsRides to social events, recreation, or unrelated errands
- ×Help for anyone elseCare or chores for anyone other than the recipient
No match. Try a different word, or ask your county IHSS social worker whether a specific task can be authorized.
Every service and the hours for it are set individually at the county assessment. Being listed here doesn’t guarantee approval.
Personal care
Personal care is hands-on help with daily living that a disability or health condition makes hard or unsafe to do alone. For many recipients, it’s the largest share of their hours.
Worth knowingPersonal care hours depend on documented limitations. If your condition gets worse, you don’t have to wait for your yearly visit. Ask your county for a reassessment. How to ask for more hours
Household help
Many families are surprised that IHSS also covers household tasks, like cleaning, laundry, shopping, and meals, when the recipient can’t do them because of their condition.
FlagHousehold tasks are approved only when the recipient can’t do them safely, not just because help would be nice. If other adults live in the home, IHSS generally pays only for the recipient’s share of tasks like cleaning and shopping, and some tasks have set time limits, such as about 6 hours a month for domestic chores.
Paramedical care
Paramedical services are health-related tasks the recipient would do for themselves if they could, like giving medications, catheter or wound care, or tube feeding. A trained caregiver does them as a licensed health care professional directs.
Worth knowingParamedical services need form SOC 321, signed by a licensed health care professional who also sets the time needed and makes sure the caregiver is trained. The caregiver doesn’t need a nursing license. Unskilled vs. licensed caregivers, explained
Protective supervision
Protective supervision pays for watching someone who can’t recognize danger because of a cognitive impairment, mental health condition, or other condition, and who needs supervision around the clock to stay safe. It has its own rules and paperwork. Our guide to securing Protective Supervision for your child walks through it.
What IHSS doesn’t cover
The “Not covered” tab in the services list above shows what IHSS won’t pay for, like yard work, pet care, and childcare. If you need help outside IHSS, ask your social worker about other programs, such as Medi-Cal waivers or WPCS through a regional center.
Can you get more services?
Yes, and many recipients don’t realize it.
- Ask for a reassessment through your county IHSS office when your condition or needs change. Bring updated medical records.
- Request a State Hearing if services are denied, cut, or ended.
- Get help. An advocate can help you gather records and prepare.
FlagYou generally have 90 days from a Notice of Action to request a State Hearing. To keep your current hours while you appeal, request it before the change takes effect. Request it online through CDSS or by calling 1-800-743-8525.
Frequently asked questions
Does IHSS cover transportation?
Only in a limited way. A caregiver can be paid to accompany the recipient to medical appointments and certain other approved places. IHSS isn’t a general ride service and doesn’t cover social or recreational trips.
Does IHSS cover help with medications?
Yes. Help with medications the recipient takes on their own is personal care. Giving medications, including injections, can be covered as a paramedical service when a licensed health care professional orders it on form SOC 321 and trains the caregiver.
Can IHSS pay for overnight care?
Yes, when the assessment shows a need at night, like repositioning, toileting, or supervision. It doesn’t automatically pay for 24-hour or live-in care.
What is the IHSS Plus Option?
It’s one of the funding programs under IHSS. It mainly covers recipients whose caregiver is their spouse, or their parent if they’re under 18. The county decides which program fits; it can affect maximum hours in some cases.
Can a family member be my IHSS caregiver?
Yes. Most family members can be paid, including adult children, siblings, and in many cases spouses and parents of minor children. Special rules apply to spouses and parents.
How many hours does IHSS provide?
It depends on the assessment, from a few hours a week to the maximum of 283 hours a month. Some recipients who aren’t considered severely impaired have a lower maximum of 195 hours.
What if I need more hours?
Ask your county for a reassessment any time your needs change, and bring updated medical records. If hours are denied or cut, you can request a State Hearing.
Finding a caregiver who understands IHSS
IHSS Connect is a free statewide platform where recipients and caregivers can find each other in all 58 counties, in 12 languages. Search for an IHSS caregiver near you. Want to hire a relative instead? Read Can a Family Member Be an IHSS Provider?.
Keep reading
More IHSS guides
- What Is IHSS? A Plain-Language Guide
- Can a Family Member Be an IHSS Provider?
- How to Advocate for More IHSS Hours
- Secure Protective Supervision for Your Child
- IHSS Social Workers: Who They Are and What They Do
- IHSS vs. WPCS: Understanding the Difference
- Medi-Cal Share of Cost and IHSS
- IHSS Appeal Help: Hire an Advocate or Represent Yourself?
Sources
- Disability Rights California — Understanding the Maximum Amount of Hours Available (Sept. 2024)283-hour maximum; 195 hours in some cases; severely impaired; housemate proration; 6 hours a month for domestic chores
- Disability Benefits 101 — IHSS programs and servicesPCSP, IHSS Plus Option, CFCO, and IHSS-Residual; services and time limits
- CDSS — IHSS Program Overview fact sheet (PDF)Eligibility; the services IHSS covers
- CDSS — SOC 321, Request for Order and Consent: Paramedical Services (PDF)Paramedical services ordered by a licensed health care professional
- CDSS — State Hearing RequestsHow to request a hearing; 90-day deadline
- CDSS — County IHSS OfficesContact for every county
CDSS is the primary authority. IHSS policies can change and some details vary by county; check with your county IHSS office.
About this article
This guide lists what IHSS can and can’t pay a caregiver to do in California, how services and hours are decided, and what to do if you need more. It’s a refresh of our May 2026 article, reorganized for easier reading on a phone, with a searchable services list and a few corrections.
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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