In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) in the Inland Empire: Who Qualifies and How to Apply

What IHSS pays for

IHSS helps with the daily tasks that become harder with age or disability, including:

• Personal care — bathing, dressing, grooming, help with eating
• Household tasks — cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping
• Accompaniment to medical appointments
• Protective supervision for some people with cognitive conditions

A county social worker visits the home, assesses what help is needed, and authorizes a set number of care hours per month.

Who tends to qualify

IHSS is a Medi-Cal program, so the path runs through Medi-Cal. People who qualify generally:

• Are eligible for Medi-Cal
• Are 65 or older, or blind, or have a disability
• Live at home (not in a hospital or care facility)
• Need help with daily activities to live safely at home

This is general guidance, not a promise — the county's in-home assessment makes the determination. If you're close on the rules, it's worth applying.

Can a family member be paid to provide the care?

Often, yes. IHSS recipients usually choose and hire their own care provider, and that provider can be a family member, a friend, or someone hired from outside. This is one of the biggest reasons families pursue IHSS: it can turn care a relative is already providing into paid, supported work.

How to apply in Riverside County

Start with the Riverside County Office on Aging HelpLink at 1-877-932-4100. Explain that you want to apply for IHSS; staff will connect you to the county's IHSS intake. A social worker then schedules an in-home assessment.

How to apply in San Bernardino County

The San Bernardino County Department of Aging and Adult Services runs IHSS directly. Call IHSS Central Intake at 1-877-800-4544 (or Senior Information and Assistance at 1-800-510-2020) to begin. As in Riverside, a social worker schedules an in-home assessment to set your authorized hours.

What happens next

After you apply, a county social worker visits your home, reviews what help you need, and authorizes monthly care hours. You then choose a provider — including a family member — who is paid through the program for the hours authorized.

Programs that often pair with IHSS

IHSS rarely stands alone. People who qualify for it often also qualify for:

• Medi-Cal for Seniors — the coverage that opens the door to IHSS
• Multipurpose Senior Services Program (MSSP) — added care coordination
• Community-Based Adult Services (CBAS) — daytime care and health services
• Home and Community-Based Alternatives (HCBA) Waiver — for higher care needs

A free eligibility check matches your situation against IHSS and the programs that pair with it, in your county, at once — no account needed.

Not legal or financial advice. The administering agency always makes the final decision.