IHSS Public Authority

San Bernardino County IHSS Public Authority helps In-Home Supportive Services recipients connect with caregivers and supports providers through registry services, enrollment activities, criminal background processing, training, employment verification, workers’ compensation coordination, and other provider services. This article explains how IHSS and the Public Authority work together, how recipients can locate caregivers, how providers can join and remain active in the Registry, what enrollment requirements apply, how the Back-Up Provider System works, and which official systems and offices handle common IHSS questions.

IHSS and Public Authority Roles

The San Bernardino County IHSS Public Authority works alongside the In-Home Supportive Services program, but the two have different responsibilities. Understanding that distinction can prevent recipients and providers from contacting the wrong office or expecting the Public Authority to make decisions that belong to an IHSS social worker.

IHSS is a federal, state, and locally funded program intended to help eligible people receive services in their own homes so they can remain there safely. The county states that people who are 65 or older, blind, or disabled may qualify, and disabled children may also qualify. Eligibility also depends on the individual being unable to live safely at home without assistance and meeting applicable financial requirements.

The Public Authority assists with administration of the IHSS program by supporting recipients and providers. Its responsibilities include operating the provider Registry, recruiting and pre-screening caregivers, helping recipients with the caregiver interview process, processing provider background-check information, assisting with provider enrollment, offering or locating training, processing employment verification requests, and handling initial workers’ compensation reporting for IHSS caregivers.

The Public Authority is also the employer of record for purposes of negotiating provider wages and benefits. However, the IHSS recipient is the provider’s employer for day-to-day employment matters. The recipient selects the provider and is responsible for hiring, directing the work, supervising the provider, and ending the employment relationship when necessary.

Applying for IHSS Services

Someone who needs in-home assistance must first qualify for IHSS before using recipient services through the Public Authority Registry. According to the county’s IHSS client information, a referral may be made by the consumer, a family member, a friend, a physician, or another person who knows about the consumer’s needs.

When making an IHSS referral, it is helpful to have information that allows county staff to identify the applicant and evaluate the situation. The county identifies the following information as useful during the application process:

Social Security number.
Telephone number.
Income and asset information.
Health information, including the doctor’s name and telephone number.

After the initial telephone screening, an IHSS social worker conducts an in-home needs assessment. The social worker evaluates which services are needed and how frequently they are needed. The IHSS social worker, rather than the Public Authority Registry, is responsible for authorizing, increasing, decreasing, or terminating a recipient’s IHSS services based on the needs assessment and annual reassessments.

This distinction becomes especially important when a recipient or provider has a question about authorized hours. Public Authority staff may help with provider and Registry matters, but the Public Authority does not authorize a recipient’s service hours. Questions about a client’s approved hours should be directed to the client’s IHSS social worker.

The Provider Registry

The Public Authority Registry connects IHSS recipients who need in-home assistance with people interested in providing that care. The Registry recruits and pre-screens providers, maintains a database of available caregivers, assists recipients with interviews, and refers providers to eligible IHSS clients.

For recipients, the Registry can generate caregiver referrals according to factors such as location, personal care needs, work schedule, and other job-related preferences. A referral is not an employment assignment. The recipient reviews the potential providers, conducts interviews, chooses whom to hire, and supervises the selected caregiver.

Registry services and referral lists are free to individuals who have been approved for IHSS. The Public Authority also provides interview assistance. Public Authority social workers can help recipients understand how to review a caregiver list, schedule interviews, select a provider, hire and supervise that person, and end the employment relationship if necessary.

Services Providers May Perform

The work performed depends on the recipient’s authorized needs. Examples listed by the Public Authority include:

Preparing meals and assisting with feeding.
Keeping the home clean.
Bathing and dressing.
Shopping and laundry.
Assistance with personal care.

Providers should remember that the recipient directs the work in the home. A provider should not assume that tasks requested for other household members are covered by the recipient’s IHSS services.

Becoming a Registry Provider

People interested in Registry work can review the county’s official provider information or submit an application through the online Provider Registry application. A Registry application is also available through local IHSS offices.

The Public Authority states that previous caregiving experience is not required for Registry participation, although applicants are expected to demonstrate responsibility and an ability to provide appropriate care. Providers who join the Registry may be referred to elderly people or individuals with disabilities who need assistance to remain safely and independently at home.

Applying to the Registry is only one part of becoming available for referrals. Registry providers must also complete the required IHSS provider enrollment process.

Provider Enrollment Requirements

The provider enrollment process includes registration in the BOUNDS system and completion of required enrollment activities. Registry providers are also required to undergo and pass a Department of Justice criminal background check.

The county identifies several steps that must be completed before a Registry applicant is considered available to be referred to IHSS clients:

Application review.
Informational handbook review.
Criminal background check.
BOUNDS registration and required activities.
CPR and First Aid training when classes are available.

After the requirements are completed, the Public Authority sends a notification stating that the provider is available for referral to IHSS clients as needed. Being placed on the Registry does not guarantee that a particular recipient will hire the provider. Recipients retain the right to interview and select the caregiver they prefer.

BOUNDS Enrollment Issues

Providers should monitor their BOUNDS activities closely. County staff may reject an activity if information is incorrect or incomplete. If a provider receives notice that activities are missing, the provider should sign in and complete the required items.

The Public Authority also warns about the 90-day enrollment period. Notices concerning incomplete activities may be generated by the system. A provider should contact the local IHSS office to confirm that all required activities have been completed. If activities are completed after the allotted 90-day period, the enrollment process may be considered incomplete and the provider may have to begin again, including fingerprinting.

Enrollment is also the process that links a recipient’s selected provider to the recipient’s IHSS case so the provider can be paid. The county states that this process can take up to 30 days after all enrollment requirements have been met.

Criminal Background Processing

The Public Authority’s Criminal Background Investigation division processes background checks submitted to the California Department of Justice for IHSS and Public Authority providers. The unit receives Live Scan forms after fingerprinting and reviews background results returned by the Department of Justice.

There is no guaranteed DOJ turnaround time. The county states that a background check with no issues may commonly take approximately 10 to 45 days, while a history of arrest may result in a much longer delay, potentially six months or more. The Public Authority cannot expedite the DOJ process.

If more than a month has passed since fingerprinting, the provider may contact both the fingerprinting agency and the Public Authority for follow-up. Providers who have not received a BOUNDS message about their background check after more than 30 days may also request a duplicate status review through the appropriate county process.

Fingerprinting and Waivers

New IHSS providers must be fingerprinted specifically for IHSS even when fingerprints are already on file with another employer. The Department of Justice does not share those results between agencies for this purpose.

Applicants are responsible for their fingerprinting costs. According to the Public Authority, fingerprint fees are not refundable when a provider does not clear the process, and there are no fingerprint fee waivers.

Background-check waivers apply only in certain cases. Tier 2 denials may be eligible for a waiver, while Tier 1 denials are not eligible. A recipient must request a waiver after the provider has received a Tier 2 denial, and the recipient must have eligible IHSS status before the waiver process can begin.

Keeping Registry Status Active

Registry providers have ongoing responsibilities after enrollment. Maintaining current availability information is particularly important because the Public Authority uses its database to identify caregivers who may be referred to recipients.

Providers must update their availability every month and make an immediate update whenever their availability or contact information changes. Failure to update monthly can result in removal from the Registry. The county’s online Public Authority Provider Update can be used for this purpose.

A provider who already has enough clients may submit an update indicating “Fully Employed.” The provider must actually be working with an IHSS client to use that status. Once marked fully employed, an update is required every three months to remain in that category.

Providers should also notify the Registry and the IHSS social worker when they are hired, fired, or quit. If a provider plans to stop working for a client, the county directs the provider to give the recipient at least two weeks’ notice, update Registry information, and report the final work date and hours to the Public Authority and IHSS social worker.

Recipient Responsibilities

The recipient remains central to the employment relationship even when a caregiver was referred through the Public Authority Registry. The recipient determines whom to hire, directs the work, explains how authorized tasks should be completed, supervises the provider, and can terminate the provider when necessary.

Recipients are responsible for keeping their own record of provider hours and for reviewing timesheets. By signing a provider’s timesheet at the end of a pay period, the recipient confirms that the reported services were provided.

If a provider is injured while working, both the provider and recipient have responsibilities to notify the Public Authority. Recipients should also tell the Registry when a provider is no longer working for them or when a new provider is hired.

Back-Up Provider System

The Back-Up Provider System, commonly called BUPS, provides temporary and immediate services to eligible IHSS consumers who have an urgent need for personal care and do not have an available IHSS provider.

An eligible IHSS recipient must meet at least one of the circumstances identified by the county:

The recipient is being discharged from an out-of-home care facility, such as a hospital, and has no in-home care assistance.

The recipient has an urgent personal-care need that cannot be met by an existing provider.

The recipient’s regular provider unexpectedly becomes unavailable.

BUPS may provide up to 80 hours in a fiscal year, which the county defines as July 1 through June 30. These are not additional hours beyond the recipient’s existing IHSS or Waiver Personal Care Services authorization. BUPS hours are deducted from the recipient’s currently approved hours, and the schedule and duration of service depend on the recipient’s authorized IHSS hours.

Recipients seeking a back-up provider can use the process described in the Public Authority’s client section or contact their local IHSS office and speak with an IHSS social worker about a referral.

Training for IHSS Providers

The Public Authority Training Unit helps providers and clients locate training opportunities. Training subjects range from safe work practices and lifting techniques to CPR, First Aid, caregiver wellness, infection control, nutrition, documentation, and specialized caregiving topics.

Training availability and eligibility vary by class. CPR, First Aid, and AED classes offered through the Public Authority are free and limited to Public Authority Registry providers. Students must pass the accompanying test to receive certification. The CPR and First Aid certification card described by the county is valid for two years.

Other programs include multiweek caregiver education and shorter individual courses. Some programs require completion of all associated tests before a certificate of completion is issued. Class sizes may be limited, and providers are advised to verify that scheduled sessions are still taking place because schedules can change.

Employment Verification Requests

The Public Authority centrally processes requests for verification of IHSS provider employment and income. Employment verification may be needed for unemployment or disability benefits, financial transactions, or certain benefit programs.

An IHSS provider requesting verification must complete the PA IHSS 620 Employment Verification Request. A copy of the provider’s identification must accompany the request for it to be processed.

Providers should plan ahead. The Public Authority states that on-the-spot and same-day employment verification requests cannot be processed. It also does not give verbal employment verification information to outside agencies unless an employment verification form has already been completed or a release of information has been received.

Workers' Compensation Claims

The Public Authority processes initial workers’ compensation claims for San Bernardino County IHSS caregivers and authorizes the first medical consultation. A caregiver injured while performing IHSS work is responsible for reporting the injury to the Public Authority.

The county’s provider information states that an injury should be reported within 48 hours. A provider can begin the claim by contacting the Public Authority and speaking with the Workers’ Compensation clerk or by reporting the injury in person at a local Public Authority office.

After a claim is filed, the workers’ compensation administrator reviews the case. If a claim is accepted and the provider is medically unable to work, compensation may be available under the applicable workers’ compensation process.

Paychecks and Provider Enrollment

Paycheck questions and provider enrollment questions should be treated as separate issues. The Public Authority performs enrollment functions and links an eligible provider to the recipient’s IHSS case. Paycheck-related assistance is handled through the designated IHSS paycheck support channel identified on the county’s IHSS contact page.

If a new provider cannot be linked because the recipient’s case still shows another active provider, the recipient may need to contact the IHSS social worker to terminate the provider who is no longer working. If the recipient intends to keep more than one provider, the county states that the recipient may use an SOC 838 to assign hours to each provider.

Providers should not assume that finishing an application immediately creates access to timesheets. The county states that timesheets are sent within 30 business days from the provider’s last completed BOUNDS activity. Questions about service authorization, retroactive hours, or recipient case information should be addressed with the IHSS social worker rather than the Registry.

Intercounty Transfer Cases

Providers and recipients moving from another county should pay particular attention to intercounty transfer procedures. Provider information does not automatically transfer into the San Bernardino County system. Existing providers are encouraged to complete the required BOUNDS steps so they can be linked to the recipient’s case.

A provider who is already cleared in another county generally does not have to be fingerprinted again solely because of the transfer. However, fingerprinting may be required if the provider is not eligible or if a provider waiver is needed. A waiver from another county does not transfer automatically; when an existing waiver is involved, the provider may need to fingerprint for the new county and complete the local waiver process.

Common IHSS Mistakes

Several common problems can delay provider referrals, enrollment, or payment. Providers and recipients can reduce avoidable issues by keeping each responsibility with the correct office and updating information promptly.

Expecting the Public Authority to change IHSS hours: authorized service hours are determined by the IHSS social worker.

Failing to update Registry availability: Registry providers must update monthly unless they qualify for the fully employed status, which requires updates every three months.

Leaving BOUNDS activities incomplete: rejected or missing activities must be corrected, and failure to complete enrollment within the allowed period can require restarting the process.

Assuming prior fingerprints can always be reused: new IHSS providers must complete fingerprinting for the IHSS program, subject to the specific intercounty transfer rules described by the county.

Expecting immediate background results: the Department of Justice does not provide a guaranteed turnaround time, and the Public Authority cannot expedite the process.

Requesting same-day employment verification: the Public Authority specifically states that same-day requests cannot be processed.

Assuming Registry referral means employment: recipients interview, select, hire, supervise, and, when necessary, dismiss their own providers.

Treating BUPS hours as extra hours: back-up hours come from the recipient’s existing approved IHSS or WPCS hours.

IHSS Public Authority Office

Main IHSS/Public Authority Office
784 E. Hospitality Lane
San Bernardino, CA 92415
866-985-6322

IHSS Public Authority FAQs

Can an IHSS provider receive retroactive pay for work performed before enrollment?

Retroactive payment is not automatically available for every day a provider worked before completing enrollment. San Bernardino County states that providers are generally eligible for retroactive pay for up to 90 days before the date their provider application was submitted, unless a different period is noted or approved by the recipient’s IHSS social worker. Providers with questions about an earlier start date or missing retroactive hours should have the social worker review the case rather than treating the issue as a Registry matter. Additional enrollment guidance is available in the county’s IHSS provider FAQs.

How does an IHSS provider request income tax withholding?

Federal and state income taxes are not necessarily withheld automatically from an IHSS provider’s wages. The county instructs providers who want income tax withholding to complete a W-4 and submit it through the appropriate IHSS process. The state determines eligibility for withholding after the request is made. Providers may still have federal or state tax filing obligations even when taxes were not withheld from their IHSS pay.

Are relatives treated differently for State Disability Insurance deductions?

They can be. The county states that State Disability Insurance deductions generally apply automatically when applicable quarterly wage requirements are met, but providers caring for their child, parent, or spouse are treated differently. Those family providers must request elective SDI coverage if they want to participate. This is separate from Social Security and Medicare withholding rules, which also depend on factors such as the provider’s age, annual wages, and relationship to the recipient.

Can a provider add a spouse or children to Public Authority health coverage?

No. According to the county’s health-benefits FAQ, the provider health plan does not include dependent coverage for a spouse or children. If a provider later loses eligibility for coverage, continuation coverage may be available under COBRA. The county states that eligible former participants receive information explaining their continuation rights and have a limited election period to decide whether to continue coverage at their own expense.

How can a recipient make someone an authorized representative or power of attorney?

The Public Authority does not establish that status through the Provider Registry. For questions about becoming a recipient’s authorized representative or handling a power-of-attorney arrangement in connection with the IHSS case, the county directs the person to the recipient’s IHSS social worker for case-specific instructions.