This letter transmits policy clarification on questions/comments raised during Phase One training of the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), Social Worker Training Academy. The Key Question is # 22: Is time allowed to accompany recipients to medical appointments that are not local? (YES!) Other topics include minimum number of hours; can a worker increase time-per-task hours, based on assessed need (thankfully concluding “yes”); the interaction between Functional Ability” and an available spouse; when is a spouse “available” (including when non-married folks get treated as spouses); when pro-rating of meal time and domestic chores may be done; maintenance exercise may be done outside the home; no IHSS for people who are homeless; terminating a case for not having a provider (no can do); no limit on the number of providers; and no hours allowed after recipient’s death. And, just to make you remember what a cumbersome program this is: No time for toe/finger nail cutting (with scissors or clippers) is permissible, and can be claimed under Medi-Cal only if performed by a podiatrist. [Download]
Summaries of select CalWORKs, CalFresh, Health and Housing Regulations