The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has provided additional information about reasonable accommodations for blind and visually impaired In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) applicants and recipients. This information is in addition to previous information and forms and notices in ACL 15-60 and other alternative format forms and notices.
Counties must offer reasonable accommodations in the form of alternative formats and auxiliary aids to IHSS applicants or recipients who identify as blind or visually impaired at the initial assessment, reassessment and whenever there is a change in circumstances. Counties must offer reasonable accommodations to applicants or recipients who exhibit or mention problems with reading or seeing. Counties must offer format options and the ability to update format preferences. Counties must record these accommodations in the CMIPS computer system.
Both blind and visually impaired persons can now use the telephone timesheet system.
CDSS has done training for counties and has fact sheets for social workers about reasonable accommodations for blind or visually impaired persons.
Blind or visually impaired persons can also use the electronic timesheet system using a screen reader. The electronic timesheet forms are now available in accessible formats.
CDSS updated its list of IHSS forms in accessible formats. That list is included with the ACL. CDSS also included data about format preferences including large print, audio CD, Braille, and data CD.
CDSS will create a report of all IHSS applicants or recipients who are identified as blind or visually impaired but do not have a format preference documented in CMIPS. When the report is release, counties must contact each of those applicants or recipients to determine their format preference and document that preference in CMIPS. (ACL 19-36, April 12, 2019.)