By Araceli Gaona and Fran Kiernan
January 2016 | 2016 Winter Newsletter
As an In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) consumer, it is critical that you have a back-up plan in place in case your regular provider is not available. Life circumstances such as illness, injury, or time off can create the unexpected need to have someone else assist you. It is your responsibility as the IHSS consumer to create a plan and have safety nets in place for this. Have family members or friends that are familiar with your care on notice, so that they may be called upon to help. Have the names and phone numbers of these individuals on hand and ready to go.
In addition, the new IHSS overtime rules will put a cap on how many hours your provider can work in a week. A ripple effect of this will be that your provider may not be able to work all your hours if they reach their maximum. You will need another provider as a back-up. It is highly encouraged that you explore the idea of hiring an additional provider for this need, should it arise. Having two providers will ensure a smooth transition from one provider to another. It will turn what would otherwise be a daunting situation into a stress-free one.
For assistance in hiring an additional provider, please contact the Public Authority Registry: (408) 350-3251