By the Unified Savers Editorial Team
IHSS Public Authority services and contact information vary by county. Contact your county’s IHSS Public Authority directly to confirm current services, training schedules, and registry procedures.
Every California county administering IHSS maintains an IHSS Public Authority (PA) — a county agency that serves as the “employer of record” for IHSS providers in collective bargaining, maintains a registry of available providers for recipients, offers training and support resources, and acts as a liaison between providers, recipients, and the union. The Public Authority is separate from the county’s general IHSS social services office, and knowing which one to contact for which issue can save significant time.
What Is the IHSS Public Authority?
The IHSS Public Authority is a county-level public agency created under California law (Welfare and Institutions Code Section 12300 et seq.) to govern the IHSS program at the county level. Every California county operating IHSS is required to have either a Public Authority or an Alternative Governance body to fulfill these functions.
The Public Authority was created specifically to solve two problems in the original IHSS model:
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Labor relations problem: Early IHSS providers had no formal employer to bargain with — the state set policy but counties managed the program, and recipients individually “hired” providers. There was no entity that could sign a union contract. The Public Authority became that entity.
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Provider access problem: Many IHSS recipients — especially those who are elderly, have cognitive disabilities, or are newly eligible — did not know how to find a qualified provider. The Public Authority created registries to match recipients with available providers.
Today, the Public Authority handles these functions in virtually every county, though the specific services and staffing vary significantly between large counties (like Los Angeles, San Diego, and Santa Clara) and smaller rural counties.
Core Functions of the Public Authority
1. Employer of Record for Collective Bargaining
The Public Authority is the formal employer of IHSS providers for purposes of collective bargaining under California’s Meyers-Milias-Brown Act. This means:
- SEIU 2015 (the IHSS providers’ union in most California counties) bargains with the county Public Authority over wages, benefits, and working conditions
- The county Board of Supervisors must approve the contract negotiated between the PA and the union
- Wage increases, health benefits, and other improvements negotiated by SEIU 2015 flow through the Public Authority and are ratified by the Board of Supervisors
The employer-of-record relationship does not mean the Public Authority tells providers where or how to work — that direction still comes from the IHSS recipient (who is the “consumer-employer” in the IHSS model). It is a legal designation that enables formal collective bargaining.
2. Provider Registry
The Public Authority maintains a registry of IHSS providers who are available to accept new clients. Recipients who need to find a provider — because their current provider left, they are newly enrolled in IHSS, or they need a backup provider — can contact the Public Authority’s registry to request referrals.
How the registry works:
- Providers who want to be on the registry contact the PA and complete any required registration steps
- The PA maintains the list and refers interested providers to recipients who request them
- Referral from the registry does not guarantee employment — the recipient still interviews and chooses their provider
- Registry providers must have completed IHSS enrollment (SOC 426, background check, orientation) to be listed
Who benefits from the registry:
- Recipients who do not have a provider and need to find one quickly
- Providers who want to find new clients, especially those whose current recipient’s services ended
- Families new to IHSS who don’t know where to start looking for a provider
3. Provider Training and Support
Public Authorities offer a range of training resources for IHSS providers, which varies substantially by county size and budget:
New provider orientation: Many counties conduct new provider orientations through the Public Authority rather than the general IHSS office. These orientations cover timesheet submission, provider rights and responsibilities, and safety basics.
In-service training: Some PAs offer ongoing training on topics like dementia care, body mechanics and injury prevention, medication management assistance, and behavioral support for recipients with developmental disabilities.
Online resources: Larger county PAs (like Los Angeles, which operates the IHSS Public Authority through its Department of Public Social Services) provide online training modules, provider handbooks, and FAQ resources on their websites.
Safety training: Cal/OSHA regulations require that IHSS providers receive certain workplace safety information. The PA often delivers this training, covering back safety, infection control, and emergency procedures.
4. Benefits Administration (Where Applicable)
In counties where IHSS providers have health benefits negotiated through collective bargaining, the Public Authority may administer or coordinate those benefits. SEIU 2015 Benefit Funds — which provide health insurance to qualifying IHSS providers — often work closely with county Public Authorities on provider enrollment and eligibility tracking.
Not all providers qualify for health benefits. Eligibility typically requires working a minimum number of authorized IHSS hours per month (often 70–80 hours) over a sustained period. Contact your county PA or SEIU 2015 at 1-877-734-8673 for current eligibility thresholds.
5. Complaint and Dispute Resolution
The PA may serve as the first point of contact for providers who have disputes with payroll processing, orientation completion records, or registry-related issues — situations that fall between the general IHSS social services office (which manages recipient case files) and the State Controller’s Office (which cuts paychecks).
Public Authority vs. IHSS Social Services Office: Which to Call?
A persistent source of confusion for IHSS providers and recipients is knowing which office handles which issue. Here is a general guide:
| Issue | Contact |
|---|---|
| Provider enrollment (SOC 426 status, background check) | County IHSS office or Public Authority (varies by county) |
| Recipient’s authorized hours or service plan | County IHSS social services office / social worker |
| Finding a provider (registry referral) | Public Authority |
| Provider training and orientation | Public Authority |
| Paycheck problems or missing payment | State Controller’s Office IHSS payroll line: 1-800-572-2963 |
| Union contract questions, wages, benefits | SEIU 2015: 1-877-734-8673 |
| Health benefit enrollment | SEIU 2015 Benefit Funds: seiu2015benefitfunds.org |
| Timesheet corrections | Your county IHSS payroll unit |
When in doubt, calling the Public Authority first is a reasonable starting point — PA staff are typically familiar with the full landscape of IHSS services and can direct you to the right office if they cannot help directly.
How to Find Your County’s IHSS Public Authority
California has 58 counties, each with its own IHSS Public Authority or equivalent. The CDSS maintains a county-by-county directory of IHSS contacts on its website at cdss.ca.gov.
For the largest counties:
- Los Angeles County: IHSS Public Authority, (888) 822-9622, operated through DPSS
- San Diego County: IHSS Public Authority, (800) 339-4477
- Santa Clara County: IHSS Public Authority, (408) 792-1600
- Riverside County: Public Authority for Riverside County, (800) 510-2020
- Sacramento County: IHSS Public Authority, (916) 875-3777
- Alameda County: IHSS Independent Provider Registry, (510) 577-1993
- Fresno County: IHSS Public Authority, (559) 600-8977
For all other counties, search “[County Name] IHSS Public Authority” or check the CDSS website for the most current contact information.
Provider Registry: How to Get Listed
If you are a currently enrolled IHSS provider looking to find additional clients, getting on your county’s Public Authority registry is one of the fastest paths to new IHSS work:
- Complete IHSS provider enrollment if you have not already (SOC 426, live scan, orientation)
- Contact your county Public Authority — not the general IHSS office — and ask about adding yourself to the provider registry
- Provide your provider number and any information the PA requires (availability, languages spoken, experience with specific disability types)
- Update your availability regularly — registries work best when providers keep their availability current
Being on the registry does not obligate you to accept every referral. You can decline to be referred to specific recipients if the situation is not a good fit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is the IHSS Public Authority the same as the county IHSS office?
A: No, they are separate entities, though they work closely together. The county IHSS office (often called the Social Services Agency) handles recipient eligibility, assessments, and social worker visits. The Public Authority focuses on provider-side functions: registry, training, labor relations, and benefits coordination. Some counties co-locate them in the same building, which adds to the confusion — but the functions are distinct.
Q: Does the Public Authority decide my pay rate?
A: Not unilaterally. The PA is the employer of record that bargains with SEIU 2015 over wages, but the agreed-upon wage rates must be approved by the County Board of Supervisors. The state also plays a role in IHSS wage funding through Maintenance of Effort (MOE) provisions. In practice, wages are set through a combination of union negotiation, county approval, and state funding.
Q: Can the Public Authority help me if I am having trouble getting paid?
A: The PA may be able to help identify whether your payment problem is an enrollment issue (within their scope) or a payroll processing issue (handled by the State Controller’s Office). For missing paychecks specifically, the State Controller’s Office IHSS payroll line at 1-800-572-2963 is the most direct contact. The PA can often help you figure out which office needs to fix the problem.
Related Resources on Unified Savers:
- How to Become an IHSS Provider — Full provider enrollment guide from application to first paycheck
- IHSS Union Benefits SEIU 2015 — Health and training benefits available through SEIU 2015
- IHSS Provider Training Requirements — What training is required and what is optional
- IHSS Provider Orientation California — What to expect at your new provider orientation
- IHSS Direct Deposit Setup — How to set up direct deposit through the IHSS Electronic Services Portal
- IHSS July 2026 Statewide Wage Update — How Public Authority collective bargaining translates into the July 2026 county pay rate increases
- IHSS Registry vs Direct Provider — How the Public Authority registry compares to directly hiring an IHSS provider