By the Unified Savers Editorial Team
IHSS policies are set by CDSS and county offices. This article provides general guidance. Contact your county IHSS office for instructions specific to your case.
IHSS recipients in California have the right to choose and change their in-home care provider at any time. To change providers, the recipient notifies their county IHSS social worker, the current provider’s enrollment is ended, and the new provider completes the enrollment process — background check, orientation (if required), and provider agreement. There is no required reason for changing providers, no penalty for the recipient, and no waiting period from the state, though the enrollment process for a new provider typically takes 2–4 weeks.
Your Right to Choose Your IHSS Provider
Under California Welfare and Institutions Code Section 12301.6, IHSS recipients are the “employers of record” for their in-home care providers. This means you, as the recipient, have the legal right to:
- Select any person who meets eligibility requirements as your IHSS provider
- Change providers at any time for any reason or no reason at all
- Dismiss a current provider without providing cause
- Request specific accommodations in how services are delivered
This employer-of-record relationship is fundamental to the IHSS program design. Unlike a traditional employment agency where a worker is assigned to you, IHSS gives the recipient control over who provides care. Exercising that control — including changing providers — is not unusual and will not result in any adverse action on your IHSS case.
Reasons Recipients Change Providers
Common reasons recipients change IHSS providers include:
- Scheduling conflicts: The current provider can no longer work the hours that fit the recipient’s needs
- Quality of care concerns: The recipient is dissatisfied with how services are being delivered
- Relationship changes: A family member who was providing care moves away, becomes unavailable, or is no longer suitable
- Provider’s own circumstances: The current provider has health issues, a new job, or other obligations that reduce their availability
- Provider misconduct: Concerns about abuse, neglect, theft, or other serious issues (which should also be reported to Adult Protective Services and IHSS Fraud)
- Recipient’s preference: The recipient simply prefers a different person to provide care
You do not need to state a reason when you contact your social worker to initiate a provider change. The change request is a normal part of IHSS program administration.
Step-by-Step: How to Change Your IHSS Provider
Step 1: Identify your new provider Before initiating the change, identify who you want as your new provider. This can be a family member, friend, neighbor, or someone you have recruited on your own. The new provider must be at least 18 years old, legally authorized to work in the United States, and able to pass a criminal background check (Live Scan).
If you do not have someone in mind, your county may have an IHSS Referral Registry or Public Authority that can help connect you with providers who are available and enrolled. Contact your county IHSS office or Public Authority for registry access.
Step 2: Notify your IHSS social worker Contact your assigned IHSS social worker by phone or through your county’s IHSS office. Inform them that you wish to change providers and provide:
- Your name and IHSS case number
- The name of your current provider (if still active)
- The name and contact information of your new provider (if known)
- The requested effective date for the change (if you have a preference)
Step 3: End the current provider’s enrollment on your case Your social worker will process the disenrollment of the current provider from your specific case. This does not affect the provider’s enrollment with other recipients — it only removes the connection between their provider record and your case.
Step 4: Enroll the new provider The new provider must complete the IHSS provider enrollment process, which includes:
- SOC 426 form: The Provider Enrollment form, completed and submitted to the county
- Live Scan fingerprinting: A background check through the California Department of Justice. Appointment and cost ($20–$60 depending on location) are typically the provider’s responsibility
- Provider orientation: Some counties require new providers to attend an orientation session (in-person or online) before they can be paid. SEIU 2015 member orientation may also apply
- Direct deposit or check setup: The new provider selects their payment method through CDSS payroll
Processing time: The background check typically takes 1–3 weeks. Once cleared, the provider’s enrollment is activated and they can begin submitting timesheets for hours worked.
Step 5: Confirm enrollment and begin services Once the county confirms the new provider’s enrollment is active, services can begin. The new provider should submit timesheets only for hours worked on or after their official enrollment start date — IHSS will not pay for hours worked before enrollment is confirmed.
What Happens to the Current Provider?
When you change providers, the current provider is disenrolled from your specific IHSS case. If they are enrolled as a provider for other recipients, those relationships are unaffected. The disenrollment from your case should be documented with a clear end date to ensure timesheets are processed correctly up through the last day worked.
Final timesheets: The current provider should submit their final timesheet covering any unpaid hours worked up to their last day. Timesheets not submitted within the normal submission window may be processed late but may face additional review. Encourage the departing provider to submit all pending timesheets promptly.
Paid time off payout: If the departing provider has accrued but unused IHSS sick leave hours, those hours do not automatically pay out at termination — IHSS sick leave is use-it-or-lose-it when a provider’s enrollment with a recipient ends. However, if the provider is enrolled with another recipient through SEIU 2015 collective bargaining coverage, different rules may apply. The provider should contact SEIU 2015 or their county Public Authority for clarification.
Emergency Provider Changes
If you need to change providers urgently — for example, because a provider has abruptly stopped working, or due to a safety concern — contact your county IHSS social worker and explain the emergency. Counties have procedures for expedited enrollment in urgent situations. You may also be able to use IHSS registry providers on a temporary basis while a permanent replacement is enrolled.
For safety emergencies involving provider misconduct, abuse, or neglect, also contact:
- Adult Protective Services (APS): 1-833-401-0832 (statewide)
- IHSS Fraud Hotline: Each county has its own fraud line; ask your social worker for the number
- 911 if there is an immediate safety risk
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I change my IHSS provider without telling the current provider why?
A: Yes. As the employer of record, you are not required to provide a reason for ending a provider relationship. You simply notify your IHSS social worker that you wish to make a change. The social worker handles the administrative disenrollment process. Most providers understand that IHSS recipient needs and circumstances change over time.
Q: Will changing providers affect my authorized IHSS hours?
A: No. Your authorized IHSS hours are based on your assessed functional need, not on who provides your care. Changing providers does not trigger a reassessment or reduce your authorized hours. Your hours remain the same until your next scheduled reassessment or until your condition changes significantly.
Q: Can a family member who previously stopped providing care re-enroll as my provider?
A: Yes, as long as they can pass a background check and meet all current enrollment requirements. Previous enrollment does not guarantee current eligibility — background checks are re-run at enrollment. If a substantial amount of time has passed since their prior enrollment, they may be required to complete provider orientation again depending on county policy.
Related Resources on Unified Savers:
- IHSS Recipient Rights California — Full overview of recipient rights under IHSS
- How to Become an IHSS Provider — Provider enrollment process from start to finish
- IHSS Background Check Process — Live Scan requirements and timelines for new providers
- IHSS Direct Deposit Setup — How new providers set up payment
- IHSS Provider Agreement California — What the provider agreement covers