IHSS hours are awarded for allowable services to the extent that a child’s needs exceed those of a typically developing child of the same age. Technically there is no minimum age to receive IHSS hours, but hours for infants and young toddlers are almost exclusively limited to paramedical services and accompaniment to disability-related specialist visits and therapies, since babies require total care from their parents regardless of ability. IHSS uses a ranking scale to determine the number of hours awarded for each service. The agency maintains a “functional index ranking” for age-appropriate skills based on the Adapted Vineland Social Maturity Scale. IHSS will not ask you to rank your child’s skill level based on these numbers, as these are their internal measures. The best way to inform your caseworker is to give details about the extent to which your child needs assistance with various tasks.
For more information about what to expect, see our article In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS): Learn the Essentials.
