How should I prepare for the IHSS in-home visit?

You’ll receive a notice in the mail with your scheduled visit, usually about a week in advance. Visits typically happen within a month, but timelines can be unpredictable. If you know you’ll be unavailable (for example, traveling), you can call the IHSS helpline or use LA County’s online chat to pass along your availability to the worker.

We have heard some families be told their IHSS will be canceled if they can't make the appointment. If you have made every effort to reschedule but your child's IHSS is still canceled, you can immediately file an appeal and request aid pending appeal to keep services the same during the appeal process.

You and your child will be interviewed in your home to determine eligibility and need for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS). Your child must be present for the visit. If you and your child are unavailable during the time slot assigned by IHSS, you must notify the caseworker as soon as possible to set a new appointment.

The caseworker will interview you about your child’s self-care skills. You may also wish to provide the caseworker with copies of your child’s ABA assessments, Individualized Program Plan (IPP), and/or Individualized Education Plan (IEP), if you think they will be beneficial to your child’s case.

If you know that you will be applying for protective supervision and/or paramedical services, you may want to have these documents already prepared for the caseworker, along with documentation of need. If you are requesting paramedical services, the caseworker may visit your home again with a nurse from IHSS to go over the specific services on the form.

The nurse will likely observe your child and ask them some questions. For protective supervision, the nurse will be evaluating your child's self-directing behavior, i.e. if the child is able to evaluate the risk of harm before they act. If you have concerns about your child's true need for supervision being understood during the visit, you can speak to the nurse separately after your child's interview and tell the nurse there is a difference between your child knowing the answer to their questions and the impulsivity that has them engaging in unsafe behavior. You can supply a behavior log during your application demonstrating the times you've needed to intervene to protect your child from dangerous behavior.

Undivided Public Benefits Specialst Lisa Concoff Kronbeck recommended not giving a full neuropsych evaluation at the home visit. She explained that “less is more” — sometimes long reports include information that could complicate or contradict the clear picture provided by the SOC 821 form. For now, the 821 form should be enough to support your case. If you need to file an appeal later, that’s when the full evaluation might be helpful as additional documentation.

After your child’s home visit, you should gather and submit any additional documentation that you and the caseworker have discussed.

For more information, check out our article Prepare for the IHSS In-Home Visit.