IHSS denied services (or hasn’t responded) after the home visit — what should I do next?

If you have been waiting for a response from IHSS for any reason and haven't heard anything, contact the public authority for your county.

If you've been denied IHSS protective supervision due to aggression, self-harm, or another reason:

• You have the option to appeal. Note that it is very common to be denied for IHSS the first time around, but many families succeed after appealing by requesting a state hearing. Often, someone from the state appeals office will call to ask why you’re appealing. But keep in mind, they represent the other side and are not your advocate. They may offer a conditional withdrawal (like agreeing to a new evaluation) or request more documentation. You can upload documents through the ACMS portal, but it's important to confirm with the appeals worker that they’ve received everything, as IHSS is known for misplacing paperwork. Be sure to ask for a copy of the home visit assessment narrative, and go through it carefully. For any inaccurate statements, include corrections in your position statement. If you received a confirmation letter about your appeal, it might include the contact information for your appeal worker, who you can reach out to for the narrative. Hearings may happen by phone or Zoom, and in some cases, in person, depending on the office handling your case. You can find more information in our full article on IHSS appeals.

If IHSS is unresponsive after a home visit, or keeps closing your tickets:

• Write down everything you remember about the home visit while it’s still fresh in your memory, especially details about how your child reacted and how the visit was handled. Submit another ticket and, if IHSS continues to close tickets without providing an answer, document every attempt to follow up — including saving emails that confirm the tickets were closed. If this pattern continues, file an appeal on the basis of non-responsiveness. If you apply for a service and the agency doesn’t follow through or communicate, it can be considered a “functional denial," even if you haven’t received a formal Notice of Action (NOA).

Read more in our article How to Appeal If You Are Denied IHSS.