When should I submit form SOC 821 while applying for IHSS protective supervision?

During the time when the caseworker comes to your house, if your child has any cognitive delays, they are supposed to advise you about protective supervision. That does not always happen, so you may want to ask about it. They might say, “It's the parent's responsibility to supervise their child, so you're not going to qualify.” Ask anyway. If you feel that your child qualifies, then you can ask for form SOC 821 and let them know that you'll be submitting it. If you already have it completed, you can hand it to the caseworker right there at the home visit.

One thing that tends to happen is that you'll have your home visit, and you'll tell them that you're going to submit the protective supervision form, and before you've even had time to submit it, they've already submitted a denial. If that happens, file an appeal. And when they call you to find out what happened, say, “I told them I was going to submit the protective supervision form, and they did not wait for it.” Make sure to submit within a few days; don't wait two or three weeks before submitting it.

For more information, see our article on IHSS protective supervision.