Are you Eligible for IHSS benefits?
To be eligible for IHSS in Mendocino County, you must be a resident of the county and meet all of the following qualifying criteria:

• Live in a home of your own choosing (not a board and care facility or nursing home)
• Be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident
• Have Medi-Cal or be Medi-Cal eligible
• Demonstrate functional needs for assistance with activities of daily living

How to Apply
You can apply to receive IHSS benefits in Mendocino County by any of the following ways:

• Call your local IHSS office from 8:00am-5:00pm Monday-Thursday
  • Ukiah: (707) 463-7900
  • Willits: (707) 456-3700
  • Fort Bragg: (707) 962-1022
  • Toll Free IHSS: (877) 327-1799
    
    
• Visit your local county office at your nearest location to apply in person
  • Ukiah - 747 South State Street
  • Willits - 472 East Valley Street
  • Fort Bragg - 764 South Franklin Street
    
    
• Complete the printable IHSS Application and submit, in person or by mail, to your local IHSS office

After You Apply
Once your application is received, a social worker from Adult and Aging Services will contact you to schedule a visit at your home and see if you qualify for IHSS. The social worker will assess the types of services you need and the number of hours you will be eligible to receive from a provider based on your ability to safely perform certain tasks for yourself. This assessment will include information given by yourself and, if appropriate, by your family, friends, physician, or other licensed health care professional.

In addition, a signed and completed Health Care Certification form (SOC 873) must be received by the IHSS program before services can be granted.

You will receive a letter in the mail notifying you that your IHSS benefits have been approved or denied. If denied, you will be notified of the reason for denial. If approved, you will be notified of the services and number of hours per month for which you have been authorized.

If you are approved for IHSS, you must hire a provider to perform the authorized services. You are considered your provider's employer and, therefore, it is your responsibility to hire, train, and manage this individual.

Public Authority
Public Authority in Mendocino County helps to manage planning and delivery of IHSS services by maintaining the provider orientation and enrollment process.  The Public Authority provides the following services:

• Background check and fingerprints
• Provider orientation and complete enrollment process
• A provider registry that includes lists of pre-screened workers to IHSS recipients/consumers seeking to hire home care workers
  • For more information about the provider registry, call your local office and ask for Public Authority

Rights and Responsibilities
More information concerning your IHSS program rights and responsibilities are available at the following links:

• IHSS Videos
• IHSS recipient fact sheets

Reporting Suspected Fraud
If you suspect IHSS fraud or misuse of the program, please call your local IHSS office or the statewide IHSS Fraud Hotline at (888) 717-8302.

• 747 South State Street
  Ukiah, CA 95482
  (707) 463-7900
  
  
• 472 East Valley Street

  Willits, CA 95490
  (707) 456-3700

• 764 South Franklin Street
  Fort Bragg, CA 95437
  (707) 962-1022
  
  
• Toll Free Number: (877) 327-1799