Independent Provider Enrollment
Enrollment Instructions for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Independent Providers of Santa Clara County
To be enrolled as an independent provider—otherwise known as a caregiver—of the IHSS program, State law requires the 5 steps below to be completed.
1. Decide which Group Orientation Meeting you will go to.
2. Use the Enrollment Center website to fill out your IHSS Provider Forms and watch IHSS state mandated videos. We recommend fully using the website before going to a Group Orientation Meeting.
3. Attend a Group Orientation Meeting.
4. Go to your Individual Appointment, which is scheduled using the Enrollment Center website.
5. Get fingerprinted with the Live Scan Form given to you at your Individual Appointment.
The sooner you complete all 5 steps, the sooner you will receive your first paycheck!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Masks are recommended for your Group Orientation Meeting and at your Individual Appointment.
Enrollment steps
Step 1: Decide which Group Orientation Meeting to Attend
Choose ONE of the following Group Orientation Meetings to attend
This orientation is required for all IHSS Independent Providers, though no appointment is needed. Go to the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 2015 office for your chosen meeting. Please arrive on time and allow up to two hours for the meeting.
It is recommended you wear a mask and bring a pen to take notes.
You will be given materials and information you MUST have for your individual appointment. Be sure to record the date/time you have chosen, as well as the address of the orientation. Or you may use the “Select this meeting” link in the table below, if you would like your chosen Group Orientation date details sent directly to your email.
After deciding the group meeting you plan to attend, continue directly to Step 2.
| LOCATION | DATE | TIME | NOTE | ONE TIME EMAIL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEIU 97 E Brokaw Rd 2nd Fl, Suite #230 San Jose, CA 95112 |
Friday, April 19, 2024 | 9:00 a.m. | Attending one orientation is REQUIRED (map) | Select this meeting >> |
| SEIU 97 E Brokaw Rd 2nd Fl, Suite #230 San Jose, CA 95112 |
Friday, April 19, 2024 | 2:00 p.m. | Attending one orientation is REQUIRED (map) | Select this meeting >> |
| SEIU 97 E Brokaw Rd 2nd Fl, Suite #230 San Jose, CA 95112 |
Friday, April 26, 2024 | 9:00 a.m. | Attending one orientation is REQUIRED (map) | Select this meeting >> |
| SEIU 97 E Brokaw Rd 2nd Fl, Suite #230 San Jose, CA 95112 |
Friday, April 26, 2024 | 2:00 p.m. | Attending one orientation is REQUIRED (map) | Select this meeting >> |
| SEIU 97 E Brokaw Rd 2nd Fl, Suite #230 San Jose, CA 95112 |
Friday, May 3, 2024 | 9:00 a.m. | Attending one orientation is REQUIRED (map) | Select this meeting >> |
| SEIU 97 E Brokaw Rd 2nd Fl, Suite #230 San Jose, CA 95112 |
Friday, May 3, 2024 | 2:00 p.m. | Attending one orientation is REQUIRED (map) | Select this meeting >> |
Step 2: Go through Enrollment Center Website Steps
Complete the enrollment activities on the IHSS Independent Provider Enrollment Center Website
Do this BEFORE you attend the Group Orientation Meeting and your Individual Appointment.
After reading ALL steps, you will see the Enrollment Center website tab below, where you must use the CONTINUE TO ENROLLMENT button. Then you will be directed to another page, the IHSS Independent Provider Enrollment Center for Santa Clara County, where you will:
- Create an account. Be sure to record your username, password, and answers to the security questions in case you need to log back into the center.
- Complete and sign your IHSS Independent Provider enrollment forms.
- Watch the required State IHSS training videos.
- Schedule your Individual Appointment. Your appointment will likely be a few weeks from now. We recommend scheduling it on a date that is later than your chosen Group Orientation Meeting.
If you need to cancel or reschedule your Individual Appointment, please go directly to the Enrollment Center website tab and use the CONTINUE TO ENROLLMENT button.
Continue to Enrollment
Step 3: Go to Group Orientation Meeting You Chose in Step 1
Attend the Group Orientation Meeting you chose in Step 1
Once again, no appointment is required to attend the Group Orientation Meeting, but it is mandatory to attend.
You will be given materials and information that you MUST have during your individual appointment, including the Purple Form, which is necessary for completing your enrollment.
If you cannot attend the meeting you initially selected, you may pick a different meeting from the schedule.
Step 4: Go To Your Individual Appointment
Go to the Individual Appointment you scheduled through the Enrollment Center Website
by going to the Public Authority Services enrollment office. The address for the appointment will be given to you on the Enrollment Center website when you book the appointment.
Please note that your photo will be taken during this appointment.
- Bring your Social Security Card to be reviewed and scanned. Bring your actual card. We cannot accept a copy or photo. Your enrollment cannot be completed unless you bring this card with you.
- Bring a current (unexpired) valid US government issued photo ID. Acceptable IDs include a driver’s license or identification card issued by any US State, a US passport, a Green Card, a Naturalization Certificate, or a US Military ID.
- Bring the Purple Form you received at the Group Orientation Meeting, which confirms you attended the mandatory meeting.
- Do not printout the forms you complete on the Enrollment Center website. First, we will verify the information you entered is correct and that you understand the SOC 426 and SOC 846 forms you electronically signed. Then we will print out these forms for you to keep for your records.
Step 5: Get Fingerprinted
During your Individual Appointment you will be given instructions for getting your fingerprints taken and a LiveScan form, which is specific to the Department of Justice (DOJ) Background Check needed by IHSS. You can be fingerprinted the same day as your Individual Appointment.
Do not bring fingerprint results obtained previously or without the use of our LiveScan form.
With our LiveScan form, providers will only have to pay between $12 and $30 dollars for fingerprints in Santa Clara County.
Once your DOJ background results are processed, you will receive your IHSS Eligibility Notice by mail, which will include your IHSS Provider ID number.
Please review the tips below in order to recieve timesheets from IHSS for the consumer for which you are providing services.
- Make sure that the consumer who is hiring you, whether they are family or not, has hired you through the Electronic Serives Portal, or filled out and given to IHSS the paperwork (SOC426a form) designating you as their IHSS Independent Provider.
- If this has not been done, IHSS will not know which consumer has chosen you to be their provider and you will not be connected to any case. If you are not connected to a case, you will not have timesheets.
- Your timesheets will go back to the Start Date entered on the SOC426a form, so that you are able to claim hours worked retro-actively.
- 5 weeks after your enrollment, if you have not yet received timesheets, you can contact the Enrollment Department to check your enrollment status.
- After receiving your Provider ID number, you can register for your online timesheets on the IHSS Electronic Services Portal.
Enrollment Center website
Now that you understand the enrollment process, you are ready to use the Enrollment Center website.
Please click the link below!
Enrollment FAQ
What should I do if I cannot find my Social Security Card?
How long does the enrollment process take?
Public Authority Services in Santa Clara County enrolls more than 650 independent providers each month.
Every provider’s situation is different but, generally, an IHSS Eligibility Notice will be received 2-5 weeks after being fingerprinted. Then another 2-5 weeks before an IHSS Independent Provider will have access to their first timesheet.
IHSS can back pay care providers who begin providing services before their enrollment process is complete.
Do I have to get a new background check done if I already had one done for another job?
Yes, IHSS requires a specific background check be done with the LiveScan form you are given at your Individual Appointment.
Is the Group Orientation Meeting available in multiple languages?
The presentations are generally in English. You can bring one person with you to act as an interpreter if needed.
Providers can receive their orientation materials in English, Chinese, or Spanish.
Do I need to complete the enrollment process for each consumer I work for?
No. IHSS independent providers only need to enroll one time to be able to be paid, regardless of how many consumers you work for. Providers only need to enroll again if one year passes without being paid by IHSS.
Do I need to complete enrollment again if it has been a while since I was last paid by IHSS?
Contact the Public Authority Services Enrollment Department so an Enrollment Specialist can review your profile and provide you with that information. Leave a message at (408) 350-3252. If you leave a message on a business day, it can take 24 – 48 hours to receive a return call. It will take longer if you leave a message on a weekend or holiday.
I have completed steps 1-4, but still need to complete step 5
Your final step will be to go to a LiveScan location to have your fingerprints taken.
This is the same form that was provided during your Individual Appointment.
- This is the LiveScan form that must be used: Click Here
- This is a list of some livescan locations. Call ahead to verify they are open: Click Here
- Attention: Do not enter any LiveScan facility if you have any COVID-19 symptoms (fever, cough, trouble breathing, etc.), are awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test or have been advised to self-quarantine.
Which department should I contact if I have an issue with paychecks or timesheets?
IHSS manages all things related to independent provider pay, timesheets, or tax forms.
For timesheet issues, contact the service desk at (866) 376-7066
For paycheck issues, contact the IHSS program via email at IHSS.SCC@ssa.sccgov.org or by calling (408) 792-1600.
Which department should I contact if a person needs to enroll to receive care services or needs to speak with their IHSS social worker?
To apply for services or speak with your social worker about authorized hours, services or other issues, contact IHSS via email at IHSS.SCC@ssa.sccgov.org or by calling (408) 792-1600.
Contact the Enrollment Department
Encountered an issue during the enrollment process? Contact the Enrollment Department by calling (408) 350-3252.