Public authority

In Home SupportiveServices: Public Authority

By Alma Navarro

Social Work 180

Fresno County IHSS: Public Authority

Address: 2025 E Dakota Fresno CA 93726 2nd floor of the Senior Resource Center.

Reception phone number: (559) 600-5750

Mission and Aim

The Fresno County Department of Social Services (DSS) serves some of the most dynamic, ethnically and culturally diverse services to ensure that individuals and families will be safe, self sufficient, healthy, out of trouble at home, in school or at work.

AIM is to provide basic needs of food, shelter, clothing, and healthy environment to the diverse population of Fresno County. The IHSS:PA works specifically with the elderly and disabled

people who meet qualifications.

Funding

IHSS receives its funds through:

Federal level (Medicare)

State of California (Medical)

Fresno County provides funding for it as well as help run it.

Totals for Sept 2011 (this month only)

Hours Worked : 1,094,553.7

Paid Amount: $12,071,580.64

Average number of new IHSS Providers enrolled per month: 550

Organizational StructureDepartment

of Social

Services

In Home SupportiveServices

Recipient: Elderly or disable personwho meet IHSS qualifications

Public Authority

Provider: family member, friend, or someone who is prescreened and cleared for

background check

Social Justice

Public Authority (PA) works closely with In Home Supportive Service Program (IHSS) to provide for the elderly and disabled throughout Fresno County to remain independently in the comfort of their homes. Basic assistance is provided in the following types of services typically authorized:

Meal preparation Cleaning Laundry Errands Hygiene needs and Bathing

Community Context of Agency

Helps provide assistance with independent living.

Deals with providing orientations to new providers and assisting in helping providers fill out their time sheets correctly.

Assist in trying to resolve issues of conflict if they arise between Recipient and Provider.

Population at risk in Fresno County

Elderly 65 years of age or older.

Disabled

For Fiscal Year 11-12 up to Sept 2011: Average number of cases: 11,885

Average number of IHSS Providers 11,502

Average number of hours per recipient: 92.5

Agency’s Practices

PA provides training and orientation to new Providers in a variety of languages: Spanish, Hmong, and Armenian.

PA performs background checks on Providers. The PA is responsible for maintaining a registry on

database of authorized and approved in home care Providers.

Assist Recipients if they need help in the interview process when trying to hire a new Provider.

Social Justice

Goal is to meet the basic needs for the elderly and disabled to help maintain their human dignity and remain independently in the comfort of their home.

Goal is to help server the diversity of clients regardless of their nationality with interpretations in their native languages to help address their needs.

Adult Protective Services phone number 24 hours:

1-800-418-1426 or (559) 600-3383