COVID Information for IHSS Providers & Recipients
Current information for IHSS Providers and Recipients. How to obtain PPE (personal protective equipment); COVID sick leave information and forms for providers; medical accompaniment claims for Recipient COVID vaccine appointments.
New Public Health Order Impacting IHSS Providers & Recipients
The new public heath order issued by the California Department of Public Health requires certain IHSS Providers to be fully vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine by November 30, 2021. Please review the Recipient Notice and/or the Provider Notice, as well as, the Vaccine Exemption Form below for additional information.
Please note Placer County IHSS and Public Authority do not require proof of vaccination or exemption. Providers are required to maintain their own records of vaccination, or COVID-19 test results if applicable, an must provide them if asked by their Recipient. Additionally, if a Provider tests positive for COVID-19 they should not be providing IHSS services for any Recipient as specified by the Dept. of Public Health until they have been cleared to do so. Providers should contact their IHSS Recipient(s) and let them know they are unavailable. Recipients can contact Public Authority for assistance in finding another Provider to fill in.
Providers who need to obtain a COVID-19 test may search for a testing site here by entering their address.
Providers or Recipients who would like to be vaccinated may search here for options.
Are you a current Placer County IHSS Provider or Recipient? If so, we have a limited supply of Personal Protective Equipment – PPE (masks/gloves) for you!
For the quickest response please email the IHSS/PA Call Center at [email protected] to submit your request. Make sure to include your name, the mailing address where you would like the PPE to be sent, your mask size and glove size (small, medium, or large) and your IHSS case number or provider number -- leaving out any of this information will delay the processing of your request.
If you are unable to utilize email, you can also call the IHSS/PA Call Center to submit your request at 530-889-7115. Make sure to include all of the above information in your voicemail.
If you are receiving county-provided PPE or if you have your own PPE that you are utilizing, click the link below to see a demonstration on how to properly put on and remove the PPE:
https://www.cdc.gov/hai/pdfs/ppe/ppe-sequence.pdf
For more information regarding caregiving during this challenging time, CareAcademy has released a FREE COVID-19 Certification Class that prepares direct care workers to perform critical frontline work. With this self-study class, gain relevant, reliable information about the virus and learn how to care for yourself and your recipients amidst the COVID-19 pandemic:
COVID-19 ONLY - IHSS/WPCS Provider Sick Leave
Pursuant to the EPSLA, full-time employees (those who work forty (40) or more hours per week) are entitled to eighty (80) hours of paid sick leave, while part-time employees (those who work less than forty (40) hours per week) are entitled to the average number of hours that employee works over a two-week period. COVID-19 sick leave may only be claimed if the employee is unable to work for one of the following reasons related to COVID-19:
1. The employee is subject to a quarantine or isolation order
2. The employee has been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine
3. The employee is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and is seeking a medical diagnosis
4. The employee is caring for an individual who is subject to a quarantine or isolation order or has been advised to self-quarantine by a health care provider
5. The employee is caring for his/her child whose school or childcare facilities have been closed, or whose childcare provider is unavailable, due to COVID-19 precautions
6. The employee is experiencing any other substantially similar concerns
IHSS/WPCS providers may request COVID-19 sick leave benefits for a limited time, April 2, 2020 through September 30, 2021. An IHSS/WPCS provider is only entitled to COVID-19 sick leave benefits if, during this time frame, the provider is unable to work due to one of the reasons listed above.
When an IHSS provider meets the applicable criteria, and is eligible for COVID-19 sick leave, the provider should contact the recipient(s) they work for and inform them they will be out sick, and if the recipient needs to identify another provider, advise them to contact the county IHSS office. At that time, the provider should complete and sign the COVID-19 ONLY – IHSS Provider Sick Leave Request Form
The provider may contact the county IHSS office to have the form sent to them. The form requires the provider to indicate the recipient(s) they work for, the specific reason they are claiming COVID-19 sick leave, and the applicable dates of the leave. The form will be submitted to the county IHSS office for processing. WPCS providers will submit the form to the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS).
For Placer County IHSS you may submit the Provider Sick Leave Request Form by email or mail. Please DO NOT submit your claims both ways, it will delay processing and payment. Pick one of the following:
Email: [email protected]
Mail:
Placer County – ASOC
IHSS Payroll/Sick Leave
11512 B Avenue
Auburn, CA 95603
FAQS
Where do I submit the claim form?
- Placer County IHSS Recipients should mail the completed form: Placer County IHSS, 11512 B. Ave., Auburn, CA 95603
We will also accept the completed form via email or fax to: Email: IHSSpayroll[email protected] Fax: 530-886-3690
- Remember, the form must be signed by both Provider and Recipient, digital/electronic signatures will NOT be accepted
Where can I get another copy of the Medical Accompaniment COVID vaccine claim form?
- You can download and print it yourself: MEDICAL ACCOMPANIMENT COVID VACCINE CLAIM FORM
- If you are unable to print the form yourself, you can contact the IHSS Call Center via phone or email to receive another form: Phone: 530-889-7171 Email: [email protected]
Is my provider allowed to claim this time?
All of the following must be true to submit a claim:
- Recipient’s authorized hours are less than the statutory maximum of 283 hours per month
- The provider is active on the recipient’s case at the time of the vaccine appointment(s); if your provider is currently enrolling, please wait to submit the claim until after your provider is connected to your case
- The vaccine appointment(s) are separate from your typical medical appointments currently captured in your IHSS case authorization (if you are unsure what medical appointments are currently authorized in your case, contact your assigned case worker)
- The vaccine appointment(s) are in the past, please do not submit your claim until after the appointment(s) has taken place
What if I already received my vaccine(s)?
- If you are 65+ and received the vaccine(s) already you may submit a claim going back to January 1, 2021 if your provider assisted you with your appointment(s) and you meet all the criteria listed above
- Recipients age 16-64 became eligible to receive the vaccine on March 15, 2021
How many hours can be claimed for these appointments?
- Up to 2 hours for each appointment, with a maximum of 4 hours for each Recipient
Do I submit one claim form or two?
- If the same provider is accompanying you to both of your vaccine appointments, it is preferred that you wait to submit one claim after your second appointment
- If different providers are accompanying you to your two vaccine appointments, you will need to submit two claims (one for each appointment/provider)
What if a provider works for more than one recipient, are they allowed to submit more than one claim?
- Yes, a separate claim must be submitted for each recipient the provider is assisting
How will the provider be paid?
- Once your claim form is submitted and processed by IHSS Payroll the provider will be paid directly from CDSS for this additional time, these hours will not be claimed on your typical timesheet
Do these hours count toward the provider’s weekly maximum?
- The weekly maximum for providers is 66 hours per week if provider is working for multiple recipients, 70 hours 45 minutes per week if provider is working for only one recipient.
- These hours will be billed and paid separately from normal timesheets, therefore they DO NOT count towards your weekly maximum
Is there a deadline or end date for submitting this claim?
- Currently, no there is not a deadline or end date.