Handicapped and In-Home Supportive Services

Handicapped

Mandated Services to Hearing-Impaired Persons

The SDSS Office of Deaf Access has contracted with several private non-profit agencies to provide mandated services to hearing-impaired persons in accordance with W&I Code 1193. At present in Santa Clara County, the DCARA has contracted with SDSS to provide the following services: Communications Assistance, Advocacy, Job Development, and Placement, Information Referral, Counseling, Independent Living Skills Instruction, and Community Education. DCARA's local address and telephone numbers are listed below:

Deaf Counseling, Advocacy & Referral Agency
650 North Winchester Blvd., Suite #3
San Jose, CA 95128-1511
Telephone: Voice (408) 260-1993 and TTY (408) 260-1973
Fax: (408) 260-1196

Refer to the most current agency memo, “Interpreter Services Update,” for persons requiring sign language interpreters. Information is updated semi-annually. Many services are available to county staff at no cost as SDSS is providing the funding for these services through the contractual agreement. Examples of these services include training of SSA staff regarding hearing-impaired issues, and how best to serve hearing-impaired clients who may need assistance in completing or understanding forms or other documents. The department may call on DCARA for general information, resource referrals for specific information, or assistance in crisis situations.

In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS)

Program Information

The IHSS provides assistance to the aged, blind, and disabled individuals who are unable to remain safely in their own homes without this assistance. IHSS is an alternative to Out-of-Home care. Eligibility and services are limited by the availability of funds.

The services provided through IHSS to enable people to remain in their own homes include domestic services, meal preparation, laundry, shopping, and personal services such as respiration, bowel and bladder care, feeding, bed baths, dressing, ambulation, bathing, and grooming. IHSS is staffed by SWs, eligibility, fiscal, and clerical staff.

IHSS Individual Provider Listing

Through “CDSS Adult Programs Systems,” the State of California reports the name of the IHSS recipient as the employer for the particular IHSS provider. The IHSS provider is reported on the CalSAWS NHR and the IFD 440 Report for wages of $1,000 and above. A process is created as a preventive measure of those IHSS providers who may be in receipt of Cash Aid and Food Stamps and may have NOT reported it as income.

Referrals/Questions

Anyone requesting a referral or requiring further information should be referred to the IHSS Program at (408) 975-4814.