The IHSS phone number in Visalia is (559) 623-0600, with a toll-free alternate at 1-800-571-9555. Both lines connect you to the Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency, which runs the In-Home Supportive Services program for Visalia and the rest of the county. The office is at 4025 W. Noble Ave, Suite A, Visalia, CA 93277, and walk-ins are accepted during business hours.1Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency. In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS)
Office Hours
Tulare County IHSS keeps a shortened Friday schedule, so time your call accordingly:
- Monday through Thursday: 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Phone is generally the quickest way to get something handled. If you’d rather speak with someone in person, the Noble Avenue office takes walk-ins during the same hours.
What the Visalia Office Can Help With
Staff on either phone line can start a new application, answer questions about an existing case, and help you connect with a caregiver. If you’re calling because you need in-home help for yourself or a family member, say so at the start of the call and ask to begin an application. If you’re calling about a case that’s already open, have the recipient’s name and case information ready.
IHSS is for people who are aged (65 or older), blind, or disabled and who need help with daily tasks to remain safely at home instead of moving into a nursing home or other facility.2California Legislative Information. California Code WIC 12300 – In-Home Supportive Services A Medi-Cal eligibility determination is required before services can be authorized. If you don’t already have Medi-Cal, you can apply for both programs together through the county office.3California Department of Social Services. In-Home Supportive Services Program
What to Have Ready Before You Call
Having a few things nearby makes the first call go faster:
- The applicant’s full name, date of birth, and Social Security number.
- The home address where care would be provided.
- A rough list of the daily tasks that are hard or impossible to do without help.
- Proof of income information, or a sense of monthly income if you don’t have documents in front of you.
- The name and contact information of the applicant’s doctor or other licensed healthcare provider.
You’ll end up filling out two forms either way: the SOC 295 application and the SOC 873 Health Care Certification. The SOC 873 has to be completed by a licensed healthcare professional (such as a physician, physician assistant, occupational or physical therapist, psychologist, or public health nurse) to confirm the functional limitations behind the request. The county cannot authorize services without a signed SOC 873, so ask your doctor’s office to start on it as soon as you call IHSS.4California Department of Social Services. Application for In-Home Supportive Services5California Department of Social Services. In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Program Health Care Certification Form
What Happens After You Apply
Once the Visalia office has your SOC 295 and medical certification, a county social worker will contact you to set up a required in-home visit. The county is supposed to complete this assessment within 30 days of receiving your application. If more than 30 days pass with no assessment, that delay alone is grounds to request a state hearing.3California Department of Social Services. In-Home Supportive Services Program
During the visit, the social worker observes how you move through your home and asks detailed questions about what a typical day looks like. Be honest and specific about your worst days rather than your best; downplaying what you struggle with translates directly into fewer authorized hours. After the visit, the county mails a Notice of Action telling you whether you’re approved, which services are covered, and how many hours per month are authorized in each category.6California Department of Social Services. NA 1250 – Notice of Action In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Approval The maximum any recipient can receive is 283 hours per month, though most authorizations are well under that.2California Legislative Information. California Code WIC 12300 – In-Home Supportive Services
Calling About a Decision You Disagree With
If a Notice of Action denies your application, cuts your hours, or ends services, you have 90 days from the date the notice was mailed to request a state hearing. After 90 days, you’ll need to show a good reason for the delay.7California Department of Social Services. State Hearing Requests
One deadline on the notice matters even more than the 90 days: the effective date of the change. If the county is reducing or ending services you already get, and you file your hearing request before that effective date, your current hours continue unchanged while you wait for the hearing. Miss that date and your hours drop immediately, even if you later win. Read the Notice of Action the day it arrives, and call the Visalia office at (559) 623-0600 right away if anything on it is unclear.
Hearing requests can be submitted online through CDSS, by phone, by fax, or by mail. The hearing is run by a state administrative law judge, not by the county that made the original decision. Bring the Notice of Action, medical records that support the level of help you need, and notes on how a reduction would affect your daily safety.