PROVIDER
CORNER
The
Registry is constantly recruiting new qualified individual
providers. Providers can expand their opportunities for finding
work by being listed on the Registry.
If
you are a Provider and are interested in being placed on
the Registry, please call (866)
351-7722 and sign-up for our Registry Application Workshop/Provider
Orientation.
Below
you will find information on:
Individual
Provider Job Description
The
application process to get on the Provider Registry
Department
of Justice (DOJ) criminal background checks
DOJ Frequently
Asked Questions
Provider
Rights and Responsibilities
Tips
for Being a successful provider
Caregiver
Support Groups and Classes
INDIVIDUAL PROVIDER JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title:
Individual Provider.
Hourly Wage:
$9.25/hour. (Flexible hours/ schedule available)
Reports to:
IHSS Consumer.
Benefits may be available to those who qualify
Summary
Individual Providers (IPs) assist elderly, blind, and disabled Consumers (clients) of the County of San Diego In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program to remain in their own homes by providing domestic and/or personal care services.
Registry Provider Duties/Responsibilities:
Although the County Social Worker determines the type and frequency of services, the Consumer is actually the employer. Some of the authorized services (IP duties) that you may be required to do for the Consumer include:
• Domestic Services
May include but is not limited to: cooking, meal preparation, meal clean-up, house cleaning, laundry, shopping for errands, etc.
• Personal Care Services
May include but is not limited to: accompaniment to medical appointments, bathing, bowel and bladder care, dressing, feeding, heavy lifting and transferring, menstrual care, paramedical, protective supervision, etc.
Please note that all Individual Providers must be able to show original and valid documentation at the time of hire that proves their eligibility to work in the United States.
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APPLICATION
PROCESS FOR PROVIDERS
Provider
Application:
If you are a Provider and are interested in being placed
on the Registry call (866) 351-7722 and sign-up for our
Registry Application Workshop/Provider Orientation. Applicants
who live in the North Inland, North Coastal, North Central
and Central regions of San Diego will be given priority enrollment
due to the high demand of Providers in these areas.
Once
you have been signed-up for the Application Workshop/Provider
Orientation, you will begin the Registry screening process
which is described in the next section.
Provider Screening:
The safety and security of IHSS consumers is of the highest
priority of the IHSS Public Authority. To take reasonable
measures to protect consumers from harm, the Registry has
taken steps to pre-screen potential providers before placing
them into the computerized listing. Home care providers on
this listing must provide or complete:
- Two
positive personal or work references from non-relatives
- A
Department of Justice (DOJ) criminal background check
- A
valid Social Security card
- A
valid CA photo I.D.
- An
interview/screening with the Registry staff. This is
an
opportunity for the Public Authority to acquaint themselves
with the provider. It is also an opportunity for the
provider
to share their work history, skills, training, and personal
qualities that would make them a good home care provider.
All providers
are required to disclose any history of criminal convictions
on their Registry application.
Potential providers will be rejected from being listed on
the Registry for the following reasons:
- Failure
to disclose a previous criminal conviction on their application.
- Any
felony conviction.
- Any
criminal violations that the Public Authority determines
represent a threat to the health, safety, or personal rights
of consumers.
- Any
Violation of Elder/Dependent or Child Abuse Criminal Laws
or the demonstration of a pattern of suspected or substantiated
Elder, Dependent, or Child Abuse.
When
an applicant passes the screening process, he/she will be
accepted onto the Registry. He/she will receive a welcome
packet of information. The provider will then be made available
for job opportunities from the Registry through matching with
available and appropriate consumers.
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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (DOJ) CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS
Effective October 1, 2004, all applicants and current Individual Providers (IPs) on the IHSS Public Authority Provider Registry are required by local ordinance to pass a Department of Justice (DOJ) criminal background check in order to become active or maintain active status on the Provider Registry. The Public Authority is now required to exclude, and/or remove from the Registry, anyone who has been convicted of a felony or a qualifying misdemeanor. If you are excluded or removed from the Registry, keep in mind that you may continue to work for an IHSS Consumer if you are already employed as an IP or if you find work on your own with an IHSS Consumer.
If you are currently an IP on the Provider Registry or if you are in the process of applying to the Registry, you will receive a letter from the Registry with instructions on how to proceed with the DOJ part of your application. Your background will be checked, at NO COST to you. Please note that no prior background check or fingerprint clearance will be accepted. Also note that you will not receive any stipend or payment for your time spent obtaining the fingerprint scan. You cannot claim hours for this time on the IHSS timesheet. Once scanned and on the Registry, if you are arrested for criminal activity, DOJ will notify the Registry of the arrest, at which point your status at the Registry will be reviewed.
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1.
What is DOJ? What does this mean?
2.
What is Live Scan?
3.
Do I have to pay for my criminal background check?
4.
What if I already did a background check?
5.
What if I was convicted of a crime in the past but served
the time, or paid restitution?
6.
If I am working for someone and I do not pass, and they
want to keep me as a provider, can they?
7.
If I don’t have my fingerprinting done, can I still
remain employed for the Consumer I am working for?
8.
How often will I be required to submit my fingerprints
to remain on the Provider Registry?
1.
What is DOJ? What does this mean? Department of Justice.
This
is a government agency that has a database of criminal
records.
back
to DOJ FAQ questions
2.
What is Live Scan?
Live
Scan is the name of the technology that is used to scan
fingerprints, which are then sent to the Department of
Justice.
back
to DOJ FAQ questions
3.
Do I have to pay for my criminal background check?
No,
it is free.
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to DOJ FAQ questions
4.
What if I already did a background check?
You
will still have to complete the Live Scan upon our request.
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to DOJ FAQ questions
5.
What if I was convicted of a crime in the past but served
the time, or paid restitution?
If
the conviction shows up in DOJ records then you cannot
be on the Registry. If you want more information about
your record, contact Record Review at DOJ, at: 1 916-227-3832
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to DOJ FAQ questions
6.
If I am working for someone and I do not pass, and they
want to keep me as a provider, can they?
They
can keep you as an IP; you just won’t be able to
remain on the Provider Registry.
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to DOJ FAQ questions
7.
If I don’t have my fingerprinting done, can I still
remain employed for the Consumer I am working for?
If
the Consumer wants you to still work for them you can,
however you will not be able to remain on the Provider
Registry.
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to DOJ FAQ questions
8.
How often will I be required to submit my fingerprints
to remain on the Provider Registry?
As
long as you remain active on the Provider Registry, you
will not have to submit your fingerprints again.
back
to DOJ FAQ questions
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INDIVIDUAL
PROVIDER RIGHTS & RESPONSIBILITIES
Please
take the time to review these rights and responsibilities
to assist you in your work:
-
In case of an emergency, you may be contacted by a County
Emergency Service Worker, or other emergency personnel.
Therefore, it is important that you inform the IHSS social
worker assigned to the consumer you work for when your
telephone number or address changes as soon the change
occurs.
-
You
have the right to understand the IHSS work assignment.
-
You
have the right to report incidents of abusive behavior
without fear of retaliation.
-
You
have the right to refuse to return to work if you have
reasonable fear of physical danger. Please call the IHSS
social worker and the Public Authority immediately if
you do not feel comfortable returning to the employer’s
home.
-
You
have the right to work only for the person authorized
for IHSS, and have the right to work only the hours authorized
by the IHSS social worker. You are responsible for keeping
track of hours worked.
-
You
are responsible for immediately reporting to the IHSS
social worker any injury you receive on the job.
-
You
are responsible for turning in completed time sheets to
the Public Authority payroll department twice a month.
Time sheets are to be signed by both you and the employer.
-
You
should give your employer at least two weeks notice before
you quit. This will give your employer time to find another
provider.
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TIPS
FOR BEING A SUCCESSFUL PROVIDER ON THE REGISTRY
-
Return
all telephone calls when registry staff or consumers
leave you a message, even if you are not available to
take the job. Not returning a call may show that you
have
no interest in working anymore.
-
If
you have an answering machine, make sure your message
is spoken slowly and clearly, so that people calling you
can understand your message. Some callers may be looking
to hire you as a provider, so messages should be courteous
and polite.
-
Show
up on time for interview appointments and work assignments.
If you must be late or cancel, call the consumer as
soon as possible so that substitute care can be arranged.
-
Never
bring your children, family members, friends, or other
persons to interview appointments or work assignments.*
This is extremely unprofessional, and you could lose your
job as a result! (*Unless you have made special arrangements
with the consumer.)
-
Some
consumers may be hard to work for. If you feel you
must give up a job, try to give the consumer at least
two
weeks’ notice so they can find another provider.
-
You
may be working for a person whose memory is not as good
as yours. Be patient with them.
-
Remember
that you are there to assist the consumer, not to “baby-sit”
and/or make any decisions for him or her.
-
If
a consumer asks you not to move their things when cleaning,
try to work around them, or lift them up and set them
back in the same spot. It can be confusing for them
if
their things have been moved.
-
The
IHSS Public Authority will not pay you if you work
more
hours than the IHSS Social Worker has approved, even
if the consumer asks you to work additional hours.
-
Be
certain that all forms are signed and turned in to the
IHSS Social Worker to make sure you will be paid.
-
The
consumer is your employer, and they have the right
to hire, train, supervise, and terminate your employment.
If you are terminated, you may call the Public Authority
Provider Registry at 1-866-351-7722 to report your
availability
for other consumers.
-
The
consumer must be present for you to work in their home
because payment cannot be made when the consumer is
not present.
-
If
the consumer is in the hospital, you are not allowed
to work for them at the hospital. Medi-Cal funding pays
for the hospital care instead of in-home care while
the
consumer is hospitalized.
-
If
you work for a portion of a pay period, but the consumer
is no longer available to sign your timesheet at the
end of that pay period, you must contact the IHSS Social
Worker
for assistance.
-
Any
changes of address of phone number should be reported
to the IHSS Social Worker and the Public Authority Payroll
Department so that your check will be mailed to the correct
address.
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CAREGIVER
SUPPORT GROUPS AND CLASSES
* A list of other resources can be found at: www.eldercare.uniontrib.com
Caregiver
Support Group
Fourth Thursday of the month
10:00 am to 11:30 am
Fallbrook Healthcare Foundation
“ Pittenger House”
135 So. Mission
Fallbrook, CA 92028
(858) 268-4432 ext.124 or (800) 827-1008
Family Caregiver Support Group
Fourth Wednesday of the month
6:00 pm to 7:30 pm
(Upper level lost, adjacent to Sanctuary)
Foothills United Methodist Church
4031 Avocado Blvd.
La Mesa, CA 91941
(858)268-4432 ext. 113
Parkinson’s
Disease Caregiver Support Group
Second Wednesday of each month
10:00 am to 11:30 am
Sharp Cabrillo Hospital
3475 Kenyon St.
San Diego, CA 92110
(800) 827-1008 ext. 113
Caregiver Support Group for Men
Second Thursday of the month
11:00 am to 12:30 pm
Southern Caregiver Resource Center
3675 Ruffin Road Suite 230
San Diego, CA 92123
(858)665-4422 or (800) 827-1008
Alzheimer’s
Caregiver Support Group
-Free respite care provided
Second Saturday of the month
10:00 am to 11:00 am
ActivCare La Mesa
4960 Mills St.
La Mesa, CA 91941
(800) 272-3900
Spanish Language - Alzheimer’s Caregiver
Support Group
Every Tuesday of the month
10:00 am to 11:30 am
Casa Familiar Recreation Center
212 E. Park Ave
San Ysidro, CA 92173
(800) 272-3900
Caregiver
Support/Walking Group
-Meet at the picnic table
Swami’s Beach
Second & Fourth Tuesday of the month
1:30 pm to 2:30 pm
Encinitas, CA 92024
(858)268-4432
Please call for directions, if needed.
Online Support Group for Children of Aging Parents
SanDiegoElderCare.com is starting a free online Support Group
for Adult
Children. If you don’t have the time to drive, but
would like advice from other
San Diego caregivers, please visit and register at the following
website:
www.sandiegoeldercare.com/support_group.cfm
Redwood Elderlink offers multiple Caregiver Support Groups
(in both English and Spanish) in Escondido, Oceanside, and
Rancho Bernardo. For more information, please call (760)
480-1030.
Southern Caregiver Resource Center offers different Caregiver
Support Groups throughout the county including specific groups
for Men, Family, Parkinson's, Huntington's, and Adult-Child
as Caregivers. For specific times and locations please call
(858) 268-4432.
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