Human Services Agency of San Francisco
Department of Aging & Adult Services * Department of Human Services

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Effective July 2, 2012, you can register and schedule your appointment online.

Please read the instructions on this page carefully and then click on the words "CONTINUE TO ENROLLMENT" below in order to continue with your enrollment steps.

This website is ONLY to be used by caregivers or "providers" of the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program in San Francisco County.  State law requires that all IHSS providers complete all the enrollment steps and pass a background check before they are eligible to be paid by IHSS.

To enroll as an IHSS care provider, you must complete five (5) steps:

1.  Visit the enrollment website by clicking on the "CONTINUE TO ENROLLMENT" below.  At this website you will:

• Watch the mandatory video.
• Fill in the application information.
• Make an appointment to come to the San Francisco IHSS Provider Enrollment Center to sign required forms and have your valid photo ID and original Social Security card scanned.

If you cannot enroll online, you may contact the San Francisco Provider Help Desk at (415) 557-6200 to schedule an orientation appointment.  Please note that the orientation process may take up to 2 hours and appointments are required.

2.  Go to the San Francisco IHSS Provider Enrollment Center located at 77 Otis Street, San Francisco, CA  94103, on the date and time you have scheduled.

• Bring your original Social Security card.  Copies are NOT accepted.
• Bring your current valid Driver's License or U.S. Government issued photo ID.
• Your name on the Social Security card and ID MUST match.
• You'll be given a Live Scan form and a list of vendors.

3.  Take the Live Scan form to complete the fingerprint background check.  Prospective providers are responsible for obtaining the Department of Justice criminal background check at their own expense.  The Live Scan cost ranges from $45 to $70.

4.  Work with your consumer, the person you will be taking care of, to finish the necessary IHSS paperwork and send it to IHSS.  Your consumer must complete forms to tell IHSS that you will be his/her provider.

• Form SOC 426A must be signed and dated by the IHSS consumer and sent to IHSS.
• Form W-4 must be completed and signed by you and sent to IHSS.

5.  Wait for your first timesheet from IHSS.

After you have read these instructions, click on the link below to continue with your enrollment.

Click here to start the enrollment process ====>  CONTINUE TO ENROLLMENT

For additional information, please contact the San Francisco IHSS Provider Help Desk at (415) 557-6200 between the hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q:  What if I can’t find my Social Security card?
A:  Visit the Social Security office and apply for your replacement card.  They will provide you with a replacement card.

Q:  What if I already had a background check done for another job, do I need to do it again? 
A:  Yes.  Everyone applying to be an IHSS Independent Provider must have a background check done using the forms we provide.

Q:  I am starting to work for a second IHSS consumer.  Do I need to do the enrollment again?
A:  No, an IHSS caregiver/provider only needs to enroll once to be allowed to receive payment(s) from the IHSS program.  It does not matter how many IHSS consumers you work for.  However, enrollment does expire if a provider has not been paid by the IHSS program for more than a year.  In that case, enrollment must be repeated.

Q:  Will the County accept my ID and Social Security card if my name is different on them?
A:  No, your name on the ID and Social Security MUST match.