Acting as the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Public Authority Board, The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Tuesday between IHSS Public Authority and SEIU Local 2015 that will increase wages for in-home care providers of low-income older adults and people of all ages with disabilities.
IHSS is a state-mandated county-operated program that helps people remain living safely and independently in their own home. IHSS Providers will reach $13 per hour in 2017.
“IHSS care providers work hard every day to allow our community’s most vulnerable individuals to live independently and with the highest quality of life possible,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Efren Carrillo. “IHSS keeps individuals out of assisted living institutions and integrated in our community. Care providers give essential assistance to make this possible.”
The first rise in the two-stage wage increase will take effect June 1, moving IHSS care providers from $11.65 to $12.50 per hour. The second increase to $13 per hour will go into effect on March 1, 2017. There are no changes to workers health, dental or vision coverage. The County will continue to pay $.60 per hour to the SEIU Health Trust for health benefits for IHSS providers. The MOU will extend through September 30, 2018.
Applications for IHSS have grown in Sonoma County. Currently there are 5637 low-income elders and people with disabilities who are clients and 5135 care providers. Clients receive an annual home visit from a Human Services Department IHSS social worker to determine the tasks and associated time needed for them to live safely and independently.
Total cost of the program is $71 million including county, state and federal funding. The County currently pays $14.5 million in IHSS costs. This will rise by $204,137 in June, and $3M in FY 2016-17. The additional cost of the wage increase is shared 50/50 by the County General Fund and the federal government.
County costs for IHSS are governed by a Maintenance of Effort (MOE) funding agreement established by State law in 2011-12, that took effect on July 1, 2012. The MOE set a base contribution rate of $13.4 million of Sonoma County funds with increases of 3.5% per year beginning July 1, 2014. The County currently pays $14.5 million in IHSS costs annually. In Fiscal Year 16/17 the total cost to the County to provide these services will be $17.5 million.
The IHSS Public Authority is designated as a special district co-located with the County Human Services Department’s Adult and Aging Services Division. The Public Authority acts as the employer of record for IHSS caregivers for the purposes of negotiating wages and benefits. IHSS caregivers are not employees of the Public Authority. The caregivers are employed by the clients they serve, who have responsibility to hire, set hours and duties, and fire. The IHSS Public Authority provides a registry of screened applicants to consumers hiring IHSS caregivers and handles the State-mandated enrollment for new IHSS caregivers, including criminal background checks.
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