Protective Supervision (PS)
What it means in California's IHSS program, in plain English.
An IHSS service for recipients who cannot be safely left alone due to a cognitive impairment, mental illness, or developmental disability, and who need continuous supervision to prevent injury from hazardous behavior the person cannot recognize as dangerous. Unlike most IHSS tasks, Protective Supervision hours aren't calculated from a weekly Hourly Task Guideline range — they're based on documented gaps in supervision throughout the day and night, subject to monthly caps.
Protective Supervision is closely tied to how Memory, Orientation, and Judgment are ranked on their separate 1/2/5 scale during the assessment.
It is not available for medical monitoring, for anticipating a medical emergency, or for behaviors a person engages in deliberately (MPP 30-757.172).
Read the full guide
Protective Supervision: who qualifies and how to document it →
Related terms
Official program information: CDSS — In-Home Supportive Services. Definitions here are IHSSHours.com's plain-English explanations, not the regulatory text.
