IHSS Provider Orientation
Published by IHSSHours.com · · Updated
🌐 Leer en Español →Every new IHSS care provider has to complete provider orientation before they can be paid. There is no statewide website or phone line for booking it. Each county runs its own, through the county IHSS office or the county’s IHSS Public Authority. This guide shows where orientation fits in enrollment, then lists what each county’s own website says about how to do it.
The state’s instruction sheet for new providers (CDSS form SOC 847) sets out four steps. Orientation is the third.
- 1. The enrollment form. Complete the Provider Enrollment Form (SOC 426) and show the county a government photo ID and your Social Security card.
- 2. Fingerprints. Get fingerprinted for the Department of Justice background check. The county gives you the instructions, and you pay the fee.
- 3. Orientation. Complete the provider orientation your county arranges.
- 4. The agreement. Sign the Provider Enrollment Agreement (SOC 846).
It depends on the county. Of California’s 58 counties, we found 38 whose own website says how orientation is done:
- 27 start online, then finish in person. You create an account, watch the orientation videos and sign the forms online, then go to an appointment or a session, usually to show your ID and Social Security card.
- 4 are in person: Alameda, Nevada, Shasta and Tuolumne.
- 2 start in person, then finish online: San Bernardino and San Diego.
- 2 use an orientation video online: Kings and San Mateo.
- 1 offers a choice of online or in person: Los Angeles.
- 2 describe how to start but not the format: Stanislaus and Trinity.
Another 15 counties publish a contact or part of the process, but not how orientation is held. For the remaining 5 we could not confirm anything from a county page. In every case the county’s main IHSS line is listed, so you have a number to call.
The state’s orientation videos are public on the CDSS website in English, Spanish and Chinese, with written scripts in more languages. Anyone can watch them to prepare. Watching them on your own only counts as completing orientation if that is how your county says it is done.
The state’s instructions say to bring a government-issued photo ID and your original Social Security card when you enroll. Most counties below ask for the same two documents at the in-person step, and some say they will reschedule you if you arrive without the originals or if the names on the two do not match.
Each entry is what the county’s own website said when we checked it on October 5, 2026, with a link to that page. Counties change their process, so confirm before you go.
Alameda Alpine Amador Butte Calaveras Colusa Contra Costa Del Norte El Dorado Fresno Glenn Humboldt Imperial Inyo Kern Kings Lake Lassen Los Angeles Madera Marin Mariposa Mendocino Merced Modoc Mono Monterey Napa Nevada Orange Placer Plumas Riverside Sacramento San Benito San Bernardino San Diego San Francisco San Joaquin San Luis Obispo San Mateo Santa Barbara Santa Clara Santa Cruz Shasta Sierra Siskiyou Solano Sonoma Stanislaus Sutter Tehama Trinity Tulare Tuolumne Ventura Yolo Yuba
Alameda County
In person
In person: one orientation session of about 1.5 hours at the IHSS offices in Oakland, where you also show your photo ID and Social Security card.
How to start: The person you will work for asks IHSS for an enrollment packet by calling (510) 577-1900 or visiting the IHSS offices. Fill it out and return it to IHSS at 6955 Foothill Blvd, Oakland, then attend one orientation there. The county says orientation classes are held daily, with non-English classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Provider enrollment information: (510) 577-1877
Alameda County main IHSS line: (510) 577-1800
Source: Alameda County Social Services Agency, checked October 5, 2026.
Amador County
Online first, then in person
Online first: create an account on the Public Authority's enrollment site, watch the orientation videos and e-sign the forms. Then an in-person enrollment appointment, booked on the same site.
How to start: Go to the provider enrollment page on the Amador County Public Authority website and press "Continue To Enrollment". If you have no computer, the Public Authority lets you use one at its office by appointment.
Amador County Public Authority: (209) 223-6781
Amador County main IHSS line: (209) 223-6550
Source: Amador County Public Authority, checked October 5, 2026.
Butte County
Not stated online
The county's pages do not describe orientation or say whether it is online or in person.
How to start: If an IHSS recipient wants to hire you, the county says to call the Butte County Public Authority or visit its website.
Call Butte County's main IHSS line and ask how new providers complete orientation.
Butte County Public Authority (toll free 855-398-8899): 530-538-7538
Butte County main IHSS line: (530) 552-6161
Source: Butte County, checked October 5, 2026.
Calaveras County
Online first, then an appointment
Online first: create an account on the Public Authority's enrollment site, watch the videos and e-sign the forms. Then an enrollment completion appointment, booked on the same site, where you bring your photo ID and Social Security card.
How to start: Go to "Enroll as an IHSS Provider" on the Calaveras County Public Authority website and use the "Continue to Enrollment" link.
Calaveras County Public Authority: (209) 754-6544
Calaveras County main IHSS line: (209) 754-6448
Source: Calaveras County Public Authority, checked October 5, 2026.
Colusa County
Not stated online
The county lists a mandatory orientation among the enrollment steps but does not say whether it is online or in person. Your photo ID and Social Security card must be shown in person.
How to start: The county says all enrollment steps are completed through the Colusa County IHSS Public Authority. Its page gives no sign-up instructions and no phone number.
Call Colusa County's main IHSS line and ask how new providers complete orientation.
Worth knowing: The county's Public Authority page shows requirements "effective 11/1/2009" and no later date.
Colusa County main IHSS line: (530) 458-0280
Source: Colusa County, checked October 5, 2026.
Contra Costa County
Online first, then in person
Online first: create an account, watch the State and union videos and e-sign the forms. Then an in-person orientation appointment, booked on the same enrollment site.
How to start: Go to the Public Authority's Online Enrollment page and click "Continue To Enrollment".
Public Authority enrollment questions: 800-333-1081
Contra Costa County main IHSS line: (925) 229-8434
Source: Contra Costa County IHSS Public Authority, checked October 5, 2026.
Del Norte County
Not stated online
The county's Public Authority page links an "IHSS Care Provider Enrollment Orientation" video but does not say whether orientation is completed online or in person.
How to start: The page gives no sign-up steps. It says to contact the IHSS Public Authority for more information.
Call Del Norte County's main IHSS line and ask how new providers complete orientation.
Del Norte County IHSS Public Authority (also 707-464-7807): 707-464-3191
Source: Del Norte County, checked October 5, 2026.
El Dorado County
Online, plus an orientation by appointment
An online enrollment site (BOUNDS) with the required videos and forms, plus an orientation of about 90 minutes by appointment, which the Public Authority holds at its Placerville office and in South Lake Tahoe.
How to start: Email the IHSS Public Authority at IHSSPA@edcgov.us to start. They send you a link to BOUNDS, the web-based enrollment system.
Worth knowing: The county's page does not say whether the online videos replace the office orientation, so ask when you start.
El Dorado County IHSS Public Authority: (530) 621-6287
El Dorado County main IHSS line: (530) 642-4800
Source: El Dorado County, checked October 5, 2026.
Fresno County
Online first, then in person
Online first: create a profile, watch the orientation videos and sign the forms. Then a short in-person appointment at the county's Clovis Campus to show your ID and Social Security card, plus an in-person union orientation.
How to start: Start online in the county's Provider Enrollment Application, linked from its "IHSS Provider Online Enrollment and Orientation" page, and schedule your appointment there.
Provider & Recipient Call Center, option 4 (Public Authority staff): (559) 600-6666
Source: Fresno County, checked October 5, 2026.
Glenn County
Not stated online
The county lists watching the State orientation video as step 1 of enrollment and says the video will be "available here soon" on its Provider Enrollment page. It says nothing else about how orientation is done.
How to start: The Provider Enrollment page lists four steps and says to call the Public Authority to schedule an appointment. The Public Authority's main page also has a "Continue to Enrollment" button.
Call Glenn County's main IHSS line and ask how new providers complete orientation.
Glenn County Public Authority: 530-330-5453
Glenn County main IHSS line: (530) 865-6164
Source: Glenn County, checked October 5, 2026.
Humboldt County
Not stated online
The county's Public Authority page does not describe orientation or say whether it is online or in person.
How to start: The page says to call to apply to be a provider.
Call Humboldt County's main IHSS line and ask how new providers complete orientation.
Humboldt County IHSS Public Authority: 707-476-2100
Source: Humboldt County, checked October 5, 2026.
Imperial County
Online first, then a scheduled orientation
Online first: enroll, watch the orientation videos, e-sign the documents and schedule an appointment. Then an orientation at your scheduled time; the county's instructions say to plan for about 1.5 hours and to bring your original Social Security card and photo ID.
How to start: Complete the county's online provider enrollment, linked from its Aging and Disability Services page as new provider registration. You need your client's name and IHSS case number to continue.
Worth knowing: The county's instruction sheet is undated and still carries COVID-era wording, so confirm the steps when you call.
Imperial County IHSS office: (760) 337-3084
Imperial County main IHSS line: (760) 337-6800
Source: Imperial County Department of Social Services, checked October 5, 2026.
Inyo County
Not stated online
Inyo County's own website does not describe provider orientation. It names Community Service Solutions, a nonprofit that works with the county on IHSS.
Call Inyo County's main IHSS line and ask how new providers complete orientation.
Inyo County main IHSS line: (760) 872-1394
Source: Inyo County, checked October 5, 2026.
Kern County
Online first, then in person
Online first: create an account on the IHSS enrollment website, watch the required videos and sign up for an orientation. Then a mandatory in-person orientation at the date and place you chose. The county lists fingerprinting before the orientation.
How to start: Use the IHSS enrollment website link on the county's "Become a Provider" page.
Provider enrollment questions (Kern County IHSS Public Authority): 661-868-0987
Kern County main IHSS line: (661) 868-1000
Source: Kern County Aging & Adult Services, checked October 5, 2026.
Kings County
Orientation video online
Orientation is a video on the county's Provider Orientation page, in English or Spanish. After watching it you sign and mail the provider agreement (SOC 846).
How to start: The recipient who wants to hire you calls the IHSS Public Authority to report the hire and ask for a Live Scan form and a New Provider Enrollment packet.
Worth knowing: The orientation page gives no mailing address for the agreement, so ask the Public Authority where to send it.
Kings County IHSS Public Authority: 1-559-852-4615
Kings County main IHSS line: (559) 852-4467
Source: Kings County, checked October 5, 2026.
Lake County
Online first, then in person
Online first: create an account, watch the State orientation videos and e-sign the documents. Then an in-person appointment in Lower Lake, booked on the same enrollment site.
How to start: On the county's IHSS Provider Enrollment page, select "Continue To Enrollment".
Lake County IHSS office: 707-995-4680
Source: Lake County, checked October 5, 2026.
Lassen County
Not stated online
The county's pages do not say how provider orientation is done.
How to start: The pages give no enrollment steps for a provider who already has a recipient. They list Adult Services as the contact.
Call Lassen County's main IHSS line and ask how new providers complete orientation.
Lassen County Adult Services: 530-251-8158
Source: Lassen County, checked October 5, 2026.
Los Angeles County
Online or in person
You can do the orientation online or at an in-person session. Either way, you then visit an IHSS office to show your photo ID and Social Security card, hand in the forms and get the Live Scan fingerprint form.
How to start: Call the county's IHSS Helpline to begin enrollment, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Worth knowing: The county's Public Authority (PASC) pages describe in-person orientation only, so you may be told that when you call.
Los Angeles County IHSS Helpline: (888) 822-9622
Los Angeles County main IHSS line: 1-888-944-4477
Source: Los Angeles County DPSS, checked October 5, 2026.
Madera County
Not stated online
The county says its Public Authority provides orientation sessions for new IHSS providers but does not say how they are held.
How to start: For people who want to become a Public Authority (registry) provider, the county says to call for an application and to schedule an orientation, in English or Spanish. Its page does not say how a provider already chosen by a recipient starts.
Call Madera County's main IHSS line and ask how new providers complete orientation.
Madera County Public Authority: (559) 479-4857
Madera County main IHSS line: (559) 662-2600
Source: Madera County, checked October 5, 2026.
Marin County
Not stated online
The county pages we could read do not describe provider orientation.
Call Marin County's main IHSS line and ask how new providers complete orientation.
IHSS Public Authority of Marin: 415-499-1024
Marin County main IHSS line: (415) 473-4636
Source: Marin County Health & Human Services, checked October 5, 2026.
Mariposa County
Online first, then an office appointment
Online first: on the county's IHSS Provider Enrollment website you fill in the forms, watch the required videos and schedule an in-office appointment. At the appointment you sign the forms and are fingerprinted.
How to start: Use the "Continue to Enrollment" link on the county's IHSS Provider Orientation page. Bring a government photo ID and your original Social Security card to the appointment.
Worth knowing: The county's page still opens with a COVID-19 notice and shows no date.
Public Authority enrollment line: (209) 742-0985
Mariposa County main IHSS line: (209) 966-2000
Source: Mariposa County, checked October 5, 2026.
Mendocino County
Not stated online
The county says its Public Authority handles provider orientation and the full enrollment process but does not say whether orientation is online or in person.
How to start: The page gives no enrollment steps. It lists Public Authority numbers for Ukiah, Willits and Fort Bragg and a toll-free line.
Call Mendocino County's main IHSS line and ask how new providers complete orientation.
Mendocino County Public Authority (toll free): (877) 327-1799
Mendocino County main IHSS line: (707) 463-7900
Source: Mendocino County, checked October 5, 2026.
Merced County
Not stated online
The county's website does not say how new-provider orientation is held.
How to start: The county's pages give no enrollment steps. The IHSS Public Authority lists a number for information about its provider registry.
Call Merced County's main IHSS line and ask how new providers complete orientation.
Merced County IHSS Public Authority (registry information): (209) 383-9504
Merced County main IHSS line: (209) 354-2561
Source: Merced County, checked October 5, 2026.
Monterey County
Online first, then an office appointment
Online first: the county's internet-based system is where you enroll, fill out forms and watch the State orientation videos. At the end you schedule an appointment at the Monterey County IHSS office to finish enrollment.
How to start: On the county's Aging & Adult Services page, look for "Online Provider Enrollment System" under In Home Supportive Services. Instructions are posted in English and Spanish.
Monterey County IHSS: 831-755-4466
Source: Monterey County, checked October 5, 2026.
Nevada County
Call, then an in-person appointment
Call to begin enrollment, then attend a scheduled in-person appointment with your original, unexpired state ID and Social Security card. The published steps do not say how the orientation itself is delivered.
How to start: Call Connecting Point, which the county calls its Public Authority, to begin.
Connecting Point (Nevada County's IHSS Public Authority): (530) 274-5601
Nevada County main IHSS line: (530) 265-1639
Source: Connecting Point, checked October 5, 2026.
Orange County
Online first, then in person
Online first: create an account, watch the orientation videos, e-sign the forms and schedule an appointment. Then an in-person verification appointment; the Public Authority says to plan for about 2 hours and to bring your original Social Security card and ID.
How to start: Start online enrollment from the Orange County IHSS Public Authority's provider enrollment page.
Provider Enrollment Hotline: 714-825-3195
Orange County main IHSS line: (714) 825-3000
Source: Orange County IHSS Public Authority, checked October 5, 2026.
Placer County
Online first, then in person
Online first: create an account in REVA, the online enrollment system, and watch the 8 video segments. Then a required in-person orientation of about 2 hours, booked inside your REVA account.
How to start: If you already work for a friend or family member who gets IHSS, follow the county's "Becoming an IHSS Provider" sheet. If you were an IHSS provider before, even in another county, the sheet says to call first.
Worth knowing: The county's sheet is undated.
Placer County IHSS enrollment questions: (916) 787-8859
Placer County main IHSS line: (916) 787-8860
Source: Placer County, checked October 5, 2026.
Plumas County
Online first, then in person
Online first: complete the online orientation, including the State videos, and sign the forms in Connecting Point's Provider Enrollment Application. Then an in-person appointment in Quincy to show your ID and Social Security card and pick up the fingerprint form.
How to start: Start online from Connecting Point's Plumas County step-by-step page, then call to schedule the in-person appointment.
Worth knowing: Another Connecting Point page lists 530-205-5225 for Plumas and Sierra enrollment.
Connecting Point IHSS Home Care Coordinator: (530) 205-5224
Plumas County main IHSS line: (530) 283-6350
Source: Connecting Point (regional IHSS Public Authority), checked October 5, 2026.
Riverside County
Online videos, plus in person
State orientation videos online in the BOUNDS portal, plus a mandatory in-person orientation for all providers new to Riverside County.
How to start: Call IHSS HOME to begin the application.
IHSS HOME Line and Public Authority: (888) 960-4477
Source: Riverside County IHSS, checked October 5, 2026.
Sacramento County
Online first, then in person
Online first: register in the BOUNDS portal, watch the IHSS videos and complete the provider application there. Then an in-person appointment, booked in the portal, where you bring your photo ID and Social Security card.
How to start: Register online in BOUNDS from the Public Authority's Provider Enrollment page; you need your own email address. The page says new appointments are loaded every Tuesday after 10:00 AM, and the office offers help with registering on Mondays and Fridays, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
Sacramento County IHSS Public Authority (main office): (916) 874-2888
Sacramento County main IHSS line: (916) 874-9471
Source: Sacramento County IHSS Public Authority, checked October 5, 2026.
San Benito County
Online first, then in person
Online first: watch the orientation videos and sign the forms in the Provider Enrollment Application. Then an in-person orientation appointment in Hollister, where you show your ID and Social Security card and get the fingerprint form.
How to start: Start online from the county Public Authority's enrollment page and schedule your appointment there.
San Benito County Public Authority: 831-634-0784
Source: San Benito County Health & Human Services Agency, checked October 5, 2026.
San Bernardino County
In-person meeting first, then online
In person first: a weekly Provider Enrollment In-Person Meeting, with no appointment required, where you receive a New Provider BOUNDS Packet. Then you watch the orientation videos and sign the forms online in BOUNDS, and turn in the required documents to an IHSS or Public Authority office.
How to start: If you already have an IHSS client, go to one of the weekly meetings; for the schedule, the county says to call your client's social worker or visit the local IHSS office. Space is limited, and no late arrivals or guests are allowed. If you do not have a client yet, the county says not to attend and to apply to the Public Authority registry instead.
San Bernardino County IHSS Public Authority: (866) 985-6322
San Bernardino County main IHSS line: 1-877-800-4544
Source: San Bernardino County, checked October 5, 2026.
San Diego County
In-person appointment first, then online
In person first: an appointment where you hand in your forms and documents. Then an online video session on Zoom, after which you sign the provider agreement (SOC 846) by email.
How to start: Call the Public Authority's Caregiver Enrollment Department, or use the online request on its website, to ask for an enrollment packet. Have the recipient's case number ready. The packet has the link to book your appointment.
Caregiver Enrollment Department: (866) 351-7722
San Diego County main IHSS line: (800) 339-4661
Source: San Diego IHSS Public Authority, checked October 5, 2026.
San Francisco County
Online first, then in person
Online first: create an account, watch the required videos, e-sign the forms and book an orientation. Then a 2-hour in-person group orientation at 77 Otis Street, by appointment, offered in English, Spanish, Chinese and Russian.
How to start: Use the "Start Enrollment" link on the San Francisco Human Services Agency's "Become an IHSS provider" page.
Help with enrollment or scheduling: (415) 557-6200
San Francisco County main IHSS line: (415) 355-6700 ext. 3
Source: San Francisco Human Services Agency, checked October 5, 2026.
San Joaquin County
Not stated online
The official pages do not say whether orientation is online or in person, and they list no orientation dates.
How to start: The Public Authority says it no longer takes walk-ins and to call to reach a staff member. Its enrollment page tells IHSS recipients who want to enroll a provider to contact their IHSS social worker or pick up a SOC 426A form at the Human Services Agency lobby.
Call San Joaquin County's main IHSS line and ask how new providers complete orientation.
San Joaquin County IHSS Public Authority: 1-800-491-1996
San Joaquin County main IHSS line: (209) 468-1119
Source: San Joaquin County IHSS Public Authority, checked October 5, 2026.
San Luis Obispo County
Online, then a group check-in
Orientation videos and forms in the county's online portal, an enrollment packet by mail, then a Provider Group Check-In that Public Authority staff schedule with you, where you show your photo ID and original Social Security card.
How to start: Call the Public Authority, enroll online from the county page, or send the IHSS Provider Inquiry form. Staff then call you. The county says not to print or fill out any forms, including Live Scan, before you have spoken with them.
Public Authority Orientation Line: (805) 474-2055
San Luis Obispo County main IHSS line: (805) 461-6110
Source: San Luis Obispo County, checked October 5, 2026.
San Mateo County
Orientation video online
Orientation is a required video on the Public Authority's web page. Enrollment is by packet: you fill it out and return it by mail or email with copies of your ID and Social Security card.
How to start: You cannot start this yourself. The county says the client, or the client's Authorized Representative, must call the Public Authority to start enrollment and get the packet.
San Mateo County Public Authority (the client makes this call): (833) 650-2272
San Mateo County main IHSS line: 1-800-675-8437
Source: San Mateo County Health, checked October 5, 2026.
Santa Barbara County
Online first, then in person
Online first: create an account, watch the required videos and e-sign the forms. Then an In-Person Enrollment Completion Appointment, where you bring your original photo ID and Social Security card.
How to start: Start at www.ihssjobs.org, the site the county's provider enrollment handout gives, and schedule your appointment there.
Santa Barbara County IHSS Public Authority: 1-866-313-1353
Santa Barbara County main IHSS line: (805) 681-4550
Source: Santa Barbara County, checked October 5, 2026.
Santa Clara County
Online first, then in person
Online first: create an account, complete the forms and watch the State videos on the Enrollment Center website. Then two in-person steps: a required group orientation meeting at the SEIU 2015 office in San Jose, and a Public Authority appointment that you book online.
How to start: Use the "Continue to Enrollment" button on the Public Authority's enrollment page.
Public Authority Enrollment Department (leave a message; a call back can take 24 to 48 hours): (408) 350-3252
Santa Clara County main IHSS line: (408) 792-1600
Source: Public Authority Services by Sourcewise (Santa Clara County), checked October 5, 2026.
Santa Cruz County
Online first, then in person
Online first: complete your information, watch the orientation videos and e-sign the forms. Then a required in-person orientation, booked online. Late arrivals are not accepted.
How to start: Go to the IHSS Independent Provider Enrollment Center for Santa Cruz County, linked from the county's "Enroll as a Provider" page, and click Start.
Santa Cruz County IHSS Public Authority: (831) 454-4036
Santa Cruz County main IHSS line: (831) 454-4101
Source: County of Santa Cruz Human Services, checked October 5, 2026.
Shasta County
Session by appointment
A two-hour orientation by appointment, held every Monday. The county says to arrive early because the doors close at the start time. Its page does not mention an online option.
How to start: Call to make an appointment for orientation. Bring your Social Security card and a valid photo ID.
Shasta County IHSS: (530) 225-5507
Source: Shasta County, checked October 5, 2026.
Sierra County
Online first, then in person
Online first: complete the online orientation, including the State videos, and sign the forms in Connecting Point's Provider Enrollment Application. Then an in-person appointment to show your ID and Social Security card and pick up the fingerprint form.
How to start: Start online from Connecting Point's Sierra County step-by-step page, then call to schedule the in-person appointment. The page says the appointment is "for Downieville or Loyalton" but gives no address, so confirm the place when you call.
Connecting Point (regional IHSS Public Authority): (530) 205-5224
Sierra County main IHSS line: (530) 993-6720
Source: Connecting Point (regional IHSS Public Authority), checked October 5, 2026.
Siskiyou County
Not stated online
The county does not say online whether orientation is in person or online. Its Public Authority page posts a "Provider Enrollment & Orientation (Packet A)" set of forms.
How to start: The county's IHSS page says you or your provider can contact your social worker or the Public Authority about enrollment requirements, and it names a staff contact for people interested in becoming a provider.
Call Siskiyou County's main IHSS line and ask how new providers complete orientation.
Siskiyou County Adult Services: (530) 841-4200
Source: Siskiyou County, checked October 5, 2026.
Solano County
Online first, then in person
Online registration for a provider enrollment account, then an in-person provider orientation, a background check and handing in the enrollment documents.
How to start: Register from the county's IHSS Provider Enrollment page, which lists upcoming orientation dates and locations. If none are open, the county says new dates are released on the first and third Tuesday of each month by 9 AM.
Solano County IHSS Public Authority, Provider Enrollment: 707-784-8753
Solano County main IHSS line: (707) 784-8259 ext. 1
Source: Solano County, checked October 5, 2026.
Sonoma County
Not stated online
The county's pages do not describe new-provider orientation.
How to start: The county's "I want to become a paid caregiver" page covers only the Public Authority's caregiver registry application and gives a number for questions.
Call Sonoma County's main IHSS line and ask how new providers complete orientation.
Sonoma County IHSS Public Authority: (707) 565-5700
Sonoma County main IHSS line: (707) 565-5900
Source: Sonoma County, checked October 5, 2026.
Stanislaus County
Class, sign up by phone
A mandatory State Orientation class that you sign up for by phone. The Public Authority's pages do not mention an online option.
How to start: If you are working, or will be working, for someone on IHSS and have never been paid through IHSS before, call and ask to sign up for an orientation. The same call gets you your paperwork and background check information.
Stanislaus County IHSS and Public Authority: (209) 558-2637
Source: Stanislaus County Public Authority (Link2Care), checked October 5, 2026.
Sutter County
Online first, then an appointment
Online first: watch the required videos, complete the forms and choose your appointment time on the county's enrollment site. Then you attend your scheduled enrollment appointment with your photo ID and original Social Security card.
How to start: Use the "Start Enrollment" link on the county's "How To Become An IHSS Provider In Sutter County" page. You cannot enroll until the person you will care for is approved for IHSS and has told the Public Authority that you are hired and your start date.
Worth knowing: The county's page still carries a COVID-era notice and shows no date.
Sutter County IHSS Public Authority: 530-822-7619
Sutter County main IHSS line: (530) 822-5990
Source: Sutter County, checked October 5, 2026.
Tehama County
Online first, then in person
Online first: create an account, watch the videos, e-sign the forms and schedule the next available orientation. Then you attend the orientation in person.
How to start: On the Tehama County IHSS Public Authority website, click Enrollment, then "Continue to Enrollment".
Tehama County IHSS Public Authority: (530) 527-2466
Tehama County main IHSS line: (530) 528-4115
Source: Tehama County IHSS Public Authority, checked October 5, 2026.
Trinity County
Online portal; ask about in-person steps
You are given a login for the county's IHSS Provider Portal, where the enrollment and orientation process is completed. The county also asks for an original photo ID and Social Security card, and does not say how those are shown.
How to start: Call the IHSS office or email Adult Services to get your portal login. You need an email address to use the portal.
Trinity County IHSS office: 530-623-8209
Source: Trinity County, checked October 5, 2026.
Tulare County
Not stated online
The county posts the required provider orientation videos online in English, Spanish and Chinese, but its pages do not say how a new provider completes enrollment or whether an office visit is needed.
How to start: The pages give no sign-up steps. They list the IHSS office in Visalia as the contact.
Call Tulare County's main IHSS line and ask how new providers complete orientation.
Tulare County IHSS office: (559) 623-0600
Source: Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency, checked October 5, 2026.
Tuolumne County
In person, monthly
In person: an IHSS Independent Provider Orientation held the second Tuesday of each month, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, at the Public Health Department Central Conference Room, 20111 Cedar Road North, Sonora. All forms are provided and completed there.
How to start: Arrive 15 minutes early; the county says late arrivals are not let in after 9:00 AM. Bring a valid photo ID and your Social Security card. If Veterans Day falls on the second Tuesday in November, orientation moves to the third Tuesday.
Independent Provider inquiries: 209-533-7352
Tuolumne County main IHSS line: (209) 533-5711
Source: Tuolumne County, checked October 5, 2026.
Yolo County
Online, plus an in-person visit
Online state orientation and enrollment, plus an in-person visit. One Public Authority page calls it an in-person orientation, another an in-person appointment to hand in documents.
How to start: Contact the Yolo County IHSS Public Authority to sign up for orientation and get the New IHSS Provider Packet.
Yolo County IHSS Public Authority: (530) 661-2676
Yolo County main IHSS line: (530) 661-2955
Source: Yolo County IHSS Public Authority, checked October 5, 2026.
Yuba County
Online first, then in person
Online first: create an enrollment account, watch the required videos and review the documents. Then an in-person enrollment appointment, booked online; the county says appointments are held every Tuesday.
How to start: Read all the steps in the IHSS provider section of the county's Health and Human Services "Programs and Services" page, then use the "start enrollment" link there.
Yuba County IHSS Public Authority: (530) 749-6471
Source: Yuba County Health and Human Services, checked October 5, 2026.
Counties with nothing confirmed
Alpine, Modoc and Mono: We found no county page that describes provider orientation.
Napa and Ventura: We could not open the county's provider pages when we checked, so we have nothing confirmed to show.
Call the county's main IHSS line and ask how new providers complete orientation.
Once all four steps are done, the county confirms you are eligible and you receive a provider number. You can then register in the Electronic Services Portal, where timesheets are submitted: see ESP registration. How long the first timesheets and the first payment take is covered in How IHSS providers get paid.
The IHSS Service Desk, 1-866-376-7066, is the statewide help line CDSS lists on its provider orientation page. It cannot book a county’s orientation for you, but it is somewhere to turn if the county does not answer.
- CDSS form SOC 847 (5/16), Important Information for Prospective Providers About the IHSS Program Provider Enrollment Process — the four enrollment steps and the 90-day limit
- CDSS, IHSS Provider Orientation (cdss.ca.gov) — orientation is arranged by contacting the county IHSS office or Public Authority; the orientation videos and scripts; the IHSS Service Desk number
- Each county’s official IHSS or Public Authority page, linked in its entry above and read on October 5, 2026
Each county entry was read from the official page named and then re-checked separately before it was published. Where a county’s website did not state something, this guide says so and does not fill the gap. Educational information, not legal advice. More on our sources and method: How we calculate estimates.
Educational information, not legal advice. Only your county can enroll you as an IHSS provider. IHSSHours.com is an independent resource and is not affiliated with CDSS or any county IHSS office. · More IHSS guides