IHSS in Imperial County: Phone Number, Pay Rate & How to Apply
Everything specific to Imperial County — current provider wages, your Public Authority, and how to appeal a Notice of Action.
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Overview
Imperial County's IHSS program is administered by the Imperial County Department of Social Services, with the IHSS Public Authority serving as Employer of Record for more than 5,000 care providers serving over 6,200 recipients throughout the county.
Imperial County providers are represented by United Domestic Workers (UDW) rather than SEIU — a distinction shared with a handful of other Southern California counties, including Riverside, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara.
Clara has Imperial County’s contacts and current wage, and can explain how hours are decided.
How to apply for IHSS in Imperial County
To apply for IHSS in Imperial County, call the county IHSS office. A social worker will take your application and arrange an in-home assessment.
Imperial County IHSS phone number
There is no statewide online IHSS application — applying means phoning your county. All Imperial County contacts →
The application form (SOC 295)
The state's written application is form SOC 295, Application for In-Home Supportive Services. You can fill it in ahead of time.
Open the SOC 295 form (PDF)Opens on the CDSS website. The form goes to Imperial County, not to the state, so call the number above to ask where to mail, fax or bring it.
Once you apply, the county schedules an in-home assessment. A social worker scores how much help you need with each task, and those scores decide your monthly hours — see how the Functional Index ranks work. If your hours are later denied or reduced, you have appeal rights with deadlines: how to appeal a Notice of Action. Becoming a paid provider is a separate process — start with the Provider Hub.
Imperial County by the Numbers
Statewide, 925,481 Californians received IHSS in July 2026, averaging 119 authorized hours a month. Source: CDSS IHSS Program Data.
How Imperial County has changed
11 months of official CDSS program data, Jan '24 to Jul '26.
Where should you start?
Pick the path that matches where you are right now.
Provider pay in 2027 in Imperial County
Not published yet
Imperial County has not published a provider pay rate for 2027.
California's minimum wage rises from $16.90 to $17.40 an hour on January 1, 2027. County IHSS wages are built on the state minimum wage, so no county's rate can be lower than that.
- To confirm your rate, call the Imperial County main IHSS line
- (760) 337-6800
Sources: California Department of Industrial Relations, News Release 2026-66. Checked October 7, 2026. Counties publish new rates through the autumn, so confirm before you plan around this. IHSSHours.com is independent and is not part of the county.
Provider orientation in 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. Counties change how they run orientation, so confirm before you go. IHSSHours.com is independent and is not part of the county.
Provider Wage & Public Authority
- Current hourly wage
- $18.83/hr
- Public Authority
- Imperial County IHSS Public Authority (UDW)
- Department of Social Services
- (760) 337-6800
- UDW Local Office
- (760) 425-4034
- Office Address
- 2995 S 4th St.
El Centro, CA 92243
Imperial's wage rose $0.68/hr heading into 2026. Confirm your current rate directly with the Imperial County Public Authority before relying on this figure.
Check your weekly max as a Imperial County provider → Pre-filled with the county average of 109 authorized hours a month (CDSS) — swap in your recipient's number.
Local Notes & Quirks
- Represented by UDW, not SEIU: Like Riverside, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara counties, Imperial County IHSS providers are represented by United Domestic Workers rather than SEIU Local 2015 — worth knowing when looking for union resources.
- Above-average recent increase: Imperial's wage rose $0.68/hr heading into 2026, notably larger than the roughly $0.40/hr standard annual increase most counties received.
- Large program relative to county size: Imperial County serves over 6,200 IHSS recipients with more than 5,000 care providers — a substantial program for one of California's smaller-population counties.
Imperial County IHSS — Common Questions
How much do IHSS providers get paid in Imperial County?
What will IHSS providers be paid in Imperial County in 2027?
How many IHSS hours do people get in Imperial County?
How do I apply for IHSS in Imperial County?
How many people receive IHSS in Imperial County?
How many people receive Protective Supervision in Imperial County?
Can I be paid to care for a family member in Imperial County?
Figures are from CDSS program data (July 2026) and the CDSS county wage sheet (IP Effective 10-1-2026). County averages describe a caseload, not an entitlement — how we calculate estimates.
Appealing a Notice of Action in Imperial County
If Imperial County reduces, denies, or terminates your IHSS hours, the appeal process is governed by state regulation — the same 90-day deadline applies regardless of county:
- You have 90 days from the date on your Notice of Action to request a State Hearing
- Call the State Hearings Division at 1-800-743-8525 to request a hearing
- Or mail a written request to: California Department of Social Services, State Hearings Division, P.O. Box 944243, Sacramento, CA 94244
- Requesting your hearing before the Notice of Action's effective date preserves Aid Paid Pending — meaning you keep your current hours while the appeal is decided
For free legal help with an Imperial County IHSS appeal, Disability Rights California can be reached at 1-800-776-5746.
County data last updated 2026-10-07 · CDSS program data July 2026, wages IP Effective 10-1-2026.
