IHSS in Kern County: Phone Number, Pay Rate & How to Apply
Everything specific to Kern County — current provider wages, your Public Authority, and how to appeal a Notice of Action.
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Overview
Kern County's IHSS program is administered through the Kern County Aging and Adult Services Department (AASD), which handles provider registry, training, and wage negotiation with United Domestic Workers of America (UDWA).
Kern's Public Authority functions are handled directly within the county's Aging and Adult Services Department, rather than as a separate standalone agency — the AASD Director also serves as the Public Authority's executive director.
Clara has Kern County’s contacts and current wage, and can explain how hours are decided.
How to apply for IHSS in Kern County
To apply for IHSS in Kern County, call the county IHSS office. A social worker will take your application and arrange an in-home assessment.
Kern County IHSS phone number
There is no statewide online IHSS application — applying means phoning your county. All Kern 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 Kern 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.
Kern 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 Kern 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 Kern County
Not published yet
Kern 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 Kern County main IHSS line
- (661) 868-1000
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 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. 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
- $17.90/hr (+$0.60 from the 2025 rate)
- Public Authority
- Kern AASD (United Domestic Workers of America (UDWA))
- IHSS Application Line
- (661) 868-1000
- Public Authority main line
- (661) 868-0987
- Provider support line
- (661) 868-1004
Wage figures are compiled from public county and advocacy sources and cross-checked where possible, but county rates change and secondary sources sometimes disagree. Confirm your current rate directly with Kern AASD before relying on this figure.
Check your weekly max as a Kern County provider → Pre-filled with the county average of 118 authorized hours a month (CDSS) — swap in your recipient's number.
Local Notes & Quirks
- Combined AASD structure: Unlike counties with a standalone Public Authority nonprofit, Kern folds IHSS Public Authority functions directly into its Aging and Adult Services Department — one office handles registry, referral, and training.
- Large rural service area: Kern is one of California's largest counties by land area, so recipients and providers in outlying communities (Ridgecrest, Mojave, Tehachapi) may have longer travel times to in-person services in Bakersfield.
- UDWA representation: Kern's IHSS providers are represented by United Domestic Workers of America (UDWA) rather than SEIU, which is the union representing most other California counties on this list.
Kern County IHSS — Common Questions
How much do IHSS providers get paid in Kern County?
What will IHSS providers be paid in Kern County in 2027?
How many IHSS hours do people get in Kern County?
How do I apply for IHSS in Kern County?
How many people receive IHSS in Kern County?
How many people receive Protective Supervision in Kern County?
Can I be paid to care for a family member in Kern 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 Kern County
If Kern 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 a Kern 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.
