IHSS in Merced County: Phone Number, Pay Rate & How to Apply
Everything specific to Merced County — current provider wages, your Public Authority, and how to appeal a Notice of Action.
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Overview
Merced County's IHSS program is administered by the county's Human Services Agency, with the Merced County IHSS Public Authority — established as a separate legal entity by county ordinance — serving as Employer of Record and operating the provider registry.
The Public Authority Registry matches recipients with screened providers based on the tasks needed, authorized hours, and the recipient's preferences, with a provider list typically mailed within 5-7 business days of a request.
Clara has Merced County’s contacts and current wage, and can explain how hours are decided.
How to apply for IHSS in Merced County
To apply for IHSS in Merced County, call the county IHSS office. A social worker will take your application and arrange an in-home assessment.
Merced County IHSS phone number
There is no statewide online IHSS application — applying means phoning your county. All Merced 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 Merced 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.
Merced 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 Merced 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 Merced County
Not published yet
Merced 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 Merced County main IHSS line
- (209) 354-2561
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 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. 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
- $17.50/hr
- Public Authority
- Merced County IHSS Public Authority
- Public Authority Registry
- (209) 383-9504
- Office Address
- 2115 West Wardrobe Avenue
Merced, CA 95341
Wages are reviewed periodically. Confirm your current rate directly with the Merced County Public Authority before relying on this figure.
Check your weekly max as a Merced County provider → Pre-filled with the county average of 116 authorized hours a month (CDSS) — swap in your recipient's number.
Local Notes & Quirks
- Established by county ordinance: Merced's Public Authority was specifically created as a separate and distinct legal entity by the Board of Supervisors, with its own advisory committee where at least half the members must be current or past IHSS recipients.
- Registry timeline is set: Once a recipient's information is entered into the registry, a list of matching providers is typically mailed within 5-7 business days — useful to know if you're waiting to hear back.
- Central Valley wage pattern: At $17.50/hr, Merced tracks closely with neighboring Central Valley counties, notably below Bay Area rates.
Merced County IHSS — Common Questions
How much do IHSS providers get paid in Merced County?
What will IHSS providers be paid in Merced County in 2027?
How many IHSS hours do people get in Merced County?
How do I apply for IHSS in Merced County?
How many people receive IHSS in Merced County?
How many people receive Protective Supervision in Merced County?
Can I be paid to care for a family member in Merced 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 Merced County
If Merced 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 Merced 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.
