Everything specific to Santa Barbara County — current provider wages, your Public Authority, and how to appeal a Notice of Action.
📩 Get occasional IHSS policy updates & new county guides:
$20.07
Hourly Wage
Effective Apr 1, 2026 · CDSS
Santa Barbara Co. PA
Public Authority
Central Coast
Region
Overview
Santa Barbara County's IHSS program is administered by the County Department of Social Services, with the Santa Barbara County IHSS Public Authority serving as Employer of Record and operating the provider registry for roughly 4,800 in-home caregivers countywide.
Providers here are represented by UDW/AFSCME Local 3930 rather than SEIU — a distinction from most other California counties — and recently secured a new three-year contract with a defined wage step schedule running through 2027.
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Questions about IHSS in Santa Barbara County?
Clara has Santa Barbara County’s contacts and current wage, and can explain how hours are decided.
Santa Barbara County by the Numbers
Official CDSS figuresCDSS program data · July 2026
5,552
Recipients Served
118.7
Avg Monthly Hours Authorized
at state average
4,928
Active Providers
647
Receiving Protective Supervision
12% of recipients
Average authorized hours vs. California
118.7 hrs
state avg 119
Provider wage vs. California average
$20.07/hr
CA county avg $18.95
Wage rank #13 of 58Hours rank #27 of 58
Communities served: Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Lompoc and more
Statewide, 925,481 Californians received IHSS in July 2026, averaging 119 authorized hours a month.
Source: CDSS IHSS Program Data.
Where should you start?
Pick the path that matches where you are right now.
Santa Barbara's wage is on a scheduled step increase through 2027. Confirm your current rate directly with the Santa Barbara County Public Authority before relying on this figure.
Local Notes & Quirks
Represented by UDW, not SEIU: Unlike most California counties where SEIU Local 2015 bargains on providers' behalf, Santa Barbara County IHSS providers belong to UDW/AFSCME Local 3930 — worth knowing if you're looking for union resources.
Scheduled wage increases through 2027: The county's 2026 contract locks in defined step increases rather than a single flat raise — the rate can change more than once within the same year, so always confirm the current figure.
Two office locations: Santa Barbara County IHSS maintains separate offices in Santa Maria and the city of Santa Barbara, each with its own direct line, reflecting the county's geographic spread.
Appealing a Notice of Action in Santa Barbara County
If Santa Barbara 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 1-800-952-5253 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 Santa Barbara County IHSS appeal, Disability Rights California can be reached at 1-800-776-5746.
Heading into your Santa Barbara County assessment?
The Clarity Report gives you a personalized estimate of the hours you may qualify for, built on California's official Hourly Task Guidelines — before you sit down with your county social worker.