IHSS in Santa Barbara County: Phone Number, Pay Rate & How to Apply
Everything specific to Santa Barbara County — current provider wages, your Public Authority, and how to appeal a Notice of Action.
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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 care providers 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.
Clara has Santa Barbara County’s contacts and current wage, and can explain how hours are decided.
How to apply for IHSS in Santa Barbara County
To apply for IHSS in Santa Barbara County, call the county IHSS office. A social worker will take your application and arrange an in-home assessment.
Santa Barbara County IHSS phone number
There is no statewide online IHSS application — applying means phoning your county. All Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara 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.
Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara County
Not published yet
Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara County main IHSS line
- (805) 681-4550
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 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. 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
- $20.07/hr
- Public Authority
- Santa Barbara County IHSS Public Authority (UDW/AFSCME Local 3930)
- Public Authority Main Line
- 1-866-313-1353
- Santa Maria Office
- (805) 346-7601
- Santa Barbara Office
- (805) 681-4550
- Office Address
- 304 West Carmen Lane
Santa Maria, CA 93458
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.
Check your weekly max as a Santa Barbara County provider → Pre-filled with the county average of 119 authorized hours a month (CDSS) — swap in your recipient's number.
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.
Santa Barbara County IHSS — Common Questions
How much do IHSS providers get paid in Santa Barbara County?
What will IHSS providers be paid in Santa Barbara County in 2027?
How many IHSS hours do people get in Santa Barbara County?
How do I apply for IHSS in Santa Barbara County?
How many people receive IHSS in Santa Barbara County?
How many people receive Protective Supervision in Santa Barbara County?
Can I be paid to care for a family member in Santa Barbara 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 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 1-800-743-8525 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 Santa Barbara 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.
