Everything specific to Tulare County — current provider wages, your Public Authority, and how to appeal a Notice of Action.
📩 Get occasional IHSS policy updates & new county guides:
$17.50
Hourly Wage
Effective Jan 1, 2026 · CDSS
Tulare Co. PA
Public Authority
Central Valley
Region
Overview
Tulare County's IHSS program is administered by the Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency, with the county's IHSS Public Authority working alongside Aging Services to maintain a registry of screened providers for more than 8,500 in-home caregivers countywide.
Tulare County IHSS providers have been actively bargaining with SEIU Local 2015 for improved wages and benefits, so this is a county where the rate can move meaningfully between updates — worth confirming directly before relying on any figure.
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Questions about IHSS in Tulare County?
Clara has Tulare County’s contacts and current wage, and can explain how hours are decided.
Tulare County by the Numbers
Official CDSS figuresCDSS program data · July 2026
9,266
Recipients Served
113.8
Avg Monthly Hours Authorized
5.2 below state avg
8,874
Active Providers
1,334
Receiving Protective Supervision
14% of recipients
Average authorized hours vs. California
113.8 hrs
state avg 119
Provider wage vs. California average
$17.50/hr
CA county avg $18.95
Wage rank #55 of 58Hours rank #38 of 58
Communities served: Visalia, Tulare, Porterville, Dinuba 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.
Tulare's wage is currently one of the lower rates in the state and is the subject of active union bargaining. Confirm your current rate directly with the Tulare County Public Authority before relying on this figure.
Local Notes & Quirks
Below-average wage, active bargaining: At $17.50/hr, Tulare's rate sits well below the statewide average, and SEIU Local 2015 has been publicly campaigning for a stronger contract — expect this figure to change.
Single office, two phone options: Tulare County IHSS operates out of one Visalia office with both a local number and a toll-free line, useful if you're calling long-distance from elsewhere in the county.
Significant unused care hours: County data has shown hundreds of thousands of authorized IHSS hours going unused in Tulare County due to a provider shortage — a sign that registry wait times can run longer here than in better-staffed counties.
Appealing a Notice of Action in Tulare County
If Tulare 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 Tulare County IHSS appeal, Disability Rights California can be reached at 1-800-776-5746.
Heading into your Tulare 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.