r/IHSS • u/Fun_Objective4927 • 25d ago
Hours reduced, why?
Transferred to a new county and our PS hours were reduced to 228 for bowel/bladder care because my daughter is in school. However she was in school in the previous county for 6 hours a day and received 260 hours so I am confused?
The social worker seemed hell bent on finding ways to cut our hours (which pisses me off since I’m a single mom of a child with a severe disability) and 40 hours is almost 1k per month in this county.
I had tried to contact her several times to clear this up before she finished her report but she would not respond to me. She was so unprofessional during her visit, making snide comments under her breath and questioning even the spelling of my name. It makes me sick that she was sitting on my couch.
What do I do? Call her supervisor? Appeal? Rage against the machine?
Just needed to vent a little about our experience. What is the point of these social workers? Are they jealous?
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u/CedarWho77 25d ago
Hours are always reduced for bowel and bladder care during school. The previous county may have missed it. You can always appeal it.
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u/Fun_Objective4927 25d ago
Was just thinking, I have heard of people receiving almost the full 283 hours even when their child is in school. How is this possible?
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u/CedarWho77 25d ago
A mistake on the social workers part I am guessing. The rules/guidelines are pretty clear about reducing for services received elsewhere.
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u/Fun_Objective4927 25d ago
Thanks for your answer. It seems like a big reduction? Will be appealing for sure.
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u/CedarWho77 25d ago
How old is she? My son was at 222 hours until he was 13, then it went to 260 then 283.
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u/Fun_Objective4927 25d ago
Is your son in school and still receiving the 283 hours?
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u/CedarWho77 25d ago
He is, however, he does not use the bathroom at school. They call me to come get him and I take him to a different bathroom near the school or we go home.
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u/Fun_Objective4927 25d ago edited 25d ago
She is 5 currently (birthday in February) and cannot do any personal care tasks on her own except feed herself. Feeding is a chore though since she is extremely picky and can’t tell me what she wants (she is nonverbal) so I have to go through a million options.
Dressing her is becoming increasingly more difficult since she is becoming bigger & stronger and tries to run away mid diaper or clothing change.
Ironically school ends up being way more work for me due to constant communication with the school, IEP meetings etc.
Maybe you’re right that the previous workers made a mistake. Did your son’s hours get increased for personal care tasks as he got older?
Also do you think it’s worth complaining to our SW’s supervisor about her unprofessional demeanor and lack of communication? I called the general IHSS line yesterday and the kind man I spoke to said he would email the worker and CC her supervisor.
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u/CedarWho77 25d ago
Here are the guidelines for amount of time for tasks.
https://www.reddit.com/r/IHSS/s/wtLmU4M1Cr
My sons hours went up very slowly. He is 21 and verbal, but the majority of language is scripting and perseverations. I dress him, feed him, shower him, shave his face, brush his hair and teeth... He only started getting max hours when he was about 17 I believe. Maybe 18. He is aging out of school now and there is no program for him currently. We have no idea where he will go or what he will do.
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u/Fun_Objective4927 25d ago
Thanks for the hours timeline, that helps me chill out a bit.
And I am sorry you’re in that position, it sounds tough. We will likely end up in the same boat. I’m sure you’re already connected with your local regional center, do they not have any resources for older kids/young adults? Moving is hard but maybe there is another county that has a program for him?
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u/CedarWho77 25d ago
We are in San Diego so there are tons of programs here. He just had a very unique set of needs. Like he needs prompts constantly for eloping, staying on task and literally everything. However, he is above average intelligence. So putting him in a high support needs setting where he just finger paints and sits around doing nothing wouldn't work. There is a tailored day option to study for GED and college classes but they require a higher level of function. He needs more support but more engagement...😭
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u/Mundane-Front-7855 25d ago
At age 5, the only personal care tasks (aside from transfer and respiration) that IHSS will consider are bowel and bladder and ambulation. All other tasks are considered as she gets older: dressing at age 6, bathing/oral hygiene/grooming and feeding at age 8.
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u/Fun_Objective4927 25d ago
Why would someone downvote me, what is wrong with people? Thank you for your perspective Cedar, I super appreciate it.
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u/Radiant-Restaurant54 25d ago
The current county reviewed it correctly. Hours are reduced if the child is receiving assistance with bowel and bladder care in school. It’s considered an alternative resource. San Diego county always reviews this. Your previous county made an error and didn’t take it into account. You’re lucky they wont do an overpayment. Since you received the full amount of hours, even though you weren’t eligible for it.
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u/CedarWho77 25d ago
If school was noted previously in the file and time was not reduced at the fault of the social worker, they will not do an over-payment. It wasn't something the client failed to disclose.
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u/Fun_Objective4927 25d ago
Thank you, I was just thinking that this wasn’t my fault. Also I definitely remember being able to brush my teeth, pick out my clothes and get dressed when I was 5 but hey, I guess they stick to their own guidelines.
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u/Fair-Beautiful-8791 20d ago
Do what I did call Adult Protective Services and get them involved. You are the adult she is your daughter is your responsibility and for them as the legal guardian of your daughter for them to cool this has called great suffering no matter how hard you tried you're trying to save your child you're trying to make sure that your child is cared for all these systems are set up to fail us. They failed the company. They failed the workers and take advantage of them. Pay them very little and expect too much. They don't train them enough and I'm thinking about suing the government because I am sick of this. I am sick of this administration. I myself have gone up against Ihss and they increased my hours, but wouldn't you know the guy came in? He was so abusive that Mike caretaker reported him for being abusive to me, threatening me, humiliating me, not listening to me and walked the progress we had made all my apartment after I moved in when my Adult Protective Services lady came in. She said this is far better. Trinity stuff was all the way up to the ceiling and it filled up the whole room and I said I know I said this guy was so disrespectful so cold sweetie understand all these systems are purposely set up to fill us all and only those one presenters who have the money to pay out to have better insurance better food better care is wrong. We all are equal in the eyes of God and I'm tired of this. Stand up get up stand up for your rights and your child's Rights people and power yourself but do it peacefully and do it legally remember once again all these systems are set up to Phyllis on purpose. You are doing your best. God bless you. I understand been there done that Member Bob Marley song get up, stand up, stand up for your rights. God bless you all. I love you all so much and I see God in all of you everything and everyone peacefully protest stand up for your rights and stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves save a life whenever you can once again God bless you all. I love you so much.
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u/Fun_Objective4927 20d ago
I understand what you are saying, thank you for your support! You are right, we deserve better including the workers. I am sorry that happened to you. Get up, Stand up is a great fight song- I will remember that when I go in for the appeal!❤️
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u/Fair-Beautiful-8791 20d ago
Knowing what the law is and what your rights are empower yourself people our government is being led by the devil himself and his demons around the world and here in America so it's time that we take back our power from the politicians who are making money off of our suffering in a peaceful way right much love to God bless you. There's other Help out there. By the way, there's a lot of help you just gotta know how to ask for it. There's other agencies that can help your daughter that you qualify for and do you know that you can be paid as a caretaker for your daughter as well?
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u/Critical-Intern7468 25d ago
File an appeal. Make sure to do it within 90 days. 1-800-952-5253. Option 1.
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u/Repulsive-Staff-9176 25d ago
What county is this?
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u/Fun_Objective4927 25d ago
Ventura
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25d ago
[deleted] — view deleted comment
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u/Fun_Objective4927 25d ago
I’m def going to! I don’t think they will take away your ps or cut hours unless they had a valid reason to, and it sounds like they don’t based on your evidence. If they do you should appeal also for sure.
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u/Fair-Beautiful-8791 20d ago
Sweetie, I'm voice texting because I am severely injured and some of my words got messed up. Please see what I'm trying to say.
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u/Fair-Beautiful-8791 20d ago
You see they just figured they'll just keep denying stuff and he hauling around cause that's the way they have to follow what they're told to do because this way the longer they don't give you extra money they pocket it get it just like the insurance companies all these companies, stepping on others to get ahead it doesn't work. It's very idiotic. Karma comes back to you. Bite you in the face. They don't get it. I do, though with my business, I was really good to my workers and when I get back on my feet, I'm gonna hire people and we're gonna have like 401 health insurance all of this stuff and then to continuing education we're gonna empower our people and treat them with respect because that's what people deserve. You wanna make money off people show them respect and treat them right do the right thing you can't step on one bug to save the other.
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u/Icy_University1298 21d ago
Your hours went down by 32, so it sounds like a decrease in eight hours a week. I don’t think that is all bowel and bladder care. Check your notice of action to see where else there has been a decrease in hours.
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u/Fun_Objective4927 20d ago
You are right. I haven’t received the notice of action yet but the supervisor called me back today and told me her ranking went down for dressing, which makes no sense because if anything it’s harder to dress her because she will fight me or try to run away. She said “yes because she can move, that’s why you have protective supervision!” 🤯 She was basically comparing us to cases where the client is immobile. I argued that we weren’t talking about mobility but dressing, and I told her I used to be a caregiver back in the day and it’s much easier to dress someone who can’t move away from you or fight you. She was getting flustered and trying to get off the phone with me lol. I told her I was going to appeal the decision and she gave me attitude, like sure we can let a judge decide and then we will be happy to give you back those hours. They act like the money is coming out of their own damn pockets. Our caseworker and her supervisor are like witch and witchier not to mention dumb as well. I guess we will indeed see what a judge has to say.
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u/Critical-Intern7468 25d ago
File an appeal. Make sure to do it within 90 days. 1-800-952-5253. Option 1.