In-Home Supportive Services program.

Existing law provides for the county-administered In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, under which qualified aged, blind, and disabled persons are provided with services to permit them to remain in their own homes. Under existing law, the Medi-Cal program provides services similar to those offered through the IHSS program, to eligible individuals, with these services known as personal care option services. Existing law requires an applicant for, or recipient of, either of these in-home supportive services, as a condition of receiving these services, to obtain a certification from a licensed health care professional, as specified, declaring that the applicant or recipient is unable to perform some activities of daily living independently, and that without services to assist the applicant or recipient with activities of daily living, the applicant or recipient is at risk of placement in out-of-home care. This bill would prohibit a licensed health care professional from charging a fee for the completion of the certification form.