Can I receive both IHSS and CalFresh benefits for my special needs child?

Yes, you can absolutely receive both! My daughter has cerebral palsy, and I've been her IHSS provider for 3 years while also receiving CalFresh. The way it works is that IHSS income IS counted as earned income for CalFresh eligibility, but that doesn't mean you'll lose benefits completely. When I started getting IHSS payments, my CalFresh amount went down from $600 to about $320, but I was still financially better off overall. Make sure when you report the IHSS income on your SAR7 or recertification that you also report any additional expenses you have related to your child's care that might qualify as deductions.

my son gets ihss and we still get calfresh but it got less when i started getting paid for ihss. they count it different than regular work income i think?? something about a special deduction. the worker told me but i forget exactly what she said lol

I've been an IHSS provider for my son for almost 2 years while receiving CalFresh. Here's what you need to know: 1. IHSS income is counted as earned income for CalFresh 2. You get a 20% earned income deduction automatically 3. If your child has medical expenses not covered by insurance, those can be deducted too 4. Your housing costs are important to report accurately When I started getting IHSS, my CalFresh went down but not by as much as I feared. The process can be confusing though. When you apply for IHSS, they'll do an assessment to determine how many hours your child qualifies for. Apply for as many as you think are needed - don't try to game the system based on CalFresh calculations. Getting the proper care hours is more important. One more tip: make sure you're turning in your SAR7 forms on time every 6 months. If you miss reporting your IHSS income, you could end up with an overpayment that you'll have to pay back.

DONT BELIEVE EVERYTHING PPL TELL U!!! i got IHSS for my kid then they CUT OFF my calfresh completely saying i made too much! had to fight for MONTHS to get it back!!! the county workers dont know their own rules half the time!!!

Have you tried calling your county CalFresh office directly? They can give you the most accurate information about how IHSS income would affect your specific case. The challenge is actually getting through to a human being who can help you. I personally had to call multiple times and kept getting disconnected or faced hours of wait time. I finally tried using Claimyr (claimyr.com) which helped me get through to a CalFresh worker without the wait. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 Once I got through to an actual person, they were able to run calculations specific to my situation and tell me exactly how my benefits would change. It's worth getting this information before you make any decisions about IHSS.

Be careful to report everything accurately! My neighbor did IHSS for her daughter but didn't report the income properly on her SAR7, and ended up with a $2300 CalFresh overpayment. She had to pay it all back. Make sure you update both programs whenever your income changes.

One thing no one has mentioned yet is that if you're approved as an IHSS provider for your child, you should also look into whether your county has an IHSS Public Authority. They often provide benefits like health insurance to IHSS providers, even parent providers in many cases. This could be another important resource for your family. Regarding CalFresh, in my experience working with families, most parent providers still qualify for some amount of CalFresh even with IHSS income, though the amount is typically reduced. The exact calculation depends on your household size, other income, and expenses like rent/mortgage, utilities, and childcare costs. Definitely apply for IHSS if your child needs the support - don't let concerns about CalFresh reductions stop you from accessing a program that could really help your family situation overall.

Update for 2025: Just so you have current information, the income limits for CalFresh have increased this year. For a household of 2, the gross monthly income limit is now around $3,250. So even with IHSS income, you may still qualify for a decent amount of CalFresh benefits. One thing I've learned over the years is to always be transparent with both programs about your income from the other. IHSS and CalFresh do share information, so eventually they'll find out anyway. Better to report properly than deal with overpayments or fraud accusations later.

Thank you all SO MUCH for the helpful responses! I feel much more confident about applying for IHSS now. I'm going to start the application process next week and will make sure to carefully track and report all income changes on my next SAR7. I've also made a note about the medical expense deductions and will gather those receipts. And I'll definitely check out both the IHSS Public Authority and that Claimyr service to help me get through to someone at the county for specific calculations. You've all been incredibly helpful!

Just wanted to add one more resource that might help - if you're in Los Angeles County, they have a really helpful IHSS hotline (1-888-944-4477) where you can ask questions about the application process and what to expect. They also have bilingual staff if that's helpful. Also, when you do apply for IHSS, make sure to have documentation ready about your daughter's disabilities and care needs. The assessment process can take a while, but having medical records, therapy notes, and maybe a letter from her doctor about her specific needs can help speed things up. Good luck with everything! It sounds like you're being a great advocate for your daughter, and these programs are there to help families like yours. Don't let the paperwork intimidate you - it's worth it for the support you'll both get.

I'm in a similar situation with my 12-year-old who has autism. We've been receiving IHSS for about 18 months now, and I can confirm that you can definitely have both programs! What I learned through the process is that it's really important to understand the timing. When you first get approved for IHSS, there's usually a delay before you receive your first payment, but you need to report the IHSS income to CalFresh as soon as you're approved, not when you actually get paid. I made the mistake of waiting until I got my first check, and it caused some confusion with my case. Also, keep in mind that IHSS payments can vary month to month depending on your child's assessed hours and any changes in their needs. I've found it helpful to report an average monthly amount to CalFresh and then do adjustments on my SAR7 forms. One last tip - if your daughter qualifies for Regional Center services too, those don't count as income for CalFresh purposes, which is different from IHSS. Just something to keep in mind if you're working with multiple support systems. The whole process can feel overwhelming at first, but having both programs has made such a difference for our family's stability. You're doing the right thing by looking into all available resources!

I'm a parent provider for my 14-year-old son who has Down syndrome, and we've been successfully receiving both IHSS and CalFresh for over two years now. One thing that really helped me was keeping a simple spreadsheet to track my IHSS hours and payments each month - it makes filling out the SAR7 forms so much easier and helps avoid any reporting errors. Something I wish someone had told me earlier is that you can also deduct any work-related expenses from your IHSS income when calculating CalFresh eligibility. Things like mileage for taking your child to medical appointments, special equipment you need to purchase for their care, or even uniforms if required. These deductions can help reduce the countable income and keep your CalFresh benefits higher. Also, don't be discouraged if your first few interactions with the county workers are confusing - many of them aren't familiar with how IHSS income should be handled for CalFresh calculations. I had to educate my worker using the CalFresh policy manual, but once we got it sorted out, everything has run smoothly. You're absolutely making the right choice pursuing both programs - the combination has been a lifesaver for our family's financial stability while ensuring my son gets the care he needs.