Call or visit your local county Medi-Cal office to complete an IHSS application. Once your application has been received, a caseworker will conduct a needs assessment to determine the services and number of hours IHSS may provide to assist you.

The California Department of Social Services provides a variety of resources and information on IHSS.

The CSU Sacramento Institute for Social Research offers detailed information in their IHSS Provider Handbook and IHSS Consumer Handbook.

All-County Letter Number 04-43 provides details on the use of IHSS personal care services at the workplace.

The California Association for Public Authorities for IHSS helps consumers gain access to service providers in their local area.

The California Advocates for Nursing Reform provide a fact sheet and local phone numbers for information on IHSS services.

The federal government pays benefits planners in communities around the country to help people think ahead about benefits issues. The Social Security Administration (SSA) replaced the Benefits Planning Assistance and Outreach Project (BPAO) with the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Program in October of 2006.

The new program emphasizes work incentives over work supports for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries. Benefits planners who are funded by SSA and trained under this new program are called Community Work Incentives Coordinators (CWIC's).

To find a benefits planner near you, use DB101's Benefits Planners Directory.

The Health Consumer Alliance website provides publications on many programs, including the following Medi-Cal programs:

• Aged & Disabled Federal Poverty Level
• Medically Needy
• 250% Working Disabled

The Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services is the agency that runs the federal Medicaid program. They have information and resources available on their Medicaid webpage

The Social Security Administration webpage on Medicaid provides useful information, especially for people with disabilities.

The Department of Health Care Services Medi-Cal page has information on Medi-Cal programs and resources for providers.

The California Health Incentive Improvement Project (CHIIP) has a helpful FAQ on the Medi-Cal 250% program that includes a listing of county coordinators.

Protection and Advocacy, Inc. has publications on a wide variety of topics. They have a page listing their resources on Medi-Cal and other health benefit programs.

The National Health Law Program has pages about Medicaid and Medi-Cal.

The National Immigration Law Center has a section on immigrants and public benefits, including health care.

Various community-based organizations provide staff to work with people concerning a range of options on state, federal, public, and private health and income programs. Counseling about benefits, as a community service, is an emerging field of expertise with different levels of services available. Some organizations may work with specific populations while others work with individuals with any type of disability.

Goodwill Industries services range from personal evaluation and office skills training to career counseling, childcare, and transportation. Some of these centers conduct Benefits Planning Assistance and Outreach for Social Security and Medicare beneficiaries related to work activity.

Find locations at http://www.goodwill.org, or by calling (voice) 800-664-6577.

The California Foundation for Independent Living Centers lists 29 centers serving individuals with all disabilities. Many of these centers conduct Benefits Planning Assistance and Outreach for Social Security and Medicare beneficiaries related to work activity. Most independent living centers can refer callers to local benefit program information if they do not have these services.

Find the list of independent living centers at http://www.cfilc.org, or by calling (voice) 916-325-1690 or (TTY) 916-325-1695.

The AIDS Hotline database contains 1,300 organizations providing HIV/AIDS services throughout California. Some of these organizations offer case management, benefits planning, and benefits counseling services that can include assistance with public and private benefits programs.

Find the list of AIDS organizations at http://www.aidshotline.org, or by calling (voice) 800-367-AIDS (2437) or (TTY) 888-225-AIDS (2437).

Protection and Advocacy, Inc. (PAI), a federally funded program in all states, provides representation for consumers of public programs who are disabled. Website publications include topics on health care, benefit programs, and In Home Supportive Services.