THE PROVIDER ASSISTANCE TEAM (PAT): IMPROVING AND EXPEDITING IHSS CAREGIVER ENROLLMENT

About the Program

Category: County Administration and Management (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

Riverside County has the highest projected growth rate of 60 and over and disabled populations in California, with an anticipated increase of 250% (CA Department of Aging, 2023). This coincides with an increased demand for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) for Riverside County residents. In-home care providers are a critical component of IHSS, yet many potential caregivers encounter multiple challenges as they began their enrollment process, resulting in delayed onboarding. The Adult Services Division of Riverside County’s Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) formed the Provider Assistance Team (PAT) to address fragmentation of the enrollment process for IHSS caregivers by creating a streamlined approach to better expedite caregiver onboarding. The PAT has achieved extraordinary success in a short period of time as demonstrated by elimination of the provider enrollment backlog, a reduction the wait-time for processing to less than thirty-days, and a considerable decrease in the number of provider complaints and concerns. This has resulted in cost-efficiency and increased customer service for the aged, blind, and disabled in Riverside County, IHSS clients receiving timely in-home care, and caregivers receiving payment with the least amount of administrative delay possible.