We offer a selection of fifteen certificate courses to help develop the skills necessary for providing quality in-home service and prevent injuries. The common goal is to support the providers with knowledge to share with their consumers. This training educates the providers to practice compassionate, quality healthcare in the consumers’ home; promoting comfort, independence and dignity.
These classes are optional and free of charge. This training is exclusively offered to IHSS Independent Providers in Santa Clara County—you must be currently working as a provider or be an active member of the Public Authority Registry to register for classes.
IHSS Care Provider Training Class Incentive Payment
IHSS providers are eligible to receive a $25
incentive payment for each Public Authority Services certificate class
they complete. There will be no retroactive payment for classes taken
prior to July 1, 2019.
The County has set aside a specific budget to be used each year for
these incentive payments. Once the budget runs out for the year no
further incentives will be granted until the budget rolls over at the
beginning of the following year. There will be no retroactive payments
for classes that are completed after the budget is exhausted for the
year.
Payment of the incentive will be managed by Public Authority
Services by Sourcewise on a monthly basis. One check will be mailed
from Sourcewise to each provider who completed a class during the
previous month, and that check will include the incentive payment for
each class completed during that month. Due to the time needed to
process and mail the incentive checks, these payments are
generally received in the third week of each month.
To receive the incentive payment providers must:
See the Public Authority Services Training FAQ for more details
Series 1 Classes
You can earn a Series 1 Certificate of Completion at the end of the semester after completing all nine of the following courses:
CPR
Learn how to safely and correctly perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on adults, children and infants. Learn how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED). 2 year certification is obtained upon completion.First Aid
Learn how to recognize and respond, with initial care, to medical emergencies until trained medical professionals are available to take over care. Learn techniques for responding to sudden illnesses, allergic reactions, minor and major bleeding, heart attack or stroke, and stabilizing injuries. 2 year certification is obtained upon completion.Safe Lifting and Transferring
Don’t strain your back! Learn to use proper body mechanics and equipment to transfer consumers between beds and wheelchairs, as well as transfers to several positions. Learn how to safely assist your consumer with ambulation (walking).Nutrition
Learn how to help the consumer be aware of healthy diet choices; safe feeding with loss of teeth, appetite, and swallowing issues; special diet needs; accepting challenges; how to apply diet changes to age, culture, and religious preferences.Understanding Diabetes
Gain understanding of diabetes types and causes, complications caused by diabetes, and overview care for diabetes; importance of diet, blood sugar management and following medication schedule; care for teeth, nails, and skin of a diabetic.Personal Care
Learn techniques for providing mouth care, bathing, feeding, dressing & grooming your consumer; learn how to safely change bedding in an occupied bed; learn infection control practices and prevention techniques.Safety and Infection Prevention
Learn about infection control and prevention; basic personal care; feeding schedules; Foley catheter care; Colostomy careLast Phase of Life
Learn to help the consumer talk about feelings regarding illness, sadness, and end of life; how to meet consumer’s physical, mental and spiritual needs during end of life stage; how to share respect and support with the family; accepting hospice care as comfort care.Mental Health
Learn to help the consumer report mental issues to family and doctor; build routine; identify daily stresses and contributing factors, and prevent upset of routine; understand medications and side effects; talking about thoughts of harming self or others.
Get started now! You can complete the nine courses at your own pace. If you do not finish them on this schedule, take the rest on the next schedule offered.
You can earn a Series 2 Certificate of Completion at the end of the semester after completing all six of the following courses:
Alzheimer’s Basics
Learn the difference between normal aging and dementia, the basics of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. Learn basic strategies for connecting and communicating with those with dementia, as well as resources that can help.Caregiver Stress Management
Learn about the issues commonly faced by care providers, both family and non-family. Learn how to recognize and address your stress, and take care of yourself while caring for another person. Learn about community resources that can help you.The Skilled Care Provider
Gain basic knowledge, tools and skills that can help you on your path as a care provider. Learn about mandated reporting, caregiver ethics, building trust and good relationships, hazards and safety for providing in-home care, universal precautions, taking care of yourself, emergency preparation, and more.
Cancer Care Basics
Gain an understanding of cancer types, treatments and the importance of non-medical support. Gain greater understanding of the needs of cancer patients, and how cancer affects the whole person. Learn how to best support and communicate with a person diagnosed with cancer.
Emergency and Disaster Preparedness
Gain information, tips and suggestions that you can pass on to your consumer to help prepare for disasters and medical emergencies. Learn ways to be proactive by putting together an emergency plan, emergency kit, special considerations for the elderly or disabled during disasters, the best way to handle medical emergencies, and more.Falls Prevention
Build awareness on the risk factors that may cause falls for seniors and people with disabilities. Learn strategies that may help you keep yourself, your consumer and the living environment safe and clear of hazards that may cause falls, as well as simple exercises to help build strength and balance.
We offer two semesters of classes each year. Class schedules are
mailed to each active IHSS care provider in January for the spring semester and in August for the fall semester. Follow the
instructions on the schedule you receive, or in the PDF version below,
to register for classes.
Providers may register for up to nine classes per semester and, if desired, can repeat classes previously taken every three years to refresh their knowledge, with the exceptions of CPR and First Aid classes which can be taken every two years.
Incentive payments for completing the classes are processed once per month. One check will be mailed from Sourcewise to each provider who completed a class during the previous month, and that check will include the incentive payment for each class completed during that month. Due to the time needed to process and mail the incentive checks, these payments are generally received in the third week of each month.
Once earned, the Certificates of Completion never expire. Providers
will not receive a second copy of the Certificate of Completion unless
requested at the time they register for classes and they complete the entire series
of classes again.
The spring semester takes place between February and May. The fall
semester takes place between September and December. For additional
information, please refer to the class schedule link below.
Pre-Registration and Confirmation is required. Visit the class registration portal linked below or, if you have no access to the internet, call to register: (408) 350-3220.
Review the schedule, choose your classes, then click the link below to begin your class registration. You can also log in to your online registration account to see your current schedule of classes and view your training class history.
If
you are on a waitlist it means the class is full, you are not confirmed/authorized to attend
the class, and there will not be a seat for you. DO NOT ATTEND CLASSES YOU ARE ON
THE WAITLIST FOR. Your name will not be on the sign-in sheet and you will not
be allowed into the classroom. If space becomes available, you will be notified.
If a class is full and you do not see a link for the waitlist, the waitlist has not yet opened. Check back in a couple days or call Public Authority Training to request to be added.
If you need to cancel your registration or waitlist placement for a class, call the training dapartment at least 48 hours--or as soon as reasonably possible--before the class. Calling us to cancel your classes allows us to easily move another provider from the waitlist into your empty seat: (408) 350-3220
IHSS care providers are eligible to have the cost of tuition and textbooks reimbursed if they choose to take certain types of training classes outside those offered by Public Authority Services. The class must be pre-approved by Public Authority Services in order to receive reimbursement. Providers must pay for these classes and associated textbooks up front, and can have those costs reimbursed up to $500 per year.
To be reimbursed for classes offered outside of the Public Authority Services curriculum, the provider must apply for the Life Enhancement Fund at least one month prior to the beginning of the class. Classes must meet certain criteria and must enhance the wellness or effectiveness of the In-home care provider in providing value to the care of the consumer. For example, Home Health Aid courses or learning a language that will benefit your work as a care provider. Providers must complete and return a W-9 form to Public Authority Services to receive reimbursement.
The Public Authority will review the application and notify
the Independent Provider of approval or denial within ten (10) business
days following receipt of the application.
Download a printable version of the JDF Life Enhancement Application
We have gathered a wide range of helpful educational videos that care providers can watch to gain tips and guidance. These videos are hosted on YouTube and can be accessed at any time that is convenient for you.
These videos are not part of the Public Authority Services training curriculum, but do contain very useful information and quick tips that can be helpful in building caregiver skills when you do not have time for regular training classes.
Many videos are available in multiple languages. Explore the Provider Skills Videos page by clicking here.
For more information contact Public Authority Services at (408) 350-3220.
Public Authority Services, in partnership with the Public Authority Services Advisory Board, created short handbook modules to assist In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) consumers to better understand their role, responsibilities, and the resources available to them. These handbook modules were created by individuals who receive in-home care to guide other IHSS consumers.
Click the links below to view the handbooks.
English
Spanish
Vietnamese
Chinese
Follow
this link for the most recent version of the In-Home Supportive
Services (IHSS) Consumer Handbook. Some information may be out of date.
Follow this link for help in understanding consumer rights and responsibilities in the IHSS program.
Follow these links to learn more, and gain clearer
understanding of
the changes to Medical benefits and the Cal Medi-Connect program.
Follow this link for information in additional languages
IHSS Consumer Information Videos From Public Authority Services
IHSS Consumer Education Videos from CDSS
Emergency and Disaster Preparedness Videos
Fall Prevention Video
Consumer Connection Newsletter