Information for Home Care Aides
COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement
Per the State Public Health Officer Order released September 28, 2021, all Registered Home Care Aides are required to have the first dose of a one-dose regimen or the second dose of a two-dose regimen of a currently authorized COVID-19 vaccine by November 30, 2021. Exemptions are available only on the basis of religious beliefs or qualifying medical reasons, and exempted individuals must undergo weekly testing. Affiliated Home Care Aides must provide their Home Care Organizations with proof of vaccination or exemption and testing results, and Independent Home Care Aides must maintain their own vaccination records or exemption and testing results. For more information, see PIN 21-07-HCS.
Per the State Public Health Officer Order released December 22, 2021 (updated January 25, 2022), all Registered Home Care Aides and Home Care Organization staff with direct contact with clients or prospective clients currently eligible for boosters must be fully vaccinated and receive a booster dose for COVID-19 by no later than March 1, 2022. For more information, see PIN 22-02-HCS.
Registration
Home Care Aide Application Process
For information on how to apply for an initial Home Care Aide registration or renew a Home Care Aide registration, see the Home Care Aide Application Process page.
Disclosure of HCA Personal Information
For all registrations and renewals, the Department is required to provide the name and telephone numbers of Registered HCAs who do not opt-out of this requirement to labor organizations when the labor organization asks for the information. This means that if you do not opt-out of this requirement, your full name and any telephone numbers on file with the Department may be released to a labor organization.
The law states that the labor organization can only use your information for employee organizing, representation, and assistance activities and it also states that the labor organization cannot disclose your information to any other party. However, the Department has no authority over labor organizations or control over what they do with the information. Additionally, if you opt-in at any point during your registration, there is a chance that your name and phone numbers may be provided to a labor organization and the Department cannot retract any personal information once it has been released to the labor organizations.
For further information, see Health and Safety Code section 1796.29(d)-(f).
Changes to Registration
If you need to make changes to your name and/or mailing address, please email a completed HCS 105 to FaxHCSB@dss.ca.gov, or mail a completed copy to the address below. You can also make changes to your address online using your Guardian account.
Department of Social Services
Home Care Services Branch
744 P Street, M.S. 9-14-90
Sacramento, CA 95814
Receive Important Updates
If you wish to receive updates from the Department concerning topics such as Provider Information Notices (PINs), webinars, program updates, and more, click the following links to sign up for Home Care Aide updates, Home Care Organization updates, or both.
Home Care Aide Registry
The Home Care Aide Registry provides individuals with the ability to check the status of a Home Care Aide (HCA) who is listed on the Home Care Aide Registry. Before registration approval, an individual must complete a criminal background check process administered by the California Department of Social Services.
An individual can search the status of a registered Home Care Aide or Home Care Aide applicant by entering the Home Care Aide’s first name, last name, and Personnel identification number (PER ID / HCA ID).
Independent Home Care Aides
An independent Home Care Aide is defined as an individual, 18 years of age or older, who is not employed by a home care organization, but who is listed on the home care aide registry and is providing home care services through a direct agreement with a client. A Home Care Aide may apply as an independent Home Care Aide initially and the Home Care Organization may request a transfer of the Home Care Aide’s clearance or criminal record exemption once the Home Care Aide is registered on the Home Care Aide Registry.
Background Check Process
If you have questions regarding the processing of your background check, please contact the Care Provider Management Branch at (888) 422-5669.
The California Health and Safety Code requires a background check of all community care license applicants, community care licensees, adult residents, volunteers under certain conditions and employees of community care facilities who have contact with clients. If an individual has been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation, the individual cannot work or be present in any community care facility unless he/she receives a criminal record exemption from the Care Provider Management Branch (CPMB). A criminal record exemption is a CDSS-authorized written document that "exempts" the individual from the requirement of having a criminal record clearance.
How the Background Check is Conducted: When an individual submits fingerprints, the California Department of Justice (DOJ) conducts a criminal history check. If the individual has no criminal history, DOJ forwards a clearance notice to the applicant or licensee and to the CPMB. If the individual has a criminal history, DOJ sends a criminal record transcript to CPMB showing arrests and convictions. The CPMB staff review the transcript and if the convictions are for crimes that may be exempted, the CPMB sends an exemption notification letter to the applicant or licensee and to the individual. The letter explains how to request an exemption and lists the documents/information that must be submitted to request an exemption. The individual cannot be present (work, reside or volunteer) in the facility until an exemption is granted by the CPMB.
Exemptions
If you have questions regarding the processing of your exemption, please contact the Care Provider Management Branch at (888) 422-5669.
Before an individual can obtain a community care license, or provide services, work or reside in a community care facility, he/she must receive a criminal record clearance from the Care Provider Management Branch (CPMB). An individual convicted of any crime other than minor traffic violations is disqualified unless the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) grants an exemption from the clearance requirement. All convictions other than minor traffic violations require an exemption, and this includes misdemeanors, felonies and convictions that occurred a long time ago.
An exemption is a CDSS-authorized written document that "exempts" the individual from the requirement of having a criminal record clearance. The CDSS is prohibited by law from granting exemptions to individuals convicted of certain crimes (non-exemptible crimes).Currently, there are 59 non-exemptible crimes, including murder, rape, torture, kidnapping and crimes requiring sex offender registration, and the non-exemptible crimes are listed here. If an individual is convicted of a non-exemptible crime, that individual cannot work in any licensed facility or for a health care organization, and an individual’s application will be denied, or the license revoked based on the conviction. The CDSS also has the authority and responsibility to investigate arrests to determine if the underlying conduct is substantiated and therefore presents a risk to the health and safety of clients who are in care.