DPSS ePolicy

To release a new policy

The purpose of this Administrative Release (AR) is to inform In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) staff of the Multiple Wage Rates (MWR) automation in the Case Management, Information and Payrolling System (CMIPS) for IHSS providers who complete a temporary back-up provider assignment under the State Back-Up Provider System (State BUPS) or the Los Angeles County’s Back-Up Attendant Provider (LA BUAP) Program.

IHSS providers are eligible to receive a wage rate differential when they have completed a temporary back-up provider assignment, and the Personal Assistance Services Council (PASC) sends the IHSS Region a State BUPS or an LA BUAP Referral Form.

The CMIPS will allow IHSS staff to:

1. Assign temporary back-up providers different wage rates within the same month for a temporary back-up assignment; and
   
   
2. Assign a temporary back-up provider a wage rate differential and the county wage rate if the recipient permanently hires them in the same month. 

State BUPS

An IHSS recipient is eligible for a temporary IHSS/Waiver Personal Care Services (WPCS) temporary back-up provider from the State BUPS when:

1. They have an urgent need for personal care services that cannot be met by an existing provider and if left unattended the recipient may be at risk; or
   
   
2. The urgent need cannot be met because the recipient is transitioning to home-based care and does not yet have an identified provider.

The maximum total number of hours a recipient can receive under the State BUPS shall not exceed 80 hours per California State fiscal year (July 1st to June 30th) and shall be reset to 80 hours on July 1st of each year.

LA BUAP

IHSS recipients who are Severely Impaired (SI) and authorized 25 hours or more per week of personal care services can receive up to 20 hours a month under LA BUAP when their regular provider or their individualized “Emergency Back-Up Plan” provider is unavailable to perform personal care services and if left unattended the recipient will be at risk.

State BUPS/LA BUAP Providers  

All temporary back-up providers must be registered with the PASC and on the State BUPS or LA BUAP back-up registry, to receive a temporary assignment.  The PASC must send the designated IHSS Region a State BUPS Referral Form or an LA BUAP Back-Up Program Report Form to pay the temporary provider the applicable wage rate differential.

MWR

A CMIPS enhancement that streamlines the payment process for IHSS providers, allowing them to receive different wage rates within the same month.

State BUPS

The permanent back-up provider system allows IHSS recipients to receive temporary IHSS or WPCS from a back-up provider when they have an urgent need for personal care services that cannot be met by their existing provider, or when the urgent need arises during a transition to home-based care and no provider has yet been identified.

LA BUAP

The LA BUAP program is designed for recipients who are SI and receive 25 or more hours per week of Personal Care Services. The program provides a temporary back-up provider when the recipient’s regular provider or individualized “Emergency Back-Up Plan” provider is unavailable to perform personal care services and ensures that recipients are not left unattended or at risk.

PASC

The PASC is responsible for recruiting and enrolling eligible, available temporary back-up providers into the back-up provider registry. PASC assists IHSS recipients who request a temporary emergency back-up provider by determining their eligibility for either the State BUPS or the LA BUAP and referring a provider from the appropriate back-up registry.

State BUPS Eligibility Requirements

All IHSS recipients are eligible to receive temporary IHSS services from the State BUPS registry if they have an urgent need for back-up supportive services related to:

1. Personal Care services that cannot be met by an existing provider; or
   
   
2. Transitioning to home-based care and do not yet have an identified provider.

LA BUAP Eligibility Requirements

IHSS recipients that are authorized 25 hours or more per week of personal care services are eligible to receive temporary IHSS services from the LA BUAP registry if:

1. There is an immediate and emergent need due to the unavailability of the regular provider(s); or
   
   
2. The unavailability of any other support services pre-arranged by the recipient, and exhausting all options on their SOC 864 - IHSS Individualized Back Up Plan and Risk Assessment.

Note: All service hours received under the State BUPS or LA BUAP will be deducted from the recipient’s total monthly authorized IHSS hours.

IHSS Provider Requirements

To be eligible to serve as a temporary back-up provider and receive a wage rate differential, the provider must meet the following criteria:

1. The provider must have fulfilled all the provider enrollment requirements; 
   
   
2. Must not have been convicted of a Tier 1 or Tier 2 crime.  IHSS providers with a Tier 2 criminal conviction are not allowed to work as a back-up provider with an Individual Waiver;
   
   
3. The provider must be on the PASC back-up registry; and
   
   
4. The provider must have completed a temporary back-up State BUPS or an LA BUAP assignment.

A recipient-chosen temporary back-up provider, who is not part of the PASC back-up registry, will not be paid the wage rate differential.

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