Department of Social Services

Adult Services

We help helps elders or dependent adults remain safely in their homes, through our three Adult Services programs: Adult Protective Services, In-Home Supportive Services, and the In-Home Care Network.

 

Adult Protective Services (APS) responds to reports of neglect or abuse of elderly and/or disabled adults. Neglect may include neglect by another, and/or self-neglect. Abuse may include financial, physical, sexual or psychological abuse by another. APS social workers are on call 24 hours a day to assist those suffering from neglect or abuse. To report abuse, call our Hotline.  

The In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program provides support services so that low-income elderly, blind, and disabled people can remain safely in their own homes and avoid costly nursing home care. In-home caregivers provide services that can include bathing and dressing, bowel and bladder care, feeding, meal preparation, and household chores. The cost of these services is about 50% less than the cost of nursing home care. The IHSS program is funded by the Federal, State, and County governments. For more information, see our IHSS Brochures in English and Spanish. To apply, please call the office nearest you (weekdays from 8am to 5pm): in Santa Barbara (805) 681-4550, in Santa Maria (805) 346-8303, or in Lompoc (805) 737-6020.


Starting February 1, 2016, some IHSS recipients and care providers may be impacted by new rules regarding overtime and travel time pay under the 2016 Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Most recipients will not be impacted at all, as overtime and travel time does not apply in their individual situation. The real impact applies to providers who work more than 40 hours each work week, providers who work for multiple recipients, or providers who travel directly from one recipient's home to another on the same day. This 30-minute video explains the changes.


The In-Home Care Network (IHCN) is a state-mandated program that recruits, screens and trains in-home caregivers for IHSS recipients. The Network maintains a registry that can match caregivers and recipients by location, time preferences, and type of work. For more information, please call (866) 313-1353 or visit the California Department of Social Services website to learn more about becoming an IHSS Provider.


The Department also participates in the Santa Barbara County Adult & Aging Network (AAN), which includes representatives from many public and private agencies working to improve the lives of seniors and people with disabilities in our County. For more information, visit our Community Networks page. 


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Elder Abuse & Neglect Reporting Hotline

Mon-Fri, 8am-4:30pm: 
Toll-free: (844) 751-6729

After business hours:
Sheriff's Dispatch: 
(805) 692-5744

If an elder is in immediate danger,  call 911.

If abuse is in a licensed residential or long-term care facility: (805) 922-1236

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