Key Takeaways from California DSS Update

Last week, the HCAOA California Chapter hosted its first meeting of 2024, and representatives from the Department of Social Services (DSS) were on hand to discuss upcoming updates. Pallavi Shimoda, Section Chief, Care Provider Management Branch, Home Care Services Bureau, discussed background check best practices, addressing specific questions and issues encountered during the process. Sonya Wilson, Acting Bureau Chief of Home Care Services Bureau, highlighted hiring an enforcement manager for the southern region of California and encouraged businesses to file complaints regarding non-compliance.

​Here are a few takeaways:

• The Guardian PIN that was recently distributed, which is PIN 24-02-CCLD - Updated Guardian and Background Check Best Practices, is unique to each home care organization and is not unique to the applicant. For more information on the PIN please visit: Your PIN in Guardian Flyer.
• Currently, California has 1,970 licensed Home Care organizations.
• DSS hired Susan Do, an enforcement manager for southern California. She has 12 years of field experience and works with Wendy Scott, the enforcement manager for northern and mid-California regions.
• The goal and priority of DSS with home care is to get out in the community and ensure that unlicensed home care businesses are addressed and brought into compliance. If you know any unlicensed home care businesses, please file a complaint so DSS can investigate it. To file a complaint, please visit: https://cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/ccld-complaint-hotline
• If you would like more information on what is included on an unannounced audit list, please get in touch with your home care services analysts.

Additional resources shared by DSS:
Background Checks Demystified – A comprehensive guide to the background check process, including information on Error Batches
CDSS CPMB Homepage – CPMB’s webpage is full of Guardian resources, video tutorials, and navigation guides.

The meeting was recorded and is available here.