You Can Get Paid to Care
for Someone You Love
In San Diego County, programs like IHSS can pay a family member to provide care at home. Coast Care helps you understand your options and get started.
Serving San Diego families since 2013.
The Basics
What is IHSS?
IHSS (In-Home Supportive Services) is a California program that can pay a caregiver, often a family member, to help a loved one stay safely at home.
Think of it this way: if you're already spending hours each week helping your mom bathe, cook, or get around, IHSS recognizes that this is real work — and the county may be able to pay you (or another caregiver you choose) for it.
Eligibility
Who can get paid?
Every situation is different, but these are the most common things the county looks for:
- They need help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, or meals
- They have Medi-Cal (California's Medicaid health coverage)
- They live at home, not in a facility
- A doctor or assessor confirms they need this level of help at home
To be clear:eligibility is decided by the county, not by Coast Care. We help you understand the process — we don't approve benefits.
Not sure where to start?
That's completely normal. Take our free eligibility check below, or just call and talk to a real person. We'll explain everything in plain English — no jargon, no pressure.
Check If You Qualify (Free)Or call us anytime at (858) 285-0938
How We Help
How Coast Care helps
Programs like this come with paperwork, phone calls, and words nobody explains. We make it simple:
We explain your options
IHSS, Medi-Cal (California's health coverage for people with limited income), CalAIM — we'll walk you through what each one means for your family, in words that make sense.
We point you in the right direction
If IHSS sounds right for your family, we'll tell you how to apply through the county. If another path fits better, we'll say so. No runaround.
We can provide the care
If your loved one has Medi-Cal and qualifies, Coast Care can provide professional in-home care through CalAIM — at no cost to the member. We've done this for San Diego families since 2013.
Two Ways Forward
Two simple paths
Depending on your situation, one of these two options is usually the right fit.
Get paid yourself (IHSS)
A family member — often an adult child — can be paid by the county to provide care. The county decides eligibility and handles payment.
Best when: you want to be the hands-on caregiver and your loved one may qualify for IHSS.
Have Coast Care provide care (CalAIM / Medi-Cal)
For eligible Medi-Cal members, Coast Care can provide authorized in-home care at no cost to the member. You get a professional caregiver, and you stay the family — not the employee.
Best when: you'd rather have a professional handle the care and stay focused on being family.
Not sure which fits? That's exactly what the free eligibility check is for. We'll help you figure it out — no obligation.
Free Eligibility Check
Find out where you stand
Fill this out and a real person from our San Diego team will call you back. We'll walk through your situation and point you in the right direction — even if that direction isn't us.
- Takes about a minute
- No obligation, ever
- A real person calls you back
Why Families Trust Us
Caring for San Diego since 2013
Locally owned and serving San Diego families ever since
Licensed and insured home care organization (HCO #374700060)
A local team that answers the phone and knows this community
Want to hear from families we've helped?
Read family storiesReady to find out if you qualify?
It's free, it takes about a minute, and a real person will call you back. Or call us right now — we're happy to talk it through.
Coast Care does not determine eligibility for IHSS, Medi-Cal, or CalAIM benefits. Eligibility and authorization are determined by the county and the member's Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan. Services are subject to approval.