IHSS Compliance & Ethical Standards 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is considered timesheet fraud in the IHSS program?
- Submitting hours worked on a weekend
- Recording hours you did not actually work (Correct answer)
- Claiming mileage for transportation services
- Submitting timesheets electronically
Correct answer: Recording hours you did not actually work
Recording hours not actually worked is timesheet fraud and can result in criminal prosecution and repayment demands.
Question 2: What must an IHSS provider do if they suspect a recipient is being financially exploited by a third party?
- Confront the third party directly
- Report the suspicion to Adult Protective Services (Correct answer)
- Move the recipient's valuables to a safer location
- Consult with a personal attorney first
Correct answer: Report the suspicion to Adult Protective Services
Providers are mandated reporters and must contact APS when they suspect any form of abuse including financial exploitation.
Question 3: An IHSS provider is going through a personal financial crisis. What is the ethical way to handle this situation?
- Borrow money from the recipient with intent to repay
- Seek community resources or assistance programs independently (Correct answer)
- Ask the recipient to pay them in advance for future services
- Discuss finances openly and accept help the recipient offers
Correct answer: Seek community resources or assistance programs independently
Providers must never use their position to solicit financial help from recipients; they should seek outside resources instead.
Question 4: Which action best demonstrates maintaining professional boundaries with an IHSS recipient?
- Sharing personal problems to build trust with the recipient
- Keeping interaction focused on care tasks and recipient's wellbeing (Correct answer)
- Becoming close friends and socializing off-duty regularly
- Moving in with the recipient to provide 24-hour support
Correct answer: Keeping interaction focused on care tasks and recipient's wellbeing
Maintaining professional boundaries means keeping the relationship focused on care and the recipient's needs, not personal friendship.
Question 5: A recipient's authorized IHSS hours are reduced after a reassessment. The recipient is upset. What should the provider advise?
- Continue working the original hours without reporting it
- Help the recipient understand their right to appeal the reduction (Correct answer)
- Tell the recipient to hire a private caregiver for the extra hours
- Request the social worker reinstate the hours without a formal appeal
Correct answer: Help the recipient understand their right to appeal the reduction
Recipients have the right to appeal any reduction in services and the provider should inform them of this right.
Question 6: When must an IHSS provider report a change in a recipient's condition to the appropriate authority?
- Only when the recipient requests it
- Only at the annual reassessment
- When a significant change affects the recipient's safety or service needs (Correct answer)
- Only when a physician orders a formal report
Correct answer: When a significant change affects the recipient's safety or service needs
Significant changes in a recipient's condition that affect safety or care needs should be reported to the social worker promptly.
Question 7: Why is it important for IHSS providers to document tasks completed during each visit?
- To justify billing more hours than authorized
- To provide an accurate record that supports compliance and quality of care (Correct answer)
- To share with the recipient's family on social media
- To negotiate higher pay with the county
Correct answer: To provide an accurate record that supports compliance and quality of care
Accurate documentation ensures accountability, supports compliance, and provides evidence that authorized services were delivered.
IHSS Compliance & Ethical Standards 3
Which of the following is considered timesheet fraud in the IHSS program?