In-home care caseworkers will be getting a raise of 50 cents on the first of the New Year, bringing their total compensation to $16.78 an hour. Currently, Santa Barbara County has 3,670 In Home Supportive Services caseworkers tending to the needs of 4,254 recipients. Most caregivers—63 percent—are related by blood to the persons they are serving.
The program is designed to help allow the old and frail to stay in their homes while receiving the care they need to be safe. Funding for the program is provided by a mix of state, federal and county sources. According to Amy Krueger of the county’s Department of Social Services, there’s a significant shortage of available caregivers both in Santa Barbara and throughout the state.
“Our goal is to be increase the numbers of available providers on our Registry that can be referred out to the vulnerable,” she said. Currently, she has 149 caregivers on the Registry, but only 68 have slack in their schedules and can be referred out.