195 vs 283 IHSS Hours: What the Maximums Actually Mean

In IHSS, 195 and 283are the two monthly maximum authorized-hour figures — the most hours the county can authorize in a month, set by the recipient's assessed impairment. 195 hours per month is the maximum for a recipient assessed as non-severely impaired; 283 hours per month is the maximum for one assessed as severely impaired. They are not two “levels” of Protective Supervision, and they do not override the weekly rules. Here is what each figure actually means.

What 195 and 283 are

• 195 hours/month — the IHSS monthly maximum for a recipient assessed as non-severely impaired.
• 283 hours/month — the IHSS monthly maximum for a recipient assessed as severely impaired. This is the highest monthly IHSS authorization.

These figures cap the total monthly authorized hours across all IHSS services a recipient receives — personal care, domestic services, and any Protective Supervision — not a separate allowance for any one service.

Why they are not “Protective Supervision levels”

This is the most common misunderstanding. 195 and 283 are set by the recipient's assessed impairment severity — not by Protective Supervision itself. Protective Supervision is a service category authorized withinthe monthly maximum. Because it can be time-intensive, it is often what brings a recipient's authorized hours up toward one of these maximums — but it does not create its own “195 tier” or “283 tier.” Whether a recipient's maximum is 195 or 283 depends on the county's severity assessment, which you can read more about in the Protective Supervision guide.

How the county sets the maximum

The applicable maximum comes from the county's assessment of the recipient's functional need — how much help is required across the authorized services. The social worker determines the severity of impairment and therefore which monthly ceiling applies. As with all IHSS decisions, only the county can make that determination. Whether Protective Supervision itself is authorized is a separate question answered by the assessment and the SOC 821 medical form.

What the monthly maximum does not do

A high monthly authorization does not let a provider ignore the weekly rules. Each Sunday–Saturday workweek still has its own maximum, and the month has to be planned so no single workweek exceeds it. For a single recipient, the weekly maximum works out to 70:45 (283 ÷ 4). Hours over 40 in a workweek are paid as overtime regardless of the monthly figure — see the IHSS overtime guide for how the workweek and the 40-hour line work.

What it means for your hours and pay

A higher monthly authorization means more potential hours — and more potential overtime. It does not change the hourly rate, which is set by your county; check your county's current rate to work out your own numbers. Live-in providers still earn overtime over 40 hours in a workweek — the live-in status affects the income-tax exclusion, not overtime eligibility.

Common questions