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Carer is legal custodian of a young woman who lives with her and who is total care. Can carer be compensated (in California)?

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Yes — in California, a non-family caregiver who is the legal guardian/conservator/custodian of a totally dependent adult can sometimes be compensated for providing care, though the exact mechanism matters a lot. The most common pathway is through:

In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), which is tied to Medi-Cal.  Under IHSS a disabled adult can qualify for paid in-home caregiving, and the recipient can hire a caregiver/provider, including a friend, guardian, non-relative, or sometimes family member. 

Importantly:

IHSS can pay for very intensive care needs, including “protective supervision” for someone who needs near-constant monitoring because of cognitive or developmental impairments. So in the situation you described:

- adult
- lives with caregiver,
- requires 100% care,
- caregiver is legal custodian/guardian

then yes, compensation may absolutely be possible through IHSS/Medi-Cal if she qualifies medically and financially.

Depending on the situation compensation may also come from:

- SSI/SSDI benefits,
- regional center programs for developmental disabilities,
- conservatorship-approved payments,
- special needs trusts,
- or state waiver programs.

If the caregiver is a court-appointed conservator, California courts can sometimes approve compensation from the conservatee’s estate or income. 

Important distinction
Being a legal guardian/conservator does NOT automatically mean “volunteer only.” Many people wrongly assume caregivers cannot be paid unless they are licensed professionals. In California, paid caregiving by non-relatives is extremely common under IHSS.

Important caveats

The details matter:

Is she on Medi-Cal?
Is there an official conservatorship?
Does she receive SSI?
Is she developmentally disabled vs physically disabled?
Does she already receive IHSS hours?
Is the caregiver officially enrolled as an IHSS provider?

Those factors affect eligibility, number of payable hours, and compensation amount.

IHSS pay rates vary by county but are often roughly in the mid-to-high teens per hour or more.

One important reality:

Even when approved, California often does NOT pay enough to truly compensate 24/7 caregiving fully. Many caregivers still provide substantial unpaid labor beyond authorized hours.

(Information aggregated by ChatGPT5.3)
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