For people and families comparing IHS providers
What should I ask a provider about IHS without training?
Ask how the provider would support a specific routine at the person’s address and preferred times. Then ask who coordinates visits, how the person’s preferences are shared, and what happens when the arrangement changes. Record what is confirmed separately from what the provider still needs to check.
Bring one real request
Give each provider the same brief description so the conversations are comparable. Include the setting, proposed days and the part of the routine where support is wanted. You can start with initials and general needs; agree how to share detailed documents when they are needed.
Ask the provider to explain their approach in plain language. “We can help” is a starting point. Follow up with which tasks, which times, and which information they need before they can confirm fit.
Discuss worker fit and communication
Ask how the person participates in introductions and what happens if the match does not feel comfortable. Discuss communication preferences, punctuality expectations, and the contact for questions. Ask how a replacement worker would learn the current arrangement without expecting the person to repeat everything.
Compare the actual answers, not just the friendliness of the first conversation. A provider who needs to verify a schedule may be giving a more useful answer than an unqualified promise.
Verify the record and the arrangement
Use the Minnesota licensing lookup as one part of provider research. Match the legal entity and relevant service information, and ask about any mismatch with the trading name. A listing does not establish present staffing at your address. Keep that question in the interview as a separate confirmation.
IHS provider interview record
Download this editable worksheet, add your notes, and bring it to the relevant planning conversation. Leave unknown details blank and identify who can confirm them.
Download worksheet (.txt)- Provider and contact
- Who spoke with you, on what date, and how can you follow up?
- Specific request
- Which routine, address area and proposed days did you discuss?
- Confirmed fit
- What did the provider confirm, and what is still being checked?
- Worker and communication
- How are preferences, introductions, concerns and schedule changes handled?
- Next decision
- Who will respond next, about what, and when should you check back?
An optional discussion tool, not an official assessment, authorization, service plan, or emergency plan. Keep completed copies private and share through an agreed channel.
Illustrative planning example
Two providers say they offer IHS. One confirms a conversation about Tuesday afternoons; the other has not yet checked that time. The comparison record marks one schedule as under discussion and the other as unknown, rather than treating both as available.
This example is invented to explain the worksheet; it is not a client story or a promised outcome.
Your next step
Contact Clemens Health about the location, routine and schedule you want to discuss. Ask the team to confirm service fit and staffing before agreeing on a start date.
For a conversation with Clemens Health about your Twin Cities location, call (651) 354-1196 or send a referral. Service fit, authorization, and staffing need to be confirmed.
Minnesota resources
State resources explain program rules. The worksheet and examples are Clemens Health planning aids. Links were checked October 5, 2026; follow the current state guidance for eligibility and service questions.