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The report below has good information about the state budget cuts. Many programs are affected including IHSS and SSI. The budget bill includes planning for a possible future across the board 8.4% cut in IHSS hours. With the 3.6% cut that went into effect February 1, 2011, it would mean a total 12% cut in IHSS hours. For some quadriplegics and other significantly impaired persons, it could mean a loss of as much as 42 hours per month.

CDCAN DISABILITY RIGHTS REPORT
#084-2011 – MARCH 24, 2011 – THURSDAY
CALIFORNIA DISABILITY COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK

website www.cdcan.us Twitter-“Marty Omoto” www.twitter.com

SACRAMENTO, CALIF (CDCAN) [Last Updated 03/24/2011 01:45 PM] – Governor Brown this afternoon signed into law several budget related bills that authorize changes in State law to implement at least $8 billion in cuts in State general fund spending, including over $6 billion in cuts to health and human services impacting children and adults with disabilities, mental health needs, the blind, seniors, their families, community organizations and individual support workers and low income families across California. Though he did not sign the main budget bill (SB 69), his approval of several of the budget “trailer” bills will have sweeping impact on hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities, mental health needs, the blind, seniors, their families, scores of community-based organizations, providers and individual support workers across the State. California’s budget crisis however continues unresolved, with no action yet on the crucial revenue piece of Governor Brown’s 2011-2012 State Budget – and no sign that the Governor has the needed Assembly and Senate Republican votes to pass it. It may be a first time in modern California budget history where the budget “trailer” bills (called that because those bills follow or trail the main budget bill) were signed into law before the main budget bill. Democrats and Republicans sharply differ on solutions to resolve the crisis – and recent talks with some legislative Republicans and the Governor earlier ended – at least for now – in a stalemate. California faces a projected budget shortfall of over $25 billion through the end of June 30, 2012, and on-going projected deficits of over $20 billion through at least 2016 unless permanent action is taken by the Legislature and Governor.

What the Governor’s Action Means
• The Governor’s action was expected, since the Legislature, which passed these bills last week, largely adopted the Governor’s proposed reductions.
• While the bills take effect immediately after signing by the Governor, nearly all of the reductions will not take effect until on or after July 1, 2011. The exception is the elimination of Adult Day Health Care Centers and the 10% Medi-Cal provider rate reduction, which take effect in June.
• The elimination of Adult Day Health Care as a Medi-Cal benefit includes transition of the over 27,000 people with disabilities and seniors who are enrolled in the program provided by over 300 community organizations across the State, and the establishment of a new program to replace Adult Day Health Care.
      “Urgency” clause or provision means the bill is considered an “emergency” or “urgency” that needs to take effect immediately after the Governor signs it. A bill with such a provision needs 54 votes (2/3rds) in the Assembly and 27 votes (2/3rds) in the State Senate. While the bill takes effect immediately if signed by the Governor, the specific things (such as a specific spending cut) could have a later effective date.

IHSS, SSI/SSP, CALWORKS & OTHER HUMAN SERVICES
• This budget related bill covers changes in State law in order to implement changes and reductions to In-Home Supportive Services, reduction CalWORKS, SSI/SSP individual grant reduction and other human service programs.

For the complete report and links to budget bills, www.cdcan.info/node/262

Marin Voice: Cutting in-home support for disabled and elderly is penny smart and pound foolish By Madeline Kellner Guest op-ed column

GOV. JERRY BROWN has taken the state fiscal crisis head on with his proposed budget for next year. No more smoke and mirrors. No more pushing forward the hard decisions to future leaders. However, there is one set of proposed cuts that will cost the state and its taxpayers more in the long run and leave a wake of human suffering: cutting In-Home Supportive Services. More than 400,000 disabled and elderly Californians receive services through the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, allowing them to stay safely and independently in their homes. Bringing it closer to Marin, the governor's proposal to reduce IHSS services will have a serious impact on the 1,600 Marin residents who rely on this program. The 30 percent reduction in hours of care will put them at risk for more ER visits, hospital stays, and potential institutionalization in higher cost settings. IHSS caregivers who care for them will lose wages, resulting in a $500,000 hit to the local economy in purchasing power. In addition, almost 50 percent of the IHSS caregivers will lose health-care benefits, putting more pressure on an already strained local health care safety net and increasing the rate of uncompensated care. These cuts are focused on the near term and are shortsighted. Reducing In-Home Supportive Services causes more harm than good, in both economic and human terms. It would be far wiser for the governor and Legislature to focus on reducing the financial burden of nursing home care by shifting care for the disabled and elderly out of institutions and into the community.

Nursing home care costs five times as much as community-based care. Two programs that the state should implement or expand that will shift care out of costly nursing homes into the community include California Community Transitions Program ("money follows the person") and the Community First Choice Program. The latter is new program included in the Health Care Reform legislation that funds in-home care for disabled and elderly Medi-Cal recipients and brings with it an enhanced federal match of 6 percent. Both programs provide the resources and incentives to divert individuals from nursing homes into the community by helping them locate accessible housing and lining up in-home care and other services that keep them safely at home. It is estimated that almost 30 percent of the 99,000 nursing home patients in California, if given the opportunity, would transition into home, generating more than $1.4 billion in savings. In effect, IHSS is not a cost creating program but a cost savings program. While IHSS was cut back in February of this fiscal year and is slated for even more serious cuts next year, recent budget decisions by the state have favored nursing homes, granting them rate increases and providing financial support for their quality improvement programs. We urge our legislators, Assemblyman Jared Huffman and state Sen. Mark Leno, to take the high road and to approve a budget that emphasizes community-based care over nursing home care. This means preserving In-Home Supportive Services as the backbone of this system of care bolstered by the new Community First Choice and the California Community Transitions Programs. By so doing, we will save much more in the long run and provide a more dignified quality of life for disabled and elderly Californians. Madeline Kellner is executive director of the In-Home Supportive Services Public Authority of Marin. She is the mayor of Novato.