CDCAN DISABILITY RIGHTS REPORT
#031-2011 – FEBRUARY 1, 2011 TUESDAY
CALIFORNIA DISABILITY COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK: Advocacy Without Borders: One Community – Accountability With Action - California Disability Community Action Network Disability Rights News goes out to over 55,000 people with disabilities, mental health needs, seniors, traumatic brain & other injuries, veterans with disabilities and mental health needs, their families, workers, community organizations, including those in Asian/Pacific Islander, Latino, African American communities, policy makers and others across California.
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State Budget Crisis:
Brown Administration Releases Proposed Budget Language To Implement In-Home Supportive Services Reductions
Budget Trailer Bill Language Need Approval from Both Senate and Assembly – Senate Budget Subcommittee Will Hear IHSS and SSI/SSP and MSSP Proposed Cuts on February 3rd at 09:30
SACRAMENTO, CALIF (CDCAN) [Updated 02/01/2011 – 09:50 PM (Pacific Time) – The Brown Administration released today more proposed budget related language – referred to as “budget trailer bill language” covering several proposals dealing with major cuts and changes in eligibility to In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS). All of the proposed budget trailer bills by the Brown Administration require approval from both the Assembly and State Senate. The Legislature can – and in most cases will – make changes to the various proposed trailer bill language, sometimes with minor changes and others that inserts entirely new provisions.
The Governor is proposing – among other sweeping permanent reductions – a $500 million cut in State general fund spending to the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program that serves over 460,000 children and adults with disabilities (including developmental), mental health needs, the blind, people with traumatic brain and other injuries, people with Alzheimer’s and MS and other disorders, senior, across the State.
What Do Budget Trailer Bills Do – And Why They Are Important
· Budget trailer bills make necessary changes in existing State law in order to implement reductions or other changes in the State budget.
· The State budget is passed and signed into law first – followed or trailed by several different budget trailer bills (each trailer bill usually covers a specific budget area, such as human services or health, or judiciary, etc).
· All of the proposed budget trailer bills by the Brown Administration require approval from both the Assembly and State Senate. The Legislature can – and in most cases will – make changes to the various proposed trailer bill language, sometimes with minor changes and others that inserts entirely new provisions.
· All of the proposed budget trailer bills provides more details on how the State would implement the reductions proposed by Governor Jerry Brown on January 10th when he released his 2011-2012 State Budget plan, which included over $12.5 billion in reductions in State general fund spending (some of that includes shifting of funds) and about $12 billion in increased revenues – the bulk achieved by a proposal – that would require voter approval in a June special election - to extend for five years temporary tax increases scheduled to expire this year.
· Persons impacted potentially by the issues covered in these or other budget trailer bills should read them – and contact your own legislators who represent you if you have suggestions for changes or have concerns (make sure they in turn contact the two budget subcommittees on your behalf)
In-Home Supportive Services Trailer Bill Language
The Brown Administration released 5 documents containing proposed budget trailer bill language covering the five proposed reductions to IHSS by the Governor. These and other budget trailer bills proposed by the Brown Administration are available on the Department of Finance website at www.dof.ca.gov (click on the left hand column for “trailer bills”)
Except for one (dealing with IHSS Advisory Committees), the 4 pdf files were saved as images – and cannot be read by people who are blind or sight impaired using a screen reading device. CDCAN is reproducing those documents and will send out later today.):
The following was released today that provide more details on the reductions to IHSS, as proposed by Governor Brown on January 10th:
1. IHSS Hours Reduction – budget trailer bill dealing with the additional 8.4% across the board reduction in authorized hours for all persons receiving IHSS, effective July 1, 2011 on top of the existing 3.6% cut in hours that went into effect February 1, 2011 (passed as part of the 2010-2011 State Budget last October). This would mean a total across the board cut in IHSS service hours of 12%. The 12 page proposed trailer bill language, attached in a pdf file scanned as an image is attached and titled: “635-Across-the-BoardReductiontoIHSSServiceHours_1105159(Feb012011).pdf”
2. Domestic and Related Services Reduction for Children Living With Parents – budget trailer bill dealing with the Governor’s proposal to eliminate domestic and related services under IHSS for all children under age of 18 years old living with their parents at home. The 11 page proposed budget trailer bill language, attached in a pdf file scanned as an image, is attached and titled: “636-EliminateIHSSDomesticAndRelatedServicesForMinorsLivingWithAbleAvailableParent_1105078(Feb012011).pdf”
3. Domestic and Related Services Reduction for Adults Living With Another Person – budget trailer bill dealing with Governor’s proposal to eliminate domestic and related services under IHSS for all adults who live with a roommate (“shared living arrangement”). The 8 page proposed trailer bill language is attached and titled “637-EliminateIHSSDomestic&RelatedServicesforRecipientsInSharedLiving_1107552(Feb012011).pdf”
4. Doctor’s “At Risk” Certification To Be Eligible for IHSS – budget trailer bill language relating to the Governor’s proposal to narrow eligibility to the IHSS program for all persons currently in it and all persons applying for eligibility by requiring a doctor to provide a certification that the person is “at risk” of institutionalization (out of home placement) in order to be eligible for any services under IHSS. This proposal is perhaps the most significant of all those proposed by the Governor – and one not previously proposed before. The 6 page budget trailer bill language is attached and titled “638-EliminateIHSSServicesForRecipientsWIthoutPhysicianCertification_1107849(Feb012011).pdf”
5. Eliminate State Funding for IHSS Advisory Committees – budget trailer bill language regarding the Governor’s proposal to eliminate all State funding for IHSS Advisory Committees in every county. Counties would have the option to continue their advisory committee, with their own funding (matched by federal funds – but without State funding). The 1 page draft budget trailer bill language is attached and titled “639-EliminatStateFUndingForIHSSAdvisoryCommittees_DraftV2L(Feb012011).pdf”
NEXT STEPS
· The Legislature is still conducting budget subcommittee hearings, begun last week and continues through the end of next week reviewing and taking public comment on the Governor’s proposals, including his proposals for sweeping cuts to IHSS, SSI/SSP, regional centers, Medi-Cal, and other health and human services.
· The Senate Budget Subcommittee #3 on Health and Human Services is scheduled to hear the IHSS budget proposals on February 3, at 09:30 AM (or upon adjournment of the Senate floor session) at the State Capitol in Room 4203. Also on the agenda for this hearing is the Governor’s proposed cut to SSI/SSP individual grants from $845 to $830 – the lowest level allowed by the federal government (grants to couples were reduced in 2009 to the lowest level allowed by the federal government); and the Governor’s proposal to eliminate all funding for the Multipurpose Senior Services Program (MSSP)
· The Assembly Budget Subcommittee #1 on Health and Human Services is also holding a hearing on the same day – though at around 10:00 AM (or upon adjournment of the Assembly floor session – which most people expect to adjourn by 10 AM). The Assembly subcommittee meets February 3rd, Thursday morning at the State Capitol in Room 4202 (right across the hall from Room 4203) covering the Governor’s proposed cuts to regional centers (developmental services).
VERY URGENT!!!!!
PLEASE HELP CDCAN CONTINUE ITS WORK!!!
FEBRUARY 1, 2011 – YOUR HELP IS NEEDED
CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings, reports and alerts and other activities cannot continue without your help. To continue the CDCAN website, the CDCAN News Reports. sent out and read by over 55,000 people and organizations, policy makers and media across California and to continue the CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings which since December 2003 have connected thousands of people with disabilities, seniors, mental health needs, people with MS and other disorders, people with traumatic brain and other injuries to public policy makers, legislators, and issues.
Please send your contribution/donation (make payable to "CDCAN" or "California Disability Community Action Network):
CDCAN 1225 8th Street Suite 480 - Sacramento, CA 95814
paypal on the CDCAN site is not yet working – will be soon.
MANY, MANY THANKS TO HOPE SERVICES, CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF ADULT DAY HEALTH CENTERS, VENTURA COUNTY AUTISM SOCIETY, RESPITE, INC., LOS ANGELES RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY SERVING DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED ADULTS LARC RANCH, FEAT OF SACRAMENTO, EASTER SEALS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, EMMANUEL AND FAMILY, MICHAEL DIMMITT, PEOPLE FIRST OF SAN LUIS OBISPO, BOB BENSON, the Pacific Homecare Services, Toward Maximum Independence, Inc (TMI), Friends of Children with Special Needs, Southside Arts Center, San Francisco Bay Area Autism Society of America, Hope Services in San Jose, FEAT of Sacramento (Families for Early Autism Treatment), Sacramento Gray Panthers, Bill Wong, Tri-Counties Regional Center, Life Steps, Parents Helping Parents, Work Training, Foothill Autism Alliance, Arc Contra Costa, Pause4Kids, Training Toward Self Reliance, Californians for Disability Rights, Inc (CDR) including CDR chapters, CHANCE Inc, Strategies To Empower People (STEP), Harbor Regional Center, Asian American parents groups, Resources for Independent Living and many other Independent Living Centers, several regional centers, People First chapters, IHSS workers, other self advocacy and family support groups, developmental center families, adoption assistance program families and children, and others across California.
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