CDCAN REPORT #189-2011: Meeting of Community First Choice Option Council

BROWN ADMINISTRATION WILL CONVENE FIRST MEETING OF "COMMUNITY FIRST CHOICE OPTION" COUNCIL THURSDAY NOVEMBER 17TH IN SACRAMENTO THAT COULD HAVE DRAMATIC IMPACT ON BRINGING MORE FEDERAL DOLLARS FOR IHSS AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES

Council's Formation and Meeting Crucial Required Step by Federal Government Before A State Can Finalize and Submit A Community First Choice Option Proposal

SACRAMENTO, CA (CDCAN)  [Last updated 11/16/2011 3:30 PM] - The Brown Administration is hosting Thursday afternoon (November 17th) from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM at the California State University, Sacramento Modoc Hall, the first meeting of an appointed stakeholder group formally known as the "Community First Choice Option (CFCO) Development and Implementation Council" as one of the key steps for California to develop and submit a proposal to the federal government that could mean significant new federal matching funds for certain types of in-home community-based services under a new Medicaid program, called "Community First Choice Option".  Attached to this CDCAN Report is a 23 page power point presentation - saved as a document pdf file - that will be presented at the Thursday meeting. The attachment is titled "2011-11-15 - Community First Choice Option Council - Power Point Presentation (November 17, 2011).pdf"

Federal requirements under the Community First Choice Option requires that any state submitting a proposal must, among other things, create a statewide "Community First Choice Council" composed of a majority of persons who use the in home community based services (IHSS or similar in-home service) and is tasked with helping to develop and review the proposal before the State submits it to the federal government.

Public And Members Can Participate by Phone

While the meeting is for the appointed stakeholder members, the Brown Administration said it welcomes observers to participate in the meeting.  Persons not able to attend the meeting physically can call in on a conference call line:
Conference Call Line:  (916) 278-2663
Participant Code: 0039737

New Program Could Have Major Impact On Saving State General Funds and Maintaining Services

The Community First Choice Option  proposal is for a new Medicaid program that, if accepted by the Obama Administration, could have major impact in saving State general funds while helping to maintain and possibly expand its In-Home Supportive Services program.  It is not clear how - or if - the program funding would impact the State budget "trigger cuts" that would - if pulled - implement automatic reductions to many programs including a 20% across the board cut in service hours to all persons in the In-Home Supportive Services program (with certain exceptions).

The Community First Choice Option is part of the larger federal health care reform act enacted in March 2010, and became effective October 1, 2011 and will provide to those states applying a 6% increase in their federal matching Medicaid funds for their services covered under their approved Community First Choice Option proposal.  Not every state that applies will necessarily have their proposal accepted.

Department of Social Services Praised by Advocates and Policymakers for Quick Action

The Department of Social Services under the Brown Administration decided to move quickly to begin the critical steps in developing a proposal and meeting other initial federal requirements, including formation of the Community First Choice Council, even though final federal regulations on the program have not yet been issued.  Department officials want to move now to give California a better chance of winning early approval of its proposal while Community First Choice program funding is still available.

Advocates and legislators and legislative staff have praised the Department of Social Services for its quick response to this new federal Medicaid program.

Why This New Medicaid Option Is Important to California

• All 50 states currently have an option to provide personal care services through their Medicaid State Plans - meaning, it is a Medicaid "optional benefit".
• California, and 34 other states currently provide personal care services, known as In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS).
• The new Medicaid "Community First Choice Option" - for those states that apply for funding under the new program - could expand those existing programs if the state applying has them.
• The "Community First Choice Option"  allows states to open eligibility to people at higher incomes and to offer additional services. *  One crucial and major selling point for a state such as California - facing enormous on-going budget deficits, is that the Community First Choice Option provides to the states that apply, an increased federal matching payment (for example, in California the matching funds from the federal government for this program would be 56% instead of the usual 50%).  That could mean tens of millions of more federal funds that would save critical State general fund dollars.
• Community First Choice Option, many policy makers and advocates believe, could provide opportunities for California to expand or improve its Medicaid home and community-based services. The Community First Choice Option funding could eventually - depending on how California crafts its initial and later proposals - to cover other home and community based programs such as Supported Living Services and Independent Living Services under the regional centers that serve people with developmental disabilities if certain eligibility issues can be resolved.
• It is not clear how or if Community First Choice Option funding could impact possible new reductions to the In-Home Supportive Services program, such as the 20% across-the-board reduction in hours  (with certain specific exceptions), that would take effect January 1, 2012 if one of the State budget "trigger cuts" is pulled.  The potential increased federal matching funding under the Community First Choice Option was included in the 2011-2012 State Budget as a reason to avoid making additional cuts to IHSS - though it was not linked in the budget to the "trigger cuts".

AGENDA FOR NOVEMBER 17, 2011 COMMUNITY FIRST CHOICE MEETING

Several documents were sent out to members of the Council Wednesday afternoon including the agenda, the council membership (both below) and the attached power point presentation.  Other documents (not attached or part of this CDCAN Report) include draft IHSS recipient brochure and handout that explains the IHSS program, including rights and responsibilities.  All of these documents can be downloaded or viewed at the Department of Social Services website at:  http://www.cdss.ca.gov/agedblinddisabled/PG2839.htm

California Department of Social Services (CDSS) - Adult Programs Division
AGENDA
I. Introductions
II. Overview
III. What is Community First Choice Option?
IV. California’s Approach to Community First Choice Option Proposal
V. Next Steps

Community First Choice Council Membership

The following persons were appointed by the Department of Social Services to the Community First Choice Council.  As mentioned, the Community First Choice Option requires that any state applying must, among other things, create a statewide "Community First Choice Council" composed of a majority of persons who use the in home community based services (IHSS or similar in-home service):

Consumers (listed in alphabetical order):

• Charlie Bean
• Mark Beckwith
• Chris Brown
• Donna Brown
• Lisa Brown
• Tim Davis
• Sylvia Drzewiecki
• Connie Frenzel
• Jene McCovey
• Ramiro Montoya
• Charlie Phillips
• Michelle Rousey
• Anna Wang
• Janie Whiteford

Unions, Advocates, Organizations, Local Government (listed in alphabetical order by the person):

• Kristina Bas-Hamilton, UDW (United Domestic Workers)
• Deborah Doctor, Disability Rights California (DRC)
• Katherine Hsiao, National Senior Citizen Law Center
• Diane Kaljian, CWDA (California Welfare Directors Association)  – Sonoma County
• Rebecca Malberg, SEIU - UHW (Service Employees International Union - United Healthcare Workers)
• Andrea Mourningham, SEIU - ULTCW (Service Employees International Union - United Long Term Care Workers)
• Marty Omoto, CDCAN (California Disability Community Action Network)
• Gary Passmore, California Congress of Seniors
• Debra Roth, SEIU – State Council 
• Jeff Thom, California Council of the Blind
• Greg Thompson, CAPA – PASCIA (California Association of Public Authorities and the Personal Assistance Services Council - Los Angeles)
• Casey Young, AARP

Observers:

Various advocacy groups, state agencies and legislative staff including the Department of Health Care Services (oversees the state's Medi-Cal program), the California Health and Human Services Agency (oversees all the various health and human services departments including the Department of Social Services, Developmental Services, Health Care Services, and Mental Health), California Association of Public Authorities, various Assembly and State Senate legislative and budget committee staff members.

File Attachments: 

2011-11-15 - Community First Choice Option Council - Power Point Presentation (November 17, 2011).pdf