CDCAN Report #292-2009: Assembly Budget Committee Will Hold Follow-Up Hearing on IHSS Program Changes on November 5th
ASSEMBLY BUDGET COMMITTEE WILL HOLD FOLLOW-UP HEARING NOVEMBER 5TH ON IHSS PROGRAM CHANGES
SACRAMENTO, CALIF (CDCAN) [Updated 10/28/09 3:40 PM (Pacific Time) - After a two and a half hour sometimes contentious hearing, Assemblymember Noreen Evans (Democrat - Santa Rosa) announced she will convene a follow-up hearing on November 5th, focusing on the implementation of major changes to the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program due to go into effect November 1. The location of the hearing and other details will be released later - though likely will be at the State Capitol in Room 4202.
The date of the follow-up hearing could change. No action was taken at the informational hearing, though officials from the Schwarzenegger Administration said the State intends to go forward with new IHSS provider (worker) requirements November 1st .
The program changes to the IHSS program include new mandatory background checks and fingerprinting that was passed last July as part of the 2009-2010 revised State Budget. Counties and advocates for people with disabilities, IHSS workers, seniors and other IHSS recipients say counties are not ready to implement those changes by November 1st and rhe result will mean "chaos and panic" and confusion for hundreds of thousands of IHSS recipients - who include children and adults with disabilities, mental health needs, the blind and low income seniors, and hundreds of thousands of IHSS workers (providers) across the State.
Evans Said She Intends To Introduce Legislation
Evans said she intends to introduce at that hearing legislation to address some of the concerns or problems raised regarding the changes made to the IHSS program, though it is not clear if she intends to move this legislation now in one of the legislative special sessions. The regular session of the Legislature adourned on September 11th and will not reconvene until January - though the Legislature has met several times since September 11th in special session on water, and other issues and has held informational hearings. Any legislation passed by the Legislature would require approval from the Governor.
No Action Taken At Hearing - But Department of Social Services Says It Will Go Forward With November 1st Implementation Date
During the informational hearing - where no action was taken - Schwarzenegger Administration officials - Department of Social Services director John Wagner and deputy director Eva Lopez - said the State intends to go forward with the November 1st implementation date for new requirements for IHSS workers (providers) that include mandatory criminal background checks and fingerprinting.
Those officials said that the Department of Social Services would be releasing more information - contained in "All County Letters" - that will provide guidance, clarification and more details and information that they say will address the concerns raised by the counties and advocates. Counties have said in recent weeks and at today's hearing that they are not ready to implement the new requirements - saying the State has failed to provide information and materials and also funding (see CDCAN website at www.cdcan.us for copies of letters sent by the counties to the Department of Social Services).
It is not clear what will happen next week, with counties saying they cannot implement the program changes to IHSS dealing with IHSS workers - and the Department of Social Services saying it intends to go forward with the November 1st date.
More details of this hearing (also see previous CDCAN Report) will be released later today.