County Articles

The final round of budget subcommittee hearings gets underway in full force next week - but with some hearings scheduled for this week - with the Assembly Budget Subcommittee #1 on Health and Human Services releasing this morning a tentative hearing schedule.  That schedule includes a hearing by the Assembly Budget Subcommittee #1 on Health and Human Services, May 17th at 10:30 AM at the State Capitol in Room 4202, on the developmental services budget items including the $200 million proposed savings and cuts in general fund spending.

The Brown Administration released an eight page paper outlining details on how it proposes to achieve $200 million in reductions and savings in State general fund spending under the Department of Developmental Services budget.  The Department of Developmental Services budget serves over 250,000 eligible children and adults with developmental disabilities, and also thousands of infants in the State’s Early Start program.  The document includes the proposal to implement a 1.25% reduction in payments to regional center operations and most regional center providers to replace the existing 4.25% cut that is still scheduled to expire on June 30, 2012.  The proposal also calls for a moratorium on new admissions to developmental centers except under certain circumstances.

California Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Diana Dooley, joined by department directors who oversee a wide range of services and supports for children and adults with disabilities, mental health needs, seniors, the blind, low income families, foster families and others, will hold a conference call today (May 14th) at 3:00 PM to discuss Governor Brown’s budget revision proposal.  The call is open to the public.

The Assembly Budget Subcommittee #1 on Health and Human Services, as reported earlier this week,  convened this afternoon (May 9th) just after 1:30 PM at the State Capitol in Room 444, covering selected “open” issues, and is now hearing an update on the Governor’s proposed $200 million reduction in State general fund spending to the developmental services 2012-2013 budget and other related issues under the Department of Developmental Services.  The subcommittee’s agenda includes a recommendation from subcommittee staff to approve the Governor’s proposal to eliminate the Rehabilitation Appeals Board under the Department of Rehabilitation and transfer those functions to an independent hearing agency.  The subcommittee is not likely to take action on any major budget issue at this hearing including the major issues impacting developmental services. A copy of the 13 page agenda for the May 9th Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services hearing was sent out yesterday in a CDCAN Report (see www.cdcan.us)

The issue of disability access rights to public accommodations, including restaurants, hotels, theaters, and stores under the State’s landmark “Unruh Civil Rights Act” is the focus of several key bills in the Assembly Judiciary Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee.  Both hearings will be televised live on CalChannel and streamed live via the CalChannel website.  Live audio of both hearings can also be heard through the Legislature’s website.

In what will likely be a pivotal moment in this year’s budget process, Governor Jerry Brown is scheduled to release his revisions and updated revenue and spending numbers to his proposed 2012-2013 State Budget on May 14th that will likely show the budget shortfall growing worse and hoped for increased revenue numbers falling short of expectations.

Also today, May 7th from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM, is a public stakeholder meeting and conference call hosted by the Department of Health Care Services on the Reauthorization of AB 1629 dealing with Medicaid funded “quality assurance fees” and the method for setting rates for certain nursing homes.  The issue has major impact on the State budget – and people with disabilities and seniors who reside and the people who work in free-standing skilled nursing facilities.

Finally, today, is a hearing by the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services focused on three issues under the Department of Mental Health: Caregiver resource centers, community treatment facilities and the California Youth Empowerment Network.

Under the shadow of the State’s growing budget shortfall and the possibility of more sweeping reductions, the issue of disability access rights to public accommodations, including restaurants, hotels, theaters, and stores, is the focus of several bills set for hearing next week, on May 8th, in the Assembly and Senate Judiciary Committees.  Both committees are scheduled to meet on the same day – the Assembly at 8 AM and the Senate at 1:30 PM.

Senior officials from the federal Centers on Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) – the federal agency that oversees nationwide the Medicare and Medicaid (called “Medi-Cal” in California) programs and the new Administration for Community Living agency will hold a public conference call this morning at 10:30 AM Pacific Time (1:30 PM Eastern Time) until 11:30 AM Pacific Time (2:30 PM Eastern Time) on the release of the final federal regulations for the Medicaid Community First Choice Option. [Note correction on time – thanks to Lorreta Stevens).    Officials will also provide more information about a new proposed federal rule regarding Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services.

With the State facing yet another enormous budget shortfall and the prospect of more deep cuts when the Legislature takes final action on the Governor’s reduction proposals in May, a special State Senate panel on autism spectrum and related disorders headed by Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (Democrat – Sacramento, 6th State Senate District) will hold an informational hearing on April 30th, Monday, 10:00 AM to 12:00 noon at the State Capitol in Room 3191, focusing on the issue of access to critical services and supports coordinated by the 21 non-profit regional centers under the Department of Developmental Services.