FEDERAL JUDGE ISSUES PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION THAT CONTINUES TO STOP STATE & FEDS FROM IMPLEMENTING 20% IHSS CUT

UDW joins with protesters braving the rain outside of courtroom in Oakland

A federal district court judge in Oakland, as expected, issued a court order that will continue blocking the Brown Administration and the federal government from taking any steps to implement the 20% across-the-board reduction in service hours for hundreds of thousands of children and adults with disabilities – including people with developmental disabilities – and seniors who receive In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS). The reduction would have also impact hundreds of thousands of IHSS workers. US District Court Judge Claudia Wilken issued the court order – called a “preliminary injunction” during the hearing held today in her court room in Oakland. The State will likely appeal the court order. The order issued today by Judge Wilken remains in effect unless a higher federal court – in this case the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals or the US Supreme Court decides to reverse it or if Judge Wilken decides at a later date to modify (change) it in some way. Read More »

Praising Judge Wilkin’s decision, UDW Executive Director Doug Moore said: “We are pleased that Judge Wilkin recognized the many legal flaws in the 20 percent IHSS trigger cut. But this is still only a temporary victory. We must and we will continue to fight in the Courts, in the Legislature, and in the court of public opinion to stop this and other proposed cuts to IHSS. Cutting this valuable program is both morally wrong and fiscally irresponsible.”

More news coverage of this story »

While we are cautiously optimistic, UDW encourages you to be prepared and educated. Here are links for the “Supplemental Care” document to mitigate the 20% cuts for some consumers should the cuts still go through: (pdf) English | Spanish

See President’s Report to the UDW 2012 14th Constitutional Convention

Executive Director’s Report to the UDW 2012 14th Constitutional Convention

More Pain Ahead: Governor’s Proposed 2012-2013 Budget Calls for Further Cuts in IHSS

Even as UDW and other IHSS stakeholders fight through the courts to prevent a 20 percent across the board cut in IHSS already mandated in the current state budget, Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed 2012-2013 budget recommends even more cuts to the program.

UDW quickly criticized the governor’s proposals, claiming that “just like his predecessor, Gov. Brown continues to try to use the IHSS program as a ‘piggy bank’ for budget cuts. IHSS cuts were wrong in 2008; they are just as wrong in 2012.” Read Full Story

UDW Analysis of 2012-13 Proposed Budget
Additional state budget information