Last year’s state budget mandated many changes in IHSS including cuts and new eligibility requirements. Not all of these changes have been implemented due to lawsuits brought forth by advocacy groups (including UDW). Detail below.

These lawsuits are still winding their way through the courts and each have separate schedules and hearing dates, but most will takes months or longer to be finalized. Although we are cautiously optimistic, the injunctions stopping cuts to IHSS must be considered temporary and may still be implemented.

This year, the governor’s proposed 2010-11 budget (unveiled January 8) is proposing many of the same cuts. Additionally he is proposing to completely eliminate the IHSS program if the federal government does not produce $6.9 billion in additional funding for California’s budget by July 15, 2010.  If the federal government does provide the requested $6.9 billion in new funds, the Governor is still proposing to cut $77.9 million by reducing state funding for wages at a cap of $8.60 per hour and another $872.6 million through cuts in services to consumers with a functional index score below 4. The reduction of state contribution to wages and functional index based cuts are both issues being presently litigated by the courts.

THIS PROPOSED BUDGET MUST BE STOPPED AND WE NEED YOUR
HELP TO DO SO. GO HERE TO TAKE ACTION ON THE BUDGET .