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UDW has blown the whistle on yet another unfounded claim by Gov. Schwarzenegger about the IHSS program: That the program is full of providers who convicted felons and are endangering recipients.On the heels of his outrageous and unproven claims of “massive fraud” in IHSS, Schwarzenegger has launched a fear-mongering campaign to try to convince the public that many rapists, murderers and other violent criminals are serving as IHSS providers.
In a letter to state legislative leaders which he released to the media, the governor claims that there is a “public safety crisis” in IHSS. This followed the publication of a story in the Los Angeles Times clearly planted by administration officials.
UDW Executive Director Doug Moore was quick to respond:
“Given Gov. Schwarzenegger’s track record in grossly exaggerating fraud in IHSS, this latest pronouncement of a ‘public safety crisis’ should be met with extreme skepticism.
“Even if all of the 210 providers alleged to be ‘dangerous’ felons had past convictions, that represents 0.00005 percent of the 380,000 homecare providers in IHSS. That’s hardly a crime wave.
“It’s also important to note that there have been no reports of a case where a caregiver with a criminal record has committed a violent crime against an IHSS consumer.
“Let me be clear. The 65,000 providers we represent have no interest in putting the people they care for in danger. Under current law, IHSS consumers can obtain information on the criminal background history of their providers or prospective providers. But Schwarzenegger has failed to provide needed regulations to guide the counties in implementing this law.
‘Finally, if the governor is so interested in protecting consumers, why has he cut funding for Adult Protective Services and for the social workers that administer IHSS and tried to throw thousands of consumers out of the program?
“It should be obvious that, just as he is attempting to do with his outrageous, unproven fraud claims, Schwarzenegger is using this crime scare tactic as an excuse to cut the program, not to protect consumers. He is trying to do by administrative fiat what he has failed to accomplish in the legislature.”
