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Critical budget sub-committee hearings on IHSS this week

CDCAN REPORT #925-2011, Jan 30, 2011;  HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE EXPECTED FOR CRITICAL BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEES HEARINGS THIS WEEK ON GOVERNOR’S PROPOSED PERMANENT SWEEPING CUTS TO MEDI-CAL, REGIONAL CENTERS, IHSS, SSI/SSP, HEALTHY FAMILIES, CALWORKS

Governor Brown To Deliver “State of the State” Address to Joint Session of Legislature Monday January 31st at 5 PM – Medi-Cal & Healthy Families Hearing on Feb 1 – Regional Centers/Developmental Centers Hearing on Feb 3rd – IHSS and SSI/SSP and Dept of Aging’s MSSP Also on Feb 3rd

Read Full Article…

UDW/AFSCME protest at secretive billionaires’ meeting

Unions, Allies Block Entrance to Billionaires’ Meeting

 Hundreds protested Sunday outside a Southern California resort where corporate executives and conservative political leaders gathered to strategize. Twenty-five were arrested when they sat in the street, blocking the resort entrance.

Featuring environmentalists, progressives, and contingents from AFSCME and the California Nurses, the demonstrators said those looking to explain why a terrible crisis continues for workers and unions should take a closer look at those inside the resort.

Read Story, Labor Notes, January 31 2011

LAWMAKERS FROM BOTH PARTIES QUESTION IHSS BUDGET CUTS

Sacramento (January 27) — At a news conference this morning, a bipartisan group of state legislators expressed serious concerns about proposed cuts in the In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) homecare program. The cuts are part of Gov. Brown’s 2011-12 budget proposals. They would slash state funding for the program by nearly 30 percent.

This marked the first time in recent years that Republicans as well as Democrats have come forward to support IHSS, which was signed into law by then Gov. Ronald Reagan in 1973. Read the rest of this entry »

Thousands Converge on Koch Brothers Billionaire’s Caucus; 25 Arrested

California Progress Report, January 31, 2011 — Twenty-five protesters were arrested in Rancho Mirage, California today, at a protest in front of the Rancho Las Palmas resort, site of the “Billionaire’s Caucus,” an annual meeting put on by the Koch Brothers and other corporate entities and conservative movement operators. Read the rest of this entry »

UCLA Center for Health Policy Research: New report on CA disabled & elderly

Holding On: Older Californians with Disabilities Rely on Public Services to Remain Independent

UCLA, January 31, 2011 – Researchers are following vulnerable seniors over the next year to study how they are coping in the wake of eroding state services

The network of public services that supports California’s low-income disabled elderly is fragile, affecting the ability of these vulnerable residents to live independent lives in their own homes, according to a new study from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.  Read Full Article on UCLA Website

UDW is Organizing Rallies Across the State to Fight Homecare Cuts

En español - Please join UDW as we Fight Back against Cuts in IHSS Homecare!  It’s Time to Take a Stand!

We are bringing members together in Sacramento, Riverside, and San Diego to make sure our voices are heard – loud and clear. Read the rest of this entry »

Stanislaus providers need to make sure they have the right form for fingerprinting process

WARNING!

The Stanislaus PA has experience problems with caregivers using old Live Scan forms. They can no longer get results from the old form. If you use the old form you will be required to redo and repay for your for your fingerprints. Use only the Link2Care Live Scan form. It has the Link2Care AORI # of AD597 and lists Jeff Lambaren as the agency contact.

UDW Northern Counties Rally to Make Safety a Priority

Click for more photos.Wednesday, January 19th, UDW members from El Dorado, Merced, Placer and Stanislaus rallied in solidarity for SAFETY in Health and Social Services.  “This is the time to repair our Safety Net – not destroy it!“

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IHSS worker wages to be decided in US Supreme Court

En español |US Supreme Court will hear and decide major Medi-Cal provider rate cut case,  which includes proposed cuts in IHSS provider wages. Hearing and decision not likely until winter 2011 Read the rest of this entry »

A big win for UDW members in Riverside County!

En español |The Riverside County Board of Supervisors has asked the state to increase UDW members’ wages to $11.50 an hour.   Read the rest of this entry »

UDW Says IHSS Is a Budget Solution, Not a Budget Problem

En español |Sacramento, CA — The following statement was issued by Doug Moore, executive director of the 65,000-member UDW Homecare Providers Union/AFSCME Local 3930, in response to Gov. Brown’s proposed budget cuts in the In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program: Read the rest of this entry »

2011-2012 State Budget Proposal; UDW Preliminary Review

Overview

Governor Jerry Brown submitted his budget to the state legislature on January 10, 2011. As expected, the budget includes extraordinary reductions in health and human services. Many of these reductions are of severe consequence to In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program providers and recipients. These reductions are outlined below.

Background

The Governor’s budget predicts massive deficits each year through 2014 – 2015. Though the FY 2010-2011 budget was only recently enacted (October 2010), it was based on assumed revenues that have since failed to materialize. This has resulted in a current year budget gap of $8.2 billion. Compounded with a proposed budget deficit of $17.2 billion in FY 2011- 2012, the Brown Administration faces an unprecedented combined deficit of $25.4 billion. Read the rest of this entry »

Gov. Brown proposes nearly $500 million cut in IHSS

En español |Would cut assessed hours by 8.4 percent, eliminate domestic and related services for consumers living with their providers, and require a physician’s written certification for IHSS services. Read the rest of this entry »

IHSS cuts bring stress to at-home caregivers

“…Jerry Brown has recommended four sweeping cuts to IHSS, in line with his across-the-board reductions in spending, to fill the $25.4 billion budget shortfall…” Read the rest of this entry »

IHSS Recipients Face 3.6% Cut in Hours Feb. 1

En español |The 3.6 percent cut was  approved as part of the 2010-2011 budget passed last fall.  PLEASE SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH YOUR CLIENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

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Senate & Assembly Budget Subcommittees Schedule Hearings on Governor Brown’s $12.5 Billion Spending Cut Proposals – Process on Fast Track

Senate Budget Subcommittee #3 on Health & Human Services Releases Hearing Schedule – Other Senate Subcommittees Will Release Their Hearing Schedules Later This Week – Brief Public Testimony Will Be Taken – May Be Only Opportunity At State Capitol Before Legislature Takes Final Action Later In February Read the rest of this entry »

Historic ‘realignment’ part of budget

En español | It’s “realignment” to some, “shift and shaft” to others and “shared responsibility” to others still. — But by whatever term, the transfer of state power and programs to local governments is the historic cornerstone of Gov. Jerry Brown’s looming budget proposals. It is likely to prove more important over time than the short-term cuts and temporary tax hikes he unveils Monday.
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CDCAN Report on budget crisis details massive cuts proposed to multiple services used by IHSS recipients

CDCAN Report #012-2011 details broadspread cuts proposed by Governor Brown in 2011-12 state budget, impacting services used by people with disabilities, mental health needs, the blind, seniors and their families Read the rest of this entry »

CDCAN Report #013-2011 re Governor Brown’s Jan 10 budget proposal

CDCAN Report #013-2011 contains transcript of Governor Brown’s remarks to the press following his January 10 state budget proposal, and reaction from legislative leaders: Read the rest of this entry »

Help for California advocates and those needing language access re IHSS issues

The National Senior Citizens Law Center (NSCLC) has prepared a draft report on IHSS and language access, which shows that limited English proficient consumers often face significant barriers accessing needed services.   Read the rest of this entry »

MENSINGER: Home aid program helps families, local economy

COMMUNITY VOICES

By John Mensinger, Modesto Bee January 5 2011

The Bee has carried recent articles about long-term care for seniors. This is a subject my family knows too much about. My mother was disabled by a stroke when she was 70. My father, 75 at the time, went out of his way to care for her but wasn’t in the best shape himself. My parents had deep experience with the Great Depression. They worked hard and had ample savings. They could afford to pay for caregivers so they could stay in their home. Occasional help gradually became a 24-hour-a-day presence as my father’s back and cardiac problems were made worse by dementia.

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Gov. Brown Expected to Propose Cuts in Medi-Cal, Other Programs.

SACRAMENTO – Gov.Jerry Brown (D)  is expected to propose broad budget cuts that could affect Medi-Cal and nearly all other programs that receive state funding, according to a source familiar with Brown’s proposal, the Sacramento Bee reports.   Read the rest of this entry »

Wall Street vs Workers

Homecare Providers are State Workers.  Recent proposals of state budget cuts to IHSS are an example of how state workers are being penalized and wrongly blamed for a recession created by Wall Street and two expensive wars.  Robert Greenwald does investigative reporting on the war between Wall Street and State Workers: Read the rest of this entry »

Amita Sharma report on misleading fraud claims for IHSS

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger justified cuts to In-Home Support Services with claims of rampant fraud in the system. KPBS investigative reporter Amita Sharma said the actual fraud cases are much lower than the governor claims.  Watch Video – Read the rest of this entry »

AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer Lee Saunders

AFSCME 2010 Convention; Secretary-Treasurer Lee Saunders speaks to the membership.

UDW strongly supported Saunders in the 2010 AFSCME election; delegates from UDW unanimously voted for Lee Saunders as Secretary Treasurer of  AFSCME.

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