You can use these talking points when visiting with legislators or talking to the media:

In 1973 Governor Reagan created the In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program to provide services to the elderly and disabled at a far lower cost than institutionalized care.Today, IHSS homecare services are an essential safety net for nearly a half million elderly, blind and disabled Californians. Many of these people must rely for their care on relatives–who, in many cases, have had to give up other jobs and even careers to care for their loved ones. Others have to rely on outside homecare workers. Whether related or not, many providers receive wages of less than $10 an hour.

IHSS saves taxpayers money and stimulates local economies in several ways:

• Home care is at least FIVE TIMES less costly than institutional care. A year of IHSS homecare costs around $13,000; while nursing home care costs taxpayers at least $55,000 a year.
• The IHSS program brings hundreds of millions of dollars of Federal funds to California . California will lose this money if the program is cut.)
• Homecare workers and their clients spend millions of dollars in local communities, supporting local businesses that also pay taxes
• IHSS provides jobs for hundreds of thousands of Californians. Home care providers pay millions in income and sales taxes
• IHSS keeps these workers off of welfare and other social programs that cost taxpayers money.

Elderly and disabled Californians should have the option of receiving support in their own homes rather than being forced into far more costly nursing facilities or other institutions, where they will receive impersonal–and sometimes substandard–care.The In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program was created to provide that alternative, yet state budget issues are now threatening the program’s existence.When speaking to legislators or the media, these facts are important, but YOUR PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES are even more important. By telling YOUR story, you show how valuable IHSS is in human terms and what the impact will be if the program is cut.

For Homecare Consumers:

• What would happen to you if over half of your services are eliminated?
• If you would still be eligible under the proposed cuts, will you have to move or be institutionalized due to lowered authorized hours or pay rates?
• How do the new provider requirements (background checks, fingerprinting etc) affect your ability to hire a new provider or keep your current worker?

For Homecare Providers:

• What will happen to your family, if your available earnings are cut by 60%?
• Do you know if you will lose your job if your client becomes ineligible or loses authorized hours under the proposed cuts?
• Will the cost of paying for your own background check bar you from being a homecare provider?
• If you are a homecare provider who will still have a job, will you have to get a second job to replace lost wages?
• Will you have to give care to someone without being paid for it, in order to keep them out of an institution?
• Will you have to place a loved one in an institution?
• Will you have to quit homecare work?

Personal Visits or Live Interviews

It’s always a good idea to prepare for “in-person” exchanges with legislators or press interviews that may occur at rallies or other events.It is not as hard as you might think to get interviews with your local TV station or newspaper; especially if IHSS or budget cuts are currently in the news.Legislators will usually agree to see you in their local or regional offices; you don’t need to travel to Sacramento to see them.

Here are some guidelines to assist you — remember you can always contact us for help as well:

• If you have an appointment to talk with someone, be on time!
• Decide beforehand what the main point is you want to get across.
• Be brief, and stick to the point (stay “on topic”).
• In tough economic times, every person or program is fighting for “their share” of tax dollars. While it is important to describe the difficulties and challenges you face, make sure to talk about the positive aspects of IHSS. Sell the VIRTUES of the program.
• You can be personal, and even dramatic about your circumstances; both positive and negative.
• Remember IHSS providers – even if they are family members – are not welfare recipients. They do a job that is very important to the community and deserves to be paid for.
• Be respectful; don’t “vent” or name-call.