CDCAN
DISABILITY
RIGHTS NEWS REPORTCalifornia Disability Community Action Network
Advocacy
Without Borders:
News
Impacting People With Disabilities, Mental Health Needs, Seniors
& Others
Goes out to
over 45,000 people, organizations, policy makers across California
Marty
Omoto - martyomoto@rcip.com
website: www.cdcan.us
Report #034-2008
- February 14, 2008 - Thursday
Remembering Cheryl
Cairns, Silicon Valley Independent Living Center executive director
Passed Away Early Monday Morning
- her Life Mattered
BREAKING NEWS
* Assembly Budget Committee Holds Hearing
* Okays 10% Medi-Cal Rate Reduction 7/1/08
* Continues Regional Center Cost Containment
* Approves SSP & CalWORKS COLA Delay To
10/08
* Holds Off Action on IHSS, Medi-Cal Optional
Benefits
SACRAMENTO (CDCAN) - Assembly Budget
Committee, chaired by Assemblymember John Laird (Democrat - Santa
Cruz) met late this morning (February 14) approved over $1.4
billion in spending reductions, including the Governor's
proposals for a 10% reduction to most Medi-Cal providers, and the
permanent continuation of existing regional center cost containment
measures, to address the budget shortfall for the current State
budget, the State's cash flow crisis and some cuts that impact next
year's budget for 2008-2009.
There was no opposition from any members on the
committee to the spending reductions, though many members from both
parties expressed the difficulty and concerns of impact of the cuts.
The full Assembly committee's actions approving
the 10% rate reduction to most Medi-Cal providers as proposed by the
Governor, like the Senate action yesterday, changed the effective
date to July 1, 2008 instead of June 1, 2008 that will mean a
reduction to the Medi-Cal program in the 2008-2009 State Budget of
over $500 million.
The Assembly Budget Committee also approved, like
the Senate yesterday, to continue on a permanent basis, the
regional center cost containment measures that will cut over $329
million (including federal funds) from the regional center budget
for the 2008-2009 State Budget year. That figure does not
include continuing on a permanent basis other regional center cost
containment measures impacting operations, which the committee also
approved.
The Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee - the Assembly's
counterpart in the State Senate - held a hearing Wednesday
evening (February 13) and approved those same cuts to Medi-Cal
and regional centers. The full State Senate will likely
give final approval tomorrow (Friday).
Laird said he hopes that the cuts to Medi-Cal can be restored during
the regular budget process in looking for other solutions.
Laird had said at the beginning of the hearing that the cuts before
the committee will total $1.4 billion. The committee is still
meeting and CDCAN will provide a detailed report on all its actions
when the hearing adjourns.
Holds Off Taking Action on IHSS, Medi-Optional
Benefits
The Assembly Budget Committee, like the Senate,
held off taking action on the Governor's proposal to eliminate
several Medi-Cal "optional benefits", In-Home Supportive
Services.
Votes to Suspend CalWORKS and State
Portion of SSI/SSP Grants to October 1, 2008
The Assembly Budget Committee, like the Senate
yesterday also approved suspending or delaying the cost of living
increases for the SSP portion of the SSI/SSP grants to the lowest
income people with disabilities, seniors and the blind, due June 1,
2008 to October 1, 2008.
The committee,like the Senate yesterday also
approved a delay in cost of living increases due to CalWORKs
recipients on July 1, 2008 to October 1, 2008. The Governor
proposed a full year suspension of the state portion of the SSI/SSP
grant due June 1, 2008 and June 1, 2009.
The committee did not take action at this time on
the Governor's proposal that would have suspended the cost of living
increase for the state portion (SSP) of the SSI/SSP scheduled for June
1, 2009.
NEXT STEPS
SENATE FLOOR
* The actions by the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee still
need final approval on the Senate Floor.where a vote is scheduled for
Friday. Approval there is certain
ASSEMBLY
* The Assembly Budget Committee actions need final approval by the full
Assembly with a floor session scheduled for Friday morning (February
15). Approval is all but certain.
BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEES
* Legislative budget subcommittees will begin to hold hearings on next
year's budget in March through early May.
URGENT:
CONTRIBUTIONS NEEDED!
Advocacy Without Borders
Connecting People With Disabilities, Mental Health Needs, Seniors, Traumatic Brain & other injuries, People with MS & other health needs, including People of color, different languages, cultures, Families, Workers, Providers, & Organizations to Rights & Unified Action.
This report - and the CDCAN townhall telemeetings, and other events and projects are for all of them and for promoting advocacy without borders toward unified action. We are one community.
To respond to this report reply to: Marty Omoto at martyomoto@rcip.com CDCAN website: www.cdcan.us
To continue the CDCAN website, the CDCAN News Reports. sent out and read by over 45,000 people and organizations, policy makers and media across California and to continue the CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings which since December 2003 have connected thousands of people with disabilities, seniors, mental health needs, people with MS and other disorders, people with traumatic brain and other injuries to public policy makers, legislators, and issues. Please send your contribution/donation (make payable to "CDCAN" or "California Disability Community Action Network):
CDCAN
1225 8th Street Suite 480
Sacramento, CA 95814
Note: the paypal option on the CDCAN website is temporarily not working and will be fixed soon.
The CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings are partially funded by a small grant from the USC UCEDD, Grant #90DD0540 from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities. (note: the opinions expressed or content in these reports do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the USC UCEDD.
MANY MANY THANKS to Easter Seals of California, Parents Helping Parents, UCP of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, Work Training, FSNC, Foothill Autism Alliance, Arc Contra Costa, Pause4Kids, Manteca CAPS, Training Toward Self Reliance, UCP, California NAELA, Californians for Disability Rights, Inc (CDR) including CDR chapters, CHANCE Inc, , Strategies To Empower People (STEP), Alta California Regional Center, Harbor Regional Center, Tri-Counties Regional Center, Asian American parents groups, Resources for Independent Living and many other Independent Living Centers, several regional centers, People First chapters, IHSS workers, other self advocacy and family support groups, developmental center families, adoption assistance program families and children, and others across California
Advocacy Without Borders
Connecting People With Disabilities, Mental Health Needs, Seniors, Traumatic Brain & other injuries, People with MS & other health needs, including People of color, different languages, cultures, Families, Workers, Providers, & Organizations to Rights & Unified Action.
This report - and the CDCAN townhall telemeetings, and other events and projects are for all of them and for promoting advocacy without borders toward unified action. We are one community.
To respond to this report reply to: Marty Omoto at martyomoto@rcip.com CDCAN website: www.cdcan.us
To continue the CDCAN website, the CDCAN News Reports. sent out and read by over 45,000 people and organizations, policy makers and media across California and to continue the CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings which since December 2003 have connected thousands of people with disabilities, seniors, mental health needs, people with MS and other disorders, people with traumatic brain and other injuries to public policy makers, legislators, and issues. Please send your contribution/donation (make payable to "CDCAN" or "California Disability Community Action Network):
CDCAN
1225 8th Street Suite 480
Sacramento, CA 95814
Note: the paypal option on the CDCAN website is temporarily not working and will be fixed soon.
The CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings are partially funded by a small grant from the USC UCEDD, Grant #90DD0540 from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities. (note: the opinions expressed or content in these reports do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the USC UCEDD.
MANY MANY THANKS to Easter Seals of California, Parents Helping Parents, UCP of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, Work Training, FSNC, Foothill Autism Alliance, Arc Contra Costa, Pause4Kids, Manteca CAPS, Training Toward Self Reliance, UCP, California NAELA, Californians for Disability Rights, Inc (CDR) including CDR chapters, CHANCE Inc, , Strategies To Empower People (STEP), Alta California Regional Center, Harbor Regional Center, Tri-Counties Regional Center, Asian American parents groups, Resources for Independent Living and many other Independent Living Centers, several regional centers, People First chapters, IHSS workers, other self advocacy and family support groups, developmental center families, adoption assistance program families and children, and others across California