Senator Hancock's Budget Update

I don't normally send these out. But In-Home Supportive Services and SSI are what I survive on. A few months back I talked about how they cut our money. Well, this month they cut sixty more dollars between SSI and In-Home Supportive Service. And now this!

In Freedom,
Frank Moore

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Dear Friend:

Even in a painful and prolonged economic downturn, we have a responsibility to work together to protect our most vulnerable people. Unfortunately, in the midst of difficult negotiations to solve the state’s budget crisis, Governor Schwarzenegger’s rhetoric and policies reveal a failure of leadership in this vital area.

Many vulnerable people – the old and physically disabled -- use a program called “In-Home Supportive Services” for help with dressing, bathing, cooking and shopping. This allows them to live at home instead of a nursing home.

Governor Schwarzenegger has made no secret of his wish to see these services slashed to the bone or even eliminated. In his July 3rd guest editorial in the Los Angeles Times, he wrote that, “…the program has no safeguard against fraud.”

Let’s look at the facts and not the Governor’s new projection of himself as the watchdog against fraud and abuse. His supposed vigilance is one of the oldest strategies in the demagogue’s playbook - demonizing the poor.

In reality, studies have shown that there is very little misuse of this important program. According to a recent state and county review of nearly 24,000 cases, only 523 were referred for investigation of possible fraud – only 2%.

Fortunately, senior advocates and members of the social services community cried foul and responded with appropriate outrage. IHSS actually has many safeguards on both state and county levels. County social workers do reviews and home visits with IHSS recipients, looking for any potentially fraudulent activity or signs of low quality care. In addition, IHSS providers must complete a rigorous enrollment process that requires certification of valid social security numbers and in some cases a criminal background check.

So while Governor Schwarzenegger tells the New York Times that he soaks his stress away with nightly dips in his Jacuzzi with a cigar, Californians who need help with basic bathing, food preparation or taking the appropriate medication will have their help cut back or taken away.

Is that the California Dream?

Governor Schwarzenegger’s attempts to marginalize poverty and criminalize disability are wrong. All Californians deserve better leadership. We are better people than that.

Sincerely,

Loni Hancock
Senator