DHCS, CDSS Settle Lawsuits On In-Home Service Cuts

The California Department of Social Services and the Department of Health Care Services have come to terms with labor organizations and the recipients of in-home supportive services to settle legal disputes over pending cuts in the program.

The program provides meals, housecleaning, grocery shopping, personal care services and protective supervision for those over the age of 65 and either disabled or mentally impaired.

Under the agreement announced earlier this week, the IHSS program would incur an 8% total cut in the program's service hours this year – a 3.6% cut that has been in effect since 2009, and another 4.4% cut added on. The second cut will be reduced to 3.4% in 2014. Full funding is expected to be restored by 2015.

The “agreement represents a significant compromise for all sides and preserves access to this important benefit,” said DHCS Director Toby Douglas.

Altogether, the deal is expected to save about $160 million in the next fiscal year, compared to the original $180 million.

That's far below the 20% in cuts to hours originally proposed by Gov. Jerry Brown and prior cuts enacted by his predecessor, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. However, the Brown administration was unable to actually enact the reductions, having been sued by both labor unions and advocacy groups for the disabled.

“This is an example of all sides coming together for the good of the people we serve,” said CDSS Director Will Lightbourne. “This agreement captures budgeted savings, eliminates the cost, risk and uncertainty of litigation and creates stability and certainty to allow this vulnerable population to remain active in the communities in which they live.”