April 4, 2005 - MEDIA ADVISORY

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHAT:		Members of the Legislature and In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) providers, clients, and advocates discuss the impact of the Governor's budget proposal to reduce the wages of IHSS providers to the minimum wage.
WHERE:		State Capitol Room 1190
WHO:		Assembly Member Hector De La Torre, Chair, Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services IHSS providers, clients, and advocates
WHEN:		Wednesday, April 6, 2005 1:00 p.m.

BACKGROUND:

The Governor's proposed budget reduces State reimbursements for IHSS providers to the minimum wage for savings of $194.8 million.

Studies have shown that increasing IHSS wages and benefits results in increased stability of IHSS placements. A 2002 UC Berkeley Labor Institute study of the City and County of San Francisco’s wage increases found that increases to IHSS wages resulted in a:

A) 54 percent increase in the number of IHSS providers;
B) 20 percent decline in the turnover experienced by clients; and
C) 30 percent reduction in overall turnover in IHSS.

The loss of home healthcare support will force many more seniors into nursing homes. IHSS costs per client average $9,924 annually, according to the Legislative Analyst's Office, while Medi-Cal nursing home care costs 4.5 to 5 times this amount.

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