Senate Subcommittee No. 3 on HHS hears CCI/IHSS

This week, the Senate Subcommittee No. 3 on Health and Human Services convened a hearing focused on Department of Social Services issues, including In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) and the Coordinated Care Initiative (CCI).

During the hearing, the Legislative Analyst’s Office provided members of the subcommittee with a succinct overview of the structure of 1991 Realignment and highlighted the impacts of shifting upwards of $623 million in costs from the State to counties. Subcommittee members were also provided the county perspective through a panel consisting of CSAC, CWDA, CBHDA, labor and a public health nurse from Los Angeles County.

Senator Pan, Chair of the Subcommittee, quickly honed in on the downstream implications to various county programs including health, mental health and social services and questioned the Administration’s rationale for shifting these costs to counties. Members asked the Department of Finance for their analysis of the impacts to counties, which is in progress, but not yet available.

CHEAC also provided comments highlighting how resources dedicated to both public health services and indigent care services would be adversely impacted and noted threats at the federal level underscoring the need to protect resources dedicated to these services.

The Subcommittee held this item open.

The Assembly will hear this item on Wednesday, March 8. CHEAC’s letters of opposition can be found here.