On Monday, U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken issued a preliminary injunction barring the state from cutting services for participants in the state's In-Home Supportive Services program, the Los Angeles Times reports.
About 130,000 IHSS participants were scheduled to lose some or all services beginning Nov. 1 because of budget cuts approved in July (Goldmacher, Los Angeles Times, 10/20).
Background
Earlier this month, disability advocates and unions representing care providers filed a lawsuit challenging the formula used to determine which IHSS participants would lose services.
The state planned to cut services based on "functional index" scores that assessed each participant's ability to perform basic tasks (Richman, Oakland Tribune, 10/19).
Last week, Wilken issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting the state from sending notices to the IHSS participants scheduled to lose services (Ferriss, Sacramento Bee, 10/20).
Injunction Details
In Monday's ruling, Wilken said the cuts appear to violate a federal law that requires states to provide reasonable eligibility requirements for in-home care services (Egelko, San Francisco Chronicle, 10/20).
She ordered the state to send notices assuring IHSS participants that their services would continue (Sacramento Bee, 10/20).
Undoing the Cuts
State officials said they intend to comply with Wilken's order but might face delays reversing the cuts because the cuts already have been programmed into the state's computer systems (Los Angeles Times, 10/20).
Officials said they might call on county workers to help them undo the scheduled services reductions (Oakland Tribune, 10/19).