Advocates Fighting To Restore Funding to Adult Day Health Care Services
Advocates are fighting to restore funding to California's adult day health care program as budget subcommittees meet to discuss Gov. Jerry Brown's (D) revised budget proposal, the Ventura County Star reports.
About 37,000 low-income seniors and people with disabilities receive care at adult day health care centers.
Background
In the past, the adult day health care program received $177 million in state funding and an equal amount in federal matching funds.
Earlier this year, lawmakers passed budget legislation that eliminated state funding for the program. In response to concerns from the California Association for Adult Day Services, lawmakers agreed to add a trailer to the budget plan calling for the program to be reborn under a federal waiver.
Legislators intended to allocate $85 million in state funds and seek an equal amount in federal matching funds for the new adult day health care program.
However, Brown's recently released May budget revise included no mention of the state's intent to provide $85 million or resurrect the adult day health care program under a federal waiver.
Instead, the May revise would provide only $25 million to help program beneficiaries transition into In-Home Supportive Services and other state programs.
Advocates Fight To Restore Funding
If the adult day health care program is eliminated, advocates say program beneficiaries who require physical therapy or regular health care services likely would end up in more costly skilled nursing facilities (Lamb Gregory, Ventura County Star, 5/31).
Advocates are lobbying lawmakers to support legislation such as AB 96, by Assembly member Bob Blumenfield (D-Woodland Hills), which would provide $85 million for a new adult day health care program (Evans, Torrance Daily Breeze, 5/31).
The bill calls for the Department of Health Care Services to convert the program to a federal waiver. The Assembly has passed the legislation and it is now before the Senate (Ventura County Star, 5/31).
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