August 23, 2009 Vol 1, # 7
WARNING: COMMUNITY LIVING AT RISK !
We have just experienced an extraordinary attack on low-income consumers and workers in the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Program. If allowed to go forward, 1000’s of workers in San Francisco will lose their jobs and nearly 8,000 seniors and persons with disabilities will find their IHSS services reduced or eliminated.
But that’s not all. The Governor’s budget says both IHSS workers AND recipients will need to be fingerprinted if they want to stay in the program. This comes on top of cuts to people’s already meager SSI/SSP income (reduced from $907 to only $850 for most individuals), elimination of Medi-Cal optional benefits that are anything but optional – vision, dental, hearing, podiatry, mental health and more. Add cuts to adult day health care, caregiver support, and the list goes on and on. Let’s hope San Franciscans can find ways to reduce the harm these cuts will cause. See below for ways you can help…
HELP PEOPLE STOP THE IHSS CUTS
The Consumer Rights for Community Living (CRCL) program at Planning for Elders asks your help in reaching IHSS Consumers with this message…
We expect that up to 8,000 people in San Francisco will either lose IHSS services altogether or have their hours reduced. We as a community need an emergency response! If you receive a notice that your services are being reduced or eliminated, here are three things you can do:
1) APPEAL !
If you think the County does not understand all the help you need, you can appeal. Information about how to request a fair hearing is on the back of the notice you received. To continue receiving benefits until the hearing decision is made, you must file within 10 days of the date of the notice (or the date on the envelope if later than the date on the notice, whichever is later). As your reason for appeal, you can say something like “I need help with everything, my scores should be higher). If you miss the 10-day deadline, you still have 90 days to appeal, but you won’t continue to receive benefits.
Call Consumer Rights for Community Living at 415-703-0286 or Bay Area Legal Aid at 415-982-1300 for help with preparing for a fair hearing.
2) TELL YOUR STORY !
Disability Rights California is preparing a class action lawsuit to stop the cuts. They need stories from consumers as soon as possible to help with the legal fight. Send an email or fax describing what it would mean to lose the services your social worker has told you that you will receive. Be sure to give your name and full contact information when you contacting them:
Phone: 800-776-5746 Fax: 510-267-1201
Email: dan.brzovic@disabilityrightsca.org or Rachel.scherer@disabilityrightsca.org
Consumer Rights for Community Living would like to hear your story as well. You can email to us at helpline@planningforelders.org
3) HELP US FIND VOLUNTEERS TO ASSIST PEOPLE WITH FAIR HEARINGS !
Consumer Rights for Community Living is coordinating trainings led by Bay Area Legal Aid and Disability Rights California for volunteers who want to help people who are losing IHSS prepare for fair hearings and accompany them to the hearing. Call us at 415-703-0286 if you want to volunteer.
For the most current information on the IHSS cuts, go to www.disabilityrightsca.org
Please forward this email/posting to those who you think might be interested.
Information provided by Consumer Rights for Community Living (CRCL) Program of Planning for Elders.
