BILL NUMBER: ACR 151	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Ma

                        APRIL 7, 2010

   Relative to In-Home Supportive Services.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   ACR 151, as introduced, Ma. In-Home Supportive Services.
   This measure would declare the intent of the Legislature to ensure
the preservation of home care services to the elderly, blind, and
disabled through the In-Home Supportive Services program.
   Fiscal committee: no.



   WHEREAS, For over a quarter century California has provided home
care services to qualifying residents through a unique, fiscally
sound alternative to institutional care; and
   WHEREAS, California's home care program, In-Home Supportive
Services (IHSS), was signed into law by Governor Ronald Reagan in
1973 to provide care to elderly, blind, and disabled Californians, to
avoid their premature institutionalization and allow consumers to
live independently in the community at a lower cost than
institutional care; and
   WHEREAS, IHSS is recognized nationally as the preferred way to
provide assistance to people who need long-term care, and is now
being replicated in other states; and
   WHEREAS, IHSS has been nationally praised as a model state program
for helping elderly blind, and disabled persons, live independently,
and is a prime example of the home-based, long-term care solutions
that were the focus of President George W. Bush's "New Freedom
Initiative" in 2001; and
   WHEREAS, According to the State of California IHSS Management
Statistics Summary, dated February 2010, IHSS serves nearly 460,000
aging, disabled, and blind California residents at one-fifth of the
cost to taxpayers as care provided in nursing homes; and
   WHEREAS, Nearly 375,000 IHSS caregivers provide the home care
services and support to make it possible for these aging, disabled,
and blind residents to remain living independently in their homes;
and
   WHEREAS, Numerous national organizations join together annually to
declare the month of November as National Home Care Month, to
recognize, honor, and support the valuable contributions of home care
workers; and
   WHEREAS, Providing services and support to the aging, disabled,
and blind to remain living in their homes is a humane, dignified, and
compassionate alternative to hospitalization or other institutional
placement; and
   WHEREAS, The work of California's IHSS caregivers is both
physically demanding and emotionally challenging, as it requires
great sensitivity, honesty, patience, trust, commitment, dedication,
and compassion; and
   WHEREAS, California's IHSS program and its caregivers promote
independence, dignity, and quality of life for California's disabled
and elderly residents; now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature of the State of California
hereby declares its intent to ensure the preservation of home care
services to the elderly, blind, and disabled through the In-Home
Supportive Services program; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.