Assemblyman Jeff Gonzalez Demands Reversal of $367.7 Million in Cuts to In-Home Supportive Services Program

The cuts would fall hardest on the seniors and people with disabilities who rely on IHSS to receive the care they need in the safety of their own homes

“We should not be balancing California’s budget on the backs of people with disabilities,” said Assemblyman Jeff Gonzalez. “These cuts aren’t just line items. They take away the services that let seniors and people with disabilities, like my son, live in their own homes safely and with dignity. If Sacramento can spend billions in a matter of days, it can surely find savings in the next three weeks to protect California’s most vulnerable.”

Under Newsom’s May Revision, the Governor would:

• Shift $233.6 million in costs onto counties, which may lead local governments facing their own budget shortfalls to reduce the care hours they approve;
• Cut $68 million by ending a recipient’s IHSS benefit immediately when their Medi-Cal is discontinued, rather than allowing benefits to continue temporarily under  the IHSS Residual program;
• Cut $62.6 million by reinstating the Medi-Cal asset limit of $2,000 for an individual, affecting disabled adults and seniors with modest savings;
• Cut $3.5 million by eliminating the IHSS Backup Provider System, which provides temporary care when a recipient’s primary provider is unavailable.

“At the end of the day, a budget says what you care about,” Gonzalez added. “And California should be taking care of the people who need it most.”