State Budget Impasse Taking Toll on the Developmentally Disabled

Health care providers, families and disabled clients rally at Senator Dutton's
District Office

WHO: Caregivers for people with severe developmental disabilities,
family members and the clients they care for will implore Senator

Dutton to return to the Capitol and bring the nearly six week
stalemate to an end.

WHAT: A rally to bring the public's attention to the fact that without
immediate action to enact a state budget, homes that provide care

for the developmentally disabled will stop receiving payments.
The clients served need 24-hour life-sustaining medical
treatments. Their care and treatments cannot be put on hold,
while the state fails to act. These facilities are 100% funded
by Medi-Cal, the state's health insurance program for the poor
and disabled.

These providers of care are being forced to take out costly
personal loans, at often outrageous interest rates just so they
can keep their doors open and their caregivers paid.

For a typical home serving 6 people, this delay translates into
an average loss of income of $32,000.00 per month.

WHEN: THURSDAY July 24 - 10:00 AM

*WHERE: Senator Bob Dutton's District Office:
8577 Haven Avenue Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730

We are urging Senator Dutton to call upon his colleagues to return to
Sacramento and pass a budget now. There is urgency legislation now pending in
committee that would allow the state to pay these and other healthcare
providers even though there is not state budget, but the bill has not been set
for a hearing. At a minimum, these providers are calling upon Senator Dutton
to call for the bill to be heard to provide immediate economic relief.
To add insult to injury, in February, the Legislature approved, and the
Governor signed, emergency "budget-balancing reductions" to address the
state's unprecedented state deficit.
The emergency reductions will defer Medi-Cal payments for the month of
August this year for all Medi-Cal reimbursed facility providers serving people
with developmental disabilities. This payment delay will occur regardless of
when a budget is enacted.
There are approximately 1,200 health facilities serving people with
developmental disabilities. They are small community-based homes which serve
six or fewer people.
* Similar rallies are being held simultaneously in Oakland, Fresno, Los
Angeles and San Diego.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Betsy Hite (916) 233-6031
California Assoc. of Health Facilities
Or Michelle Clarke (Ability Pathways) (909) 240-7680 (on-site)

SOURCE California Assoc. of Health Facilities