VULNERABLE IN HOME SUPPORT SERVIDES RECIPIENTS SHOULD NOT BE VICTIMIZED BY CALIFORNIA'S BUDGET CRUNCH..........

California state number crunchers advising the Governor have determined the deficit the Golden State faces this year is $19.9 billion. See my tongue in my cheek, that sounds so much more hopeful than simply stating it is $20 billion !!!!!!!!!! What are we to do to arrest the deficit and our indebtedness, while budgeting for vital and necessary expenditures for the common good of the people of California, especially the neediest among us, in terms of social services ? One of those cost cuts the Governor proposed last week in his newest state Budget, is to totally eliminate funding for In Home Support Services,(IHSS) which provides caregivers for the elderly and disabled, in their homes. This state program has existed since 1973, pays family members, friends, or neighbors, to provide for the basic needs of the disabled or elderly, for 4 hours a day, 5 days a week, at one fifth the cost of what the in home recipient's care would cost were they residing in a convalescent hospital, or skilled nursing facility. The In Home Support Services caregivers assist those for whom they look after, help with personal hygiene, dressing, cooking, cleaning, bill paying, transportation to doctor's appointments, shopping, etc. Although paid for 20 hours of work per week, many of the IHSS caregivers put in even more hours per week unpaid, and I know this to be true personally. For nearly five years between February 1976-Decmber 1980, my siblings and I each spent a period of time caregiving for my Grandmother Powers, whom we brought out of a convalescent hospital to live somewhat independently again, with our assistance. She was eligible for IHSS, and we were paid for twenty hours of weekly caregiving for her, while residing with her fulltime. My sister and brother were in high school during their time providing IHSS, and I was a college student. My grandmother like hundreds of thousands Californians who qualify have been, and are being, well served by In Home Support Services. Having already slashed or defunded other seniors and disablity services that could otherwise compensate for this proposed loss, eliminating IHSS will leave 400,000 needy and vulnerable citizens dependent on much more costly alternatives, that absorb their Medicare/MediCal, pensions and social security funds, and leaves their independence and dignity in tatters. Real, longterm, permanent, tax and budget reform is needed in California. That will require the Governor, Legislature, and the citizenry, to find ways prioritize the funding for the vulnerable disabled and elderly and not make them victims of a broken, bankrupt, bureaucratic, political and governmental crisis. This challenges us to become visionary and creative, in justly finding and funding the means to continue the IHSS, or otherwise sentence these recipients to a much more expensive and less satisfying existence.....Seeking Compassion For Serving the Common Good of California's Elderly and Disabled, While Being Fiscally Responsible..........Fr. Troy