Re: Proposed Cuts Would Hit Disabled Too Hard

[Guest guest]

Lenny, what happened to your posting of that recent hep B study?

Is it available elsewhere (for free)?

Just wondering,

Aasa

(P.S., I do have a copy, in case anyone else would like to read it.)

Subject: Proposed Cuts Would Hit Disabled Too HardTo: EOHarm Received: Monday, November 24, 2008, 1:35 AM

Proposed Cuts Would Hit Disabled Too HardBy Weintraub for the Sacramento Bee. http://www.sacbee. com/110/story/ 1418775.htmlAs California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and state legislatorsbegin to grapple with a massive shortfall in the state budget, theywill be inundated with desperate pleas from people who do not wanttheir taxes raised or their services cut. Protesters have alreadybegun their chants on the steps of the Capitol.I don't know what the best mix of cuts and taxes might be, ifthere is such a thing. All the choices seem bad to me.But after spending parts of two days last week with more than adozen disabled people who depend on state aid to live on their own,outside of nursing homes, I do know this: They are the last ones whoseservices and support should be cut.Almost every other part

of state government serves people who,to one degree or another, can survive a budget cut. But those cutsshould not fall on people like Dena . , 47, suffered braindamage in an automobile accident as a young woman. For a time afterthat, she lived with her parents, but when they could no longer carefor her, she was moved to a nursing home. Now she lives independentlywith the help of her caretaker, Tony Vreeland.While in nursing homes, says, she "only existed" and feltas if she were among people who "were just waiting to die."Now, she says, she feels alive."I finally have my freedom and independence, " she told me in awritten message.When and the other disabled people with whom I met speakof independence, they mean it in the sense of personal freedom, andespecially a kind of psychological and emotional liberty. As notes, life in an institution, for many, is really no

life at all,only an existence. But the irony is that many people who are disabledare still utterly dependent on the rest of us for the independencethey cherish. Without the support we give them through government,they would have to be institutionalized again.If the proposals put forward by Schwarzenegger become law, wemight not see the effects overnight. Few people would have thefoundations of their support so utterly destroyed that they wouldimmediately be forced to return to a nursing home. But I think it issafe to say that, over time, many of them would be. And in addition tothe loss of human dignity, the slow erosion of independent livingcould cost all of us more money in the long run.The governor's proposals would hit many of these people fromseveral different directions. Almost all of them rely on SSI-SSP, theprogram that provides cash aid to the indigent aged, blind anddisabled to pay

for rent, food, clothing and transportation. A typicalgrant right now is $870 a month for a single person. That is scheduledto increase in January to help people keep up with the rise in thecost of living. Under the governor's plan, though, the grants wouldinstead drop to $830 a month, the minimum allowed by federal law.At the same time, the governor's proposal would cut Medi-Cal,the program that almost all severely disabled people rely upon fortheir health care. It would eliminate dental care for adults, as wellas vision care, psychological counseling, speech therapy and evenincontinence creams and washes. Schwarzenegger' s proposal would alsocharge higher fees to disabled people who are able to earn some incomeon the side but still use Medi-Cal for their health care.The governor's plan also includes a 3 percent reduction in theservices coordinated by the regional centers that help people

liveindependently.But the proposed cuts that most alarm the disabled people withwhom I spoke involve the In-Home Supportive Services program, whichprovides caregivers in the home that many credit for keeping themindependent and out of an institution.Schwarzenegger' s plan would eliminate cleaning and cookingservices for all but the most disabled recipients and charge others afee even for basic care. He also proposes to limit the state's shareof the cost of the program to the minimum wage, a change that couldhave profound effects.Currently, most counties pay these workers more than the minimumwage. In Sacramento County, the pay is $10.40 an hour. If the statepulls back, the counties would either have to make up the differencethemselves at a time when their own budgets also face deep cuts, orpass on the reduction to the workers. Recipients fear the cut wouldmean fewer and less- experienced

people applying for those jobs, whichwould mean gaps in coverage.Beyond the human toll, it is questionable whether the cutsproposed will really save money in the long run or actually cost usmore. In-home care for a woman such as Ellen might cost taxpayers$15,000 a year. Round-the-clock care for the most severely disabledperson (more typical of clinical autism) would be closer to $35,000. But the cost of a nursing home can run to $55,000 or $60,000 a year.

[Guest guest]

Hi Aasa,

The abstract still there, message 92477. I would suppose it's as

available to reprint as much as anything. I don't have a link for it,

though. Try googling; it maybe somewhere online by now.

Lenny

>

>

> Subject: Proposed Cuts Would Hit Disabled Too Hard

> To: EOHarm

> Received: Monday, November 24, 2008, 1:35 AM

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Proposed Cuts Would Hit Disabled Too Hard

>

> By Weintraub for the Sacramento Bee.

> http://www.sacbee. com/110/story/ 1418775.html

>

> As California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and state legislators

> begin to grapple with a massive shortfall in the state budget, they

> will be inundated with desperate pleas from people who do not want

> their taxes raised or their services cut. Protesters have already

> begun their chants on the steps of the Capitol.

> I don't know what the best mix of cuts and taxes might be, if

> there is such a thing. All the choices seem bad to me.

> But after spending parts of two days last week with more than a

> dozen disabled people who depend on state aid to live on their own,

> outside of nursing homes, I do know this: They are the last ones whose

> services and support should be cut.

> Almost every other part of state government serves people who,

> to one degree or another, can survive a budget cut. But those cuts

> should not fall on people like Dena . , 47, suffered brain

> damage in an automobile accident as a young woman. For a time after

> that, she lived with her parents, but when they could no longer care

> for her, she was moved to a nursing home. Now she lives independently

> with the help of her caretaker, Tony Vreeland.

> While in nursing homes, says, she " only existed " and felt

> as if she were among people who " were just waiting to die. "

> Now, she says, she feels alive.

> " I finally have my freedom and independence, " she told me in a

> written message.

> When and the other disabled people with whom I met speak

> of independence, they mean it in the sense of personal freedom, and

> especially a kind of psychological and emotional liberty. As

> notes, life in an institution, for many, is really no life at all,

> only an existence. But the irony is that many people who are disabled

> are still utterly dependent on the rest of us for the independence

> they cherish. Without the support we give them through government,

> they would have to be institutionalized again.

> If the proposals put forward by Schwarzenegger become law, we

> might not see the effects overnight. Few people would have the

> foundations of their support so utterly destroyed that they would

> immediately be forced to return to a nursing home. But I think it is

> safe to say that, over time, many of them would be. And in addition to

> the loss of human dignity, the slow erosion of independent living

> could cost all of us more money in the long run.

> The governor's proposals would hit many of these people from

> several different directions. Almost all of them rely on SSI-SSP, the

> program that provides cash aid to the indigent aged, blind and

> disabled to pay for rent, food, clothing and transportation. A typical

> grant right now is $870 a month for a single person. That is scheduled

> to increase in January to help people keep up with the rise in the

> cost of living. Under the governor's plan, though, the grants would

> instead drop to $830 a month, the minimum allowed by federal law.

> At the same time, the governor's proposal would cut Medi-Cal,

> the program that almost all severely disabled people rely upon for

> their health care. It would eliminate dental care for adults, as well

> as vision care, psychological counseling, speech therapy and even

> incontinence creams and washes. Schwarzenegger' s proposal would also

> charge higher fees to disabled people who are able to earn some income

> on the side but still use Medi-Cal for their health care.

> The governor's plan also includes a 3 percent reduction in the

> services coordinated by the regional centers that help people live

> independently.

> But the proposed cuts that most alarm the disabled people with

> whom I spoke involve the In-Home Supportive Services program, which

> provides caregivers in the home that many credit for keeping them

> independent and out of an institution.

> Schwarzenegger' s plan would eliminate cleaning and cooking

> services for all but the most disabled recipients and charge others a

> fee even for basic care. He also proposes to limit the state's share

> of the cost of the program to the minimum wage, a change that could

> have profound effects.

> Currently, most counties pay these workers more than the minimum

> wage. In Sacramento County, the pay is $10.40 an hour. If the state

> pulls back, the counties would either have to make up the difference

> themselves at a time when their own budgets also face deep cuts, or

> pass on the reduction to the workers. Recipients fear the cut would

> mean fewer and less- experienced people applying for those jobs, which

> would mean gaps in coverage.

> Beyond the human toll, it is questionable whether the cuts

> proposed will really save money in the long run or actually cost us

> more. In-home care for a woman such as Ellen might cost taxpayers

> $15,000 a year. Round-the-clock care for the most severely disabled

> person (more typical of clinical autism) would be closer to $35,000.

> But the cost of a nursing home can run to $55,000 or $60,000 a year.

>

[Guest guest]

Lenny,

I don't know what happened after I tried to share the link with others. All of a sudden, it became more difficult to access in its entirety. Blaah!!

Aasa

Subject: Re: Proposed Cuts Would Hit Disabled Too HardTo: EOHarm Received: Monday, November 24, 2008, 2:31 AM

Hi Aasa,The abstract still there, message 92477. I would suppose it's asavailable to reprint as much as anything. I don't have a link for it,though. Try googling; it maybe somewhere online by now.Lenny> > From: schaferatsprynet <schafer@... >> Subject: Proposed Cuts Would Hit Disabled Too Hard> To: EOHarmyahoogroups (DOT)

com> Received: Monday, November 24, 2008, 1:35 AM> > > > > > > Proposed Cuts Would Hit Disabled Too Hard> > By Weintraub for the Sacramento Bee. > http://www.sacbee. com/110/story/ 1418775.html> > As California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and state legislators> begin to grapple with a massive shortfall in the state budget, they> will be inundated with desperate pleas from people who do not want> their taxes raised or their services cut. Protesters have already> begun their chants on the steps of the Capitol.> I don't know what the best mix of cuts and taxes might be, if> there is such a thing. All the choices seem bad to me.> But after spending parts of two days last week with more than a> dozen disabled people who depend on state aid to

live on their own,> outside of nursing homes, I do know this: They are the last ones whose> services and support should be cut.> Almost every other part of state government serves people who,> to one degree or another, can survive a budget cut. But those cuts> should not fall on people like Dena . , 47, suffered brain> damage in an automobile accident as a young woman. For a time after> that, she lived with her parents, but when they could no longer care> for her, she was moved to a nursing home. Now she lives independently> with the help of her caretaker, Tony Vreeland.> While in nursing homes, says, she "only existed" and felt> as if she were among people who "were just waiting to die."> Now, she says, she feels alive.> "I finally have my freedom and independence, " she told me in a> written message.> When and the other

disabled people with whom I met speak> of independence, they mean it in the sense of personal freedom, and> especially a kind of psychological and emotional liberty. As > notes, life in an institution, for many, is really no life at all,> only an existence. But the irony is that many people who are disabled> are still utterly dependent on the rest of us for the independence> they cherish. Without the support we give them through government,> they would have to be institutionalized again.> If the proposals put forward by Schwarzenegger become law, we> might not see the effects overnight. Few people would have the> foundations of their support so utterly destroyed that they would> immediately be forced to return to a nursing home. But I think it is> safe to say that, over time, many of them would be. And in addition to> the loss of human dignity, the slow

erosion of independent living> could cost all of us more money in the long run.> The governor's proposals would hit many of these people from> several different directions. Almost all of them rely on SSI-SSP, the> program that provides cash aid to the indigent aged, blind and> disabled to pay for rent, food, clothing and transportation. A typical> grant right now is $870 a month for a single person. That is scheduled> to increase in January to help people keep up with the rise in the> cost of living. Under the governor's plan, though, the grants would> instead drop to $830 a month, the minimum allowed by federal law.> At the same time, the governor's proposal would cut Medi-Cal,> the program that almost all severely disabled people rely upon for> their health care. It would eliminate dental care for adults, as well> as vision care, psychological counseling, speech

therapy and even> incontinence creams and washes. Schwarzenegger' s proposal would also> charge higher fees to disabled people who are able to earn some income> on the side but still use Medi-Cal for their health care.> The governor's plan also includes a 3 percent reduction in the> services coordinated by the regional centers that help people live> independently.> But the proposed cuts that most alarm the disabled people with> whom I spoke involve the In-Home Supportive Services program, which> provides caregivers in the home that many credit for keeping them> independent and out of an institution.> Schwarzenegger' s plan would eliminate cleaning and cooking> services for all but the most disabled recipients and charge others a> fee even for basic care. He also proposes to limit the state's share> of the cost of the program to the minimum wage, a change

that could> have profound effects.> Currently, most counties pay these workers more than the minimum> wage. In Sacramento County, the pay is $10.40 an hour. If the state> pulls back, the counties would either have to make up the difference> themselves at a time when their own budgets also face deep cuts, or> pass on the reduction to the workers. Recipients fear the cut would> mean fewer and less- experienced people applying for those jobs, which> would mean gaps in coverage.> Beyond the human toll, it is questionable whether the cuts> proposed will really save money in the long run or actually cost us> more. In-home care for a woman such as Ellen might cost taxpayers> $15,000 a year. Round-the-clock care for the most severely disabled> person (more typical of clinical autism) would be closer to $35,000. > But the cost of a nursing home can run to $55,000 or

$60,000 a year.>