SEIU ULTCW Commends CA Legislature for Measures to Narrow State's Budget Gap While Calling for Continued Courage When Addressing the 2010/2011 State Budget
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Laphonza Butler, Trustee of SEIU ULTCW - the United Long Term Care Workers' Union, released the following statement today in response to the State legislature's measures to close the current budget gap per the Governor's Special Legislative Session:
"As the 45-day window of the special legislative session came to close, the California legislature did the right thing by passing measures that narrows the state's budget gap without additional cuts to lifeline programs like In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS).
"With legislators turning their attention to the 2010/2011 state budget, they must continue to work with the same courage required to protect the state's in-home care program from the Governor's draconian cuts that only hurt - not help - California and would further our state's fiscal crisis for years to come.
"It's time that the IHSS program be recognized for what it is – part of the state's long term budget solution – not problem – as in-home care:
- Costs on average five times LESS than publicly funded institutional care,
- Brings billions of federal matching funds into California annually (funds that would be sent back to DC marked "return to send" if the program is cut),
- Helps prevent dangerous and costly health issues that seniors often experience without care, and;
- Is the most cost-effective solution for delivering quality care to our exploding senior population.
"Anything less than recognizing the benefits of the state's in-home care program and taking steps to protect it will needlessly place the lives of 465,000 low-income seniors and disabled citizens in jeopardy, eliminate hundreds of thousands of vital caregiver jobs, and create a 'care crisis' by removing the only safety-net program that serves our most vulnerable residents.
"Taking a stand for California's future, means taking a stand for in-home care."
SEIU ULTCW proudly represents 180,000 California long term caregivers (in-home and nursing home) who are dedicated to providing and protecting quality care for low-income seniors and disabled citizens
SOURCE SEIU ULTCW
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