Ruling halts cutbacks in services

Reductions would hit 232 Del Norters

A federal court order has blocked statewide reductions to in-home supportive services, a program utilized by some 232 seniors, veterans and people with disabilities in Del Norte County.

A 20 percent across-the-board slash in service hours was introduced as part of Gov. Jerry Brown’s latest round of budget cuts, slated to save the state $101.5 billion during the last few months of the 2011–2012 budget cycle.

U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilken ruled last week the IHSS “trigger” cuts were in violation of federal law and likely to cause immediate harm.

These cuts would have been in addition to other cuts and major changes to the IHSS program proposed as part of the governor’s 2012–2013 State Budget.

Del Norte’s IHSS clients currently receive an

average of 20 hours in assistance per week from an individually selected caretaker, often a friend or family member who earns $9.60 an hour through the program, doing everything from administering medication to grocery shopping.

There are about 175 providers in Del Norte County, said Summer Moore-Clawson, chairwoman of a union representing IHSS providers.

Clawson saw the court order as a “huge victory.”

“The only other choice you have if you cut your worker hours is for these people to go to convalescent homes. There’s only one in Crescent City.” she said.

Director of Health and Human Services Gary Blatnick was less certain the court order would have final staying power.

“It appears that the state may appeal this to the Supreme Court,” he said. “That could just create an environment of still not knowing for quite awhile.”

The order issued by Judge Wilken remains in effect unless a higher federal court reverses it or Wilken decides to change it.

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