HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY - J. RYDINGSWORD
Receive a report on the status of the proposed elimination of In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Maintenance of Effort (MOE) cost sharing arrangement.

SBC FILE NUMBER: 130.1

As a part of the Governor’s proposed 2016-17 State Budget it is proposed to eliminate the Coordinated Care Initiative (CCI) in seven pilot California counties, dismantle the county In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Maintenance of Effort (MOE) cost sharing arrangement, dissolve the Statewide IHSS Authority, and shift collective bargaining for IHSS workers from the Statewide IHSS Authority to the seven CCI counties.

This proposal does not need Legislative approval or concurrence and will create an estimated cost shift to San Benito County of approximately $585,000. These IHSS funds were originally part of 1991 Program Realignment. The Governor proposes to reinstitute the County Share to 35% of the nonfederal costs of the IHSS program.

The assumption of the Governor is that this cost shift would be borne by local funds in counties, including County General Funds, and by those programs covered under 1991 Program Realignment which includes Social Services, Public Health, and Mental Health. There are apparently no provisions for local counties to adjust the IHSS program to deal with this proposed cost shift. The provisions of 1991 Program Realignment allow local Boards of Supervisors (BOS) to shift dollars, upon an annual BOS finding, up to 10% of 1991 Program realignment funds between the Realigned program accounts. Such a finding would have negative impacts on programs that serve children, health prevention, and mental health services in San Benito County. Without such a finding, the impact will be borne by the County General Fund.

The County sent the attached letter to our state legislators and the Health & Human Services Agency  will brief the Board on the current status.