Disability Thrive Initiative

An annual look ahead at California’s finances predicts a growing economy and budget surpluses.
The state’s non-partisan Legislative Analyst’s Office released its Fiscal Outlook for 2016-2017 Wednesday.
“The budget outlook is decidedly positive,” says Mac Taylor, the Legislative Analyst. “We have revenues growing slightly greater than spending. That means operating surplus grows, the reserve levels grow, and you’re still in a very good situation.” Read more.

Home health care worker Millie Martinez has a passion for her work, but she’s also a single mom and her passion unfortunately doesn’t pay the bills.

She has spent the last decade caring for a man who is like a grandfather to her, helping him get to his doctors’ appointments, ensuring that he takes his medication, keeping his surroundings safe and preparing meals based on a recommended diet. Read more.

Last week, the state Department of Social Services announced that California will begin providing overtime pay to home care workers on Feb. 1, 2016, the Sacramento Bee reports (Miller, Sacramento Bee, 11/6).

Background

There are more than 400,000 home care workers in California, and more than 500,000 state residents receive in-home care services, according to DSS (DSS announcement, 11/4).mIn August, the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., ruled that home health workers were entitled to the right to receive overtime pay and minimum wage rates. Read more.

On Monday, California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform filed a lawsuit against the state Department of Health and Human Services over alleged Medi-Cal patient dumping practices by nursing homes, Consumerist reports.  Medi-Cal is California’s Medicaid program.

Background                                                                                                                                         According to CANHR, federal laws require states to develop readmission hearing processes for nursing home residents who are temporarily hospitalized. Under such laws, states are required to “promptly … provide for admission or readmission of an individual to a facility” if the hearing goes in the patient’s favor. Read more.

The state’s Office of Planning and Research has launched a series of public forums this month to go over its recently revised General Plan Guidelines. Some health advocates are paying close attention, according to Ruben Cantu, associate director at the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, a health advocacy group based in Oakland.

“The long-awaited revised general plan guidelines include new sections on how cities and counties can promote health communities and social equity in future development,” Cantu said in a written statement. Read more.

Sonoma County supervisors on Tuesday are expected to take another next step toward creating villages of tiny homes to house homeless people.

Officials have identified six county-owned properties for the villages, which could include trailer homes, 70-square-foot camping-style cabins or slightly larger, 220-square-foot homes. Read more