California is facing the worst deficit in the state's history. Very few were spared from budget cuts that became effective in February. Regional Centers and their service providers already dealt with a 3% reduction and are expecting another 7% cut in September. Beyond funding decreases, the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) has agreed to set caps on services usage by quarter, not by a twelve-month fiscal year. And the state Controller has announced he would start issuing IOUs in lieu of actual payments.
New limitations, mandates and cuts will affect the way that Respite, Inc. will be allowed to operate. We've prided ourselves on keeping respite simple. Unfortunately, the state is taking away most of the leniency we had regarding usage and timeframes. Because workers are paid before agencies are reimbursed, we may not be able to make future payrolls if IOUs aren't honored as actual funds. There will be an hourly wage decrease in September. The amount won't be known until DDS decides how to calculate the new rate.
Among all this bad news, there is the positive aspect that respite remains a service through Regional Centers. Adjusting to all the changes may be a difficult transition, but we will do everything we can to make it work as smoothly as possible. We encourage everyone to utilize their respite up to the authorized number of hours every month and turn in timesheets promptly. We may only be able to pay for usage on a monthly basis and will advise if there will be a disruption to paydays.
California is facing some difficult times, but we don't agree that our elected officials should keep taking away from the special needs population. Our lawmakers refuse to see the long-term detrimental affects and increased costs their decisions now will have in the years to come. Please contact your state representatives and tell them you will hold them accountable with your vote on Election Day.
Please send me an email: respiteincpc@sbcglobal.net or call me directly at 1-888-473-7748 or 805-227-4548 if I can answer any questions.
Thank you,
Diane Toevs
Program Coordinator