Fiscal Year 2011-2012 Adopted Budget - County of Sonoma

Core Services Maintained
IN-HOME SUPPORTIVE SERVICES (IHSS) PUBLIC AUTHORITY
Jo Weber, Director
The recommended IHSS Public Authority budget includes funding to continue State mandated caregiver services:
• Ensure that all IHSS caregivers meet the State's mandated enrollment requirements.
• Maintain the registry which matches clients with screened and qualified caregivers.
• Provide direct assistance to cognitively impaired clients who are unable to fulfill the role of an employer due to the nature of their
disabilities (sign time sheets; communicate effectively with provider, etc).
• Provide an urgent substitute caregiver replacement service.
Services Eliminated or Reduced
• Reduction to the urgent substitute caregiver replacement annual service hours from 600 to 480. This level should be sufficient to
address current need, based on recent workload history. Should the need for these services exceed allocation, clients may have fewer
options for urgent care and there may be an increase in hospitalizations for some clients.
• Elimination of the caregiver training program, which eliminates $4,800 for training contractors and $5,000 for caregiver stipends.
Strategic Plan Focus
• The client services provided by the Public Authority directly support the Focus Area of Safe, Healthy & Caring Communities by
ensuring that elderly and disabled IHSS clients receive the support they need to remain living safely in their own homes.
• The State's recently approved Human Services Budget Trailer Bill (SB 72) made the county IHSS Advisory Committees optional and
eliminated the $52,966 annual allocation. However, the Public Authority Advisory Committee continues to be mandated. FY 11-12
funding for the PA Advisory Committee will be $5,660 (state and federal). This change should have no direct effect on IHSS clients
and caregivers. Maintaining the PA Advisory Committee supports the focus area of Civic Services & Engagement by facilitating
public input and participation in this program.
The current local labor agreement for IHSS caregiver wages and benefits expires on September 30, 2011. The State budget allows for
State participation in provider wages and benefits to $11.50 per hour with $.60 per hour for benefits.
DEPARTMENT HEAD CONCURRENCE OR COMMENT
The department head concurs with the County Administrator’s recommended budget.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS’ ACTIONS
Adopted as recommended.
County of Sonoma
FY 2011-2012 Adopted Budget
127
Health & Human Services