Our Vision Statement: Disability Rights California will create individual and family supports, chosen and directed by the person with a disability

The Sacramento Bee

October 15, 2009

Judge halts in-home health cutoff notices

By: Susan Ferriss

A federal judge in Oakland has issued an order blocking state officials from mailing out notices Thursday to 130,000 seniors and disabled people whose state-supported caregiver services are to be cut or reduced on Nov. 1.

Judge Claudia Wilkin issued a temporary restraining order late Wednesday prohibiting the state from sending letters to targeted recipients of California's In-Home Supportive Services program.

The California Department of Social Services is under orders to cut $82.1 million this year from the program to meet state budget reductions. A federal court hearing is set for Monday on a lawsuit that disabled and senior rights groups filed challenging how officials planned to carry out the budget reductions.

Advocates hope to obtain a restraining order against the mailings that will last until the lawsuit is settled. They argue that they way officials selected people to either cut or reduce services for violates federal laws and is "arbitrary and irrational."