California In Home Supportive Services Consumer Alliance CICA News

SILC June 2021 Newsletter

Sat, 17 Jul 2021 05:30:00 GMT

All About Choice: Celebrating the 21st Anniversary of the Olmstead Decision

Photo description left to right: Sue Jamieson, the attorney that brought the Olmstead case to the Supreme Court; Elaine Wilson and Lois Curtis, prevailing plaintiffs

On June 22, 1999, US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg delivered what has become known as the “Olmstead Decision“. Olmstead v. LC is regarded as one of the most important civil rights case for people with disabilities. Drawing from the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Supreme Court held that people with disabilities have a qualified right to live in the community of their choosing and that states must eliminate the unnecessary segregation of persons with disabilities. The decision acknowledged that segregating individuals with disabilities in institutional settings deprives them of the chance to participate in their communities, interact with people who do not have disabilities and make their own day-to-day choices. The Olmstead decision furthered the promise of the ADA, prohibiting unnecessary segregation and expanding integrated services for people with disabilities.

In 2003, the California Health and Human Services (CHHS) Agency released the California Olmstead Plan, which provides a blueprint for improving California’s long-term care delivery system to ensure that persons with disabilities and older adults have appropriate access and choice regarding community-based services and long-term care options. The Olmstead Advisory Committee was established within the California Health and Human Services Agency in 2005 to ensure the involvement of people with disabilities and other system stakeholders in making recommendations on actions to improve California’s long term care system. The Olmstead Advisory Committee members represent consumers, family members, providers and advocates.

The Olmstead Advisory Committee was originally established within the CHHS in 2005. In March 2021, the Committee was renamed to the “Disability and Aging Community Living Advisory Committee” to better reflect and communicate the vision and purpose of the Committee. The Committee builds upon the work of the California Olmstead Plan released in 2012, the Governor’s Alzheimer’s Prevention and Preparedness Task Force Report issued in November 2020, and the Governor’s Master Plan for Aging issued in January 2021.

On the upcoming 21st anniversary of the Olmstead Decision, the California State Independent Living Council celebrates the progress made in civil rights for people with disabilities. We honor the plaintiffs of Olmstead v. LC, Louis Curtis and Elaine Wilson, who had mental health disabilities and demanded equality under the law and the freedom to choose. Let’s also celebrate the efforts of people with disabilities and their families and the disability rights community, and the sacrifices they have made to further these efforts.

While we celebrate, we also acknowledge there is more to be done. We must continue to build an array of community-based and integrated options to support choice and independence, and work to end inappropriate and unnecessary institutionalization. Together, we can advance integration, encourage and support full, meaningful inclusion in community life, and economic self-sufficiency.

SILC June 2021 Newsletter

Fri, 16 Jul 2021 17:30:00 GMT

Message From The Chair

Photo description: Peter Mendoza, SILC Chairperson

Greetings Valued Independent Living (IL) Leaders and Community Members,

Happy Pride Month! Let me begin by thanking each of you for your tireless dedication to supporting the rights and independence of people with disabilities and those aging in to disability every day. I also honor LGBTQI+ advocates, without their contribution to Disability Rights/ Independent Living movements many of the gains our community has made would not have been possible. We are forever in your debt.

Back in March 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom issued a stay-at-home order to protect the health and well-being of all Californians and to establish consistency across the state in order to slow the spread of COVID-19. Throughout 2020, and into 2021, we have all been dealing with the devastating impacts of the pandemic and looking forward to California reopening.

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated long standing issues such as the service gaps in the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, severely impacting people with disabilities and older adults. Many people with severe disabilities who receive home and community-based long-term services and supports require nursing home levels of care and have fought to stay out of institutions, but this pandemic has threatened their independence. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that people who receive direct care support and other services through the Regional Centers have also reported significant gaps in their services and supports during the pandemic which also places their independence in jeopardy. In the Disability Rights/ Independent Living movement one of our founding principles is that access to long-term services and supports is a fundamental RIGHT. In my view the philosophy governing programs like IHSS needs to change. People with disabilities who are recipients of IHSS have to advocate for every hour of service for their basic needs to remain independent in their community. I know I am preaching to the choir; people without disabilities can get in and out of bed when ever they want, eat whenever they want, stay out late and have fun whenever they want, go to the bathroom whenever they want, shower, get dressed, and even change their clothes whenever they want. However, people with disabilities who depend on programs like IHSS do not have the same privilege. This is an issue of equity and rights. People on IHSS have reported having to stay in bed for a few days, weeks, and even months because of the insufficient supply of IHSS providers. This must change. We must do better.

With that said, I want to honor everyone who is working on initiatives to expand long term services and supports with the goal of making these vital services available to and affordable for all who need them. It’s important in our work, and a fundamental principle of our movement that we listen to the lived experience of people with disabilities when crafting policy to address the very important issues which are part of our lived experience every day.

Despite the barriers the pandemic caused, it also provided some opportunities. We have recently seen increases in federal funding to Home and Community Based Services in the state; we have seen more investment in the people with disabilities in California, and in our Independent Living Centers; we have seen system alignment between agencies serving our communities; we have had "wins" in the vaccine arena; we have begun to initiate changes to access that were long overdue. In response to the pandemic we have seen more attention on the local, State, and Federal level to disparities faced by people with disabilities, older adults, Black and Brown communities, and Asian American Pacific Islander communities.

The SILC will continue to fight for the rights of people with disabilities in our state, to drive the Independent Living philosophy in everything we do, and to work to continue the fight for equality and equity in the state for people with disabilities. If this sounds like something you are passionate about, reach out! We are currently recruiting for 3-4 Council positions which will open in September. Please reach out to us today.

You can reach us by emailing to SILC@calsilc.ca.gov or by contacting the SILC Executive Director, Carrie England, at Carrie@calsilc.ca.gov.

In Unity and Solidarity,

Peter T. Mendoza

SILC Chairperson

Congress Introduces the SSI Restoration Act of 2021

Wed, 16 Jun 2021 20:48:00 GMT

The Supplementary Security Income (SSI) Restoration Act of 2021 has been introduced in both the House and the Senate. The bill would improve the lives of millions of SSI beneficiaries around the country, including over 2 million older adults who are living below the federal poverty level due to inadequate benefit levels, and often lose or are denied benefits due to outdated eligibility rules.

About SSI

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) provides modest financial assistance for people who are unable to work enough to meet their basic needs. An older single woman whose lack of stable or well-paid work over her lifetime prevents her from receiving significant Social Security benefits, or a person with a serious disability that makes it impossible to work enough hours to afford rent, food, and other necessities. Among SSI recipients who are older adults, over 60% are women.

Why SSI Needs to be Updated

While SSI is meant to help those in great need, many people are not able to obtain benefits because the program has been neglected for decades and the application process is incredibly difficult to navigate. The current eligibility rules, some of which haven’t been updated in almost 50 years, make people’s financial problems even worse. For example, a person who has resources that are just $1 over the $2,000 asset limit will be denied benefits or have all their current SSI benefits terminated until they spend down their “excess” savings.

Some of the ways the bill would modernize the SSI program and better support those receiving SSI benefits include:

· Increasing benefits to the Federal Poverty Level;

· Repealing the marriage penalty that provided less in benefits to SSI recipients if they were married;

· Allowing SSI recipients to keep more of their income from sources like Social Security to supplement their benefits;

· Increasing the amount of savings that people can have while still qualifying for benefits; and

· Repealing penalties for people who receive help with food or shelter from friends or family members.

President Biden pledged during his campaign to update SSI and restore it as a program that helps extremely low-income older adults and people with disabilities meet their basic needs, and members of Congress have told him they agree. Senators Brown, Warren, and Sanders are leading the effort in the Senate, and Representatives Grijalva, Slotkin, and Schakowsky introduced the Act in the House. Justice in Aging is excited to see the SSI Restoration Act introduced in both Houses of Congress with significant support. We hope that the provisions in this bill will be included in any infrastructure plans put forth by Congress in the coming months. We can’t afford to wait decades longer to fix SSI and provide critically-needed assistance to help the lowest-income older adults and people with disabilities live with dignity.

Learn more about the SSI Restoration Act, read our Issue Brief, and FAQ, watch a recent event about the importance of SSI, and access a list of current supporters.

Call, write to, or tweet at your Senators and Representative today and tell them to restore SSI.

SILC June 2021 Newsletter

Wed, 16 Jun 2021 17:30:00 GMT

CA SILC CELEBRATES PRIDE!

Photo description: LBGTQ+ Progress Pride flag, with white text "The CA SILC Celebrates LGBTQ+ Pride)

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ+) Pride Month is currently celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. The Stonewall Uprising was a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. In the United States the last Sunday in June was initially celebrated as "Gay Pride Day," but the actual day was flexible. In major cities across the nation the "day" soon grew to encompass a month-long series of events. Today, celebrations include pride parades, picnics, parties, workshops, symposia and concerts, and LGBTQ+ Pride Month events attract millions of participants around the world. Memorials are held during this month for those members of the community who have been lost to hate crimes or HIV/AIDS. The purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally.

The rainbow flag is a symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer pride and LGBTQ+ social movements. Also known as the gay pride flag or LGBTQ+ pride flag, the colors reflect the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community. Using a rainbow flag as a symbol of gay pride began in San Francisco, but eventually became common at LGBTQ+ rights events worldwide.

Originally devised by artist Gilbert Baker, the design has undergone several revisions since its debut in 1978, first to remove colors then restore them based on availability of fabrics. Baker's first rainbow flag had eight colors, though the most common variant consists of six stripes: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. The flag is typically flown horizontally, with the red stripe on top, as it would be in a natural rainbow.

In June 2018 designer Daniel Quasar released a redesign incorporating elements to bring focus on inclusion and progress within the community. While retaining the common six-stripe rainbow design as a base, the "Progress" variation adds a chevron along the hoist that features black, brown, light blue, pink, and white stripes to bring those communities (marginalized people of color, trans individuals, those living with HIV/AIDS and those who have been lost) to the forefront; "the arrow points to the right to show forward movement, while being along the left edge shows that progress still needs to be made."

ILCKC Asks You to Save the Date!

Every year the Independent Living Center of Kern County hosts an Annual ADA Event. This year it will be on Friday July 23^rd. They have a great line up of professional Disability Rights speakers including Alex Alvarez, Jan Garrett, Paula Rubin, Christina Fatha and more! This is a free event and open to everyone. The event will be from about 10am to 2pm. Registration will begin on June 23^rd.

Need accommodations? Questions or Information? Brooke Whitehead-Tolles, Program Manager 661-325-1063 (VOICE), 661-369-8966 (Video Phone), 800-529-9541 (Toll Free) brooke@ilcofkerncounty.org

View the ILCKC Save the Date Flyer

Golden State Grant for SSI Seniors and People With Disabilities

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 18:15:00 GMT

The Golden State Grant for SSI recipients, which was included in the state’s recent pandemic relief bill, is now going out. The Golden State Grant provides a one-time $600 state supplementary payment (SSP) grant to SSI seniors and people with disabilities. It also provides a one-time $600 grant for individuals who receive Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI), a state-funded program for certain immigrants who are not eligible for SSI due to 1996 federal welfare legislation that restricted eligibility for non-citizens.

Paper checks are being mailed to SSI/SSP and CAPI recipients starting the week of May 24th, based on zip code. Learn more in this explainer from Californians for SSI.

The Golden State Grant is a vital pandemic response that provides direct aid to those most impacted by the pandemic. It will help over 1.1 million low-income seniors and people with disabilities who have struggled with significantly higher costs to meet basic needs during COVID, while trying to survive on a reduced SSI benefit due to recession-era cuts to the SSP.

Make sure that SSI seniors and people with disabilities in your community know about the Golden State Grant.

California Becomes AARP Age-Friendly State

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 18:48:00 GMT

California Becomes AARP Age-Friendly State

California has become the eighth state in the nation to join the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities, a commitment on behalf of state leadership to build a California for people of all ages and abilities. AARP’s network, an affiliate of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities (NASFC) Program, is part of an international campaign to help communities prepare for rapidly aging populations and the parallel trend of urbanization.

“California has the nation’s largest and most diverse aging population. We must tap into those talents and address the critical needs, so all Californians can have healthy and happy older years – especially those at greater risk of isolation, abuse, or homelessness,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “We are committed to creating a California for all ages where everyone has the ability to live and thrive in the community they choose.”

California joins the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities!

This is a historic day for California as we implement the Master Plan for Aging and lead a California Comeback that addresses the disparities revealed during the COVID-19 pandemic. California applied to become a member of the NAFSC pursuant to the Master Plan for Aging Initiative #100 and AB 1118 (Rubio, Chapter 820, Statutes of 2019) which directed the Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency to consider applying on behalf of the state as part of the development of the Master Plan for Aging.

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed our social, economic, health, and political inequalities on an unprecedented scale. By committing to be an age friendly state, California will become a California for All Ages and develop innovative policies, plans, and strategies that will reduce the vast inequalities and build more resilient and inclusive societies and economies – particularly in underserved older communities.

Learn more about AARP's Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities.