Good - no, great! -- news arrived yesterday: The state of California reached a settlement with disability and eldercare advocates to keep adult day health care services for the growing number of Californians who currently and will in the future need ADHC services. ADHC as we know it will now be in place through Feb. 29, 2012, when many participants will move to new Community-Based Adult Services programs. That should include our George G. Glenner Alzheimer's Family Centers.
Here is a news release that was issued by CAADS:
(Sacramento, CA) – “Immense relief” and “joy” are the words that California Association for Adult Day Services Executive Director Lydia Missaelides uses to describe the sentiments of tens of thousands of elder, chronically ill and disabled patients after a major settlement was reached today in a lawsuit against the state brought on their behalf by Disabilities Rights California. Missaelides said:
“Throughout this entire year, 35,000 low-income, medically needy patients and their families have endured incredible stress and lived in fear that they would no longer be able to access care at their local Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) center.
“To know that these patients’ legal rights have been preserved is a huge comfort to us and to tens of thousands of Californians throughout the state. This decision means those in the care of our centers will be able to stay at home and in their communities and receive necessary medical and therapeutic services without interruption. We are grateful that the nearly 300 ADHC centers statewide have been given a reprieve to stay open past the planned December 1 closure, resulting in 7,000 jobs being saved and vendors being spared further cuts to their local businesses.
“This settlement makes it clear that the services provided by center-based adult day health programs are irreplaceable in preventing or reducing use of higher-cost institutional services such as nursing homes and hospital emergency rooms, and honors patient dignity and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“We are looking forward to collaborating with the State as we move forward in this transition. We see many challenges ahead as the details of implementation of the settlement are finalized and put in place. We are committed to working in partnership with the state and DRC to make this settlement agreement a success for all parties.
“We wish to express our deep appreciation to Disability Rights California and their co-counsel National Senior Citizens Law Center, National Health Law Program, AARP Foundation Litigation, and Morrison & Foerster, LLP for defending the rights of Adult Day Health Care patients and their working families, and to preserve the model of Adult Day Health Care and the valuable safety net it provides.”
NOTE: Under the terms of the settlement, CBAS will be offered through Medi-Cal managed care plans in most parts of the State. CBAS will be part of the State’s 1115 Medicaid waiver, and will not cap enrollment, ensuring that all eligible beneficiaries are able to receive these vital services. Current ADHC recipients who are not eligible for CBAS will receive enhanced case management to assist them to transition smoothly to other long-term care services in the community. Many of the current ADHC providers will be able to provide CBAS services, thus ensuring continuity of care.
For more information:
State Reaches Settlement to Establish New Version of ADHC
California Adult Day Health Care Gets a Reprieve
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