A Massive Grassroots Movement Is Underfoot

Many of you may not be on the San Diego Alzheimer's Association mailing list. But we want to be sure everyone is aware of a movement underway to save adult day health care in California.

Here, in its entirety, is the message that was released. Please, if you know of someone in need or already using these services, consider contributing to the effort to keep many of these 35,000 individuals (not all of whom are elderly or suffering from dementia, by the way) from being placed in more expensive, long-term care facilities or forced into home isolation.

A MASSIVE GRASSROOTS OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT IS NEEDED STARTING TODAY IF WE ARE TO SAVE ADULT DAY HEALTH CARE (ADHC)


Contact Governor Brown's office at (916) 445-2841 and ask him to:

1. Sign AB 96

AB 96 authorizes the state to proceed with submission of a waiver application to Center for Medicaid and Medi-Cal Services (CMS) for a reconfigured ADHC program "Keeping Adults Free from Institutions" (KAFI). The only way to obtain a dollar for dollar federal match of state funding is to get ADHC authorized under a federal waiver.

2. Retain the $85 million appropriation in the budget

This was part of the March compromise to implement KAFI and keep some ADHC infrastructure in place to avoid the greater cost of nursing home admission, emergency room visits and hospital stays for our current ADHC population.

Contact your legislator at (click here to find the phone number for your local legislator) and ask them to:

1. Contact the Governor to:

A. Sign AB 96; and

B. Retain the $85 million appropriation in the budget

Background Information:

The State Senate voted on June 11, 2011 to approve the state budget bill and AB 96 (Blumenfield), which directs the state to apply for a federal waiver for ADHC. The Assembly will vote on AB 96 in the days ahead and is expected to pass. The Legislature must pass a balanced budget bill to the Governor by June 15 or begin forfeiting pay and expenses. It is not balanced until there are enough votes to approve extending the temporary tax measures passed in 2009. Four Republican votes are still needed for any revenue measure. For more information, check out this editorial from the Sacramento Bee outlining the importance of Adult Day Health Centers.

FACTS:

• ADHC is the only community AND medically-based long term support and service.

• The Lewin Group estimated that elimination of ADHC would cost the state $53 million more than it saves.

• In-Home Supportive Services cannot replace the skilled medical services, therapies and social work provided in ADHC.

• The strain on the health care system to absorb 35,000 chronically-ill patients will result in higher medical costs across the system.