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March 26, 2010 -
Health and social services (H&SS) expenditures account for about 29 percent of General Fund spending in California. As part of his plan to bring revenues and expenditures into balance, the Governor’s budget proposes major reductions and program eliminations in the area of H&SS. In this report we describe spending and program requirements as well as key considerations for evaluating budget solutions. We also identify strategies for achieving savings in a restricted environment.
This report and the companion piece The 2010-11 Budget: Health and Social Services Budget Primer provide a framework for policymakers as they make very difficult budget decisions in health and social services.
March 26, 2010 - Addresses the 2010-11 Budget through a Special Session brief, a summary of Social Services findings and recommendations, and the companion reports Health and Social Services Budget Primer and Health and Social Services—A Restricted Environment.
March 26, 2010 -
In 2009-10, expenditures for health and social services programs in California are estimated to be about $25 billion or 29 percent of statewide General Fund spending. Spending on health and social services programs accounts for 36 percent of total spending when special funds, federal funds, and the General Fund are included. This primer provides an understanding of the overall health and social services expenditures, the workings of major health and social services programs, spending trends in major programs, and the major funding sources for health and social services programs.
This primer and the companion piece The 2010-11 Budget: Health and Social Services—A Restricted Environment provide a framework for policymakers as they make very difficult budget decisions in health and social services.
March 24, 2010 - Presented to: Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 1 On Health and Human Services Hon. Dave Jones, Chair
March 17, 2010 - Presented to: Assembly Committee on Labor and Employment Hon. Bill Monning, Chair Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 4 Hon. Juan Arambula, Chair Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations Hon. Mark DeSaulnier, Chair
March 11, 2010 - Presented to: Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 4 On State Administration Hon. Mark DeSaulnier, Chair
March 9, 2010 - Presented to: Senate Human Services Committee Hon. Carol Liu, Chair
February 3, 2010 - Presented to: Assembly Committee on Insurance Hon. Jose Solorio, Chair
February 2, 2010 - Presented to: Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee Hon. Denise Moreno Ducheny, Chair
February 2, 2010 - Presented to: Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee Hon. Denise Moreno Ducheny, Chair
January 29, 2010 - For the special session, the Governor proposes solutions for social services programs totaling $121 million in 2009‑10 and $2.6 billion in 2010‑11. The state Department of Social Services (DSS) oversees most of these programs. There are two main types of proposed solutions: expenditure reductions and fund shifts (federal, county, and special funds). In addition to the General Fund savings, adoption of this package would result in the loss of about $3 billion in federal funds, assuming that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is extended through June 30, 2010. In this piece we provide our analysis of the Governor’s proposals, in some cases offer alternative approaches, and recommend the actions that we believe the Legislature should take on them at this time.
January 21, 2010 - In this seven minute video, analyst Ginni Bella Navarre summarizes the findings from our report, Considering the State Costs and Benefits: In-Home Supportive Services Program.
January 21, 2010 -
The In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program is the fastest–growing major social services program, providing care for over 430,000 recipients, at an annual total cost of about $5.5 billion. The program, which is available to low-income elderly and disabled persons, provides various services to recipients in their own homes and can enhance the quality of life for recipients by making it easier to live at home.
For many recipients, the program allows individuals to live at home rather than in an institutional setting (typically, a nursing home). By preventing—or at least delaying—the move to a nursing home, the program can save money for the state. In this report we look at the net fiscal impact of the IHSS program on the public sector and conclude that the state maximizes its net fiscal impact by targeting IHSS services to those recipients who are most likely to enter a nursing home in the absence of the program. Given the state’s continuing fiscal problems, we offer additional options for the Legislature to consider that can achieve state savings through increased targeting.
(Short video introducing this report)
November 11, 2009 - In this four-minute video, analyst Erika Li summarizes the LAO report Expanding Multi–Stage Procurements for Large IT Systems.
November 11, 2009 -
The state's traditional approach for IT procurement, called the firm fixed price (FFP) procurement, creates a prescriptive process that gives equal footing to all vendors to help ensure open competition and reduce the state’s exposure to protests and potential lawsuits due to perceived vendor bias. As an alternative the state is beginning to look to so-called multi–stage procurement because it creates a collaborative environment for state and vendor staff. Our analysis indicates that an earlier evaluation of procurement strategy can reduce the risks of cost overruns and schedule delays, so we recommend that the Legislature require state entities to include procurement strategies in project documents when they submit them for approval.
(Short video summary)