February 29, 2024 - In this post, we provide some background on the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, an overview of the Governor's 2024-25 budget proposals and assumptions for IHSS, and offer relevant issues for legislative consideration.
March 2, 2023 - This post describes the Governor’s 2023-24 budget assumptions and proposals related to the In-Home Supportive Services program and offers relevant issues for legislative consideration.
February 26, 2021 - Analyzes the Governor’s 2021-22 budget proposals related to the In-Home Supportive Services program; assesses recent growth trends in caseload, hourly wages, and hours per case; and provides some recommendations and issues for consideration.
February 24, 2020 - This brief provides information, analysis, and key issues to consider in evaluating the Governor’s 2020-21 budget proposals for the major programs in Department of Social Services.
February 22, 2019 - In this report, we evaluate the Governor's major human services budget proposals for programs administered by the Department of Social Services, including the California Work Opportunities and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs), the Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP), the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), and foster care.
February 16, 2018 - In this report we provide a broad overview of the Governor's health and human services budget, highlighting major year-over-year changes. We then provide a more in-depth analysis of select programmatic areas.
February 27, 2017 - In this report we provide (1) background on the health care and Long‑Term Services and Supports (LTSS) issues that the Coordinated Care Initiative (CCI) was intended to address, (2) an update on the CCI’s results and challenges to date, (3) an assessment of the Governor’s elimination of the CCI and budget proposal to extend certain CCI components, and (4) options for the Legislature on how to move forward. As ending the In‑Home Supportive Services (IHSS) has major, and rather complex, implications for 1991 realignment, we include a technical appendix at the end of this report that provides an in‑depth analysis of these implications.
November 15, 2017 - In this fiscal outlook post, we discuss our near- and long-term costs projections for the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Program and significant cost drivers and savings.
This is part of a collection of material for The 2018-19 Budget: California’s Fiscal Outlook. See a complete list of this year's fiscal outlook material on our fiscal outlook budget page.
November 18, 2015 - California's state budget is better prepared for an economic downturn than it has been at any point in decades. Under the main economic scenario in this year's LAO Fiscal Outlook, 2016-17 would end with reserves of $11.5 billion, assuming the state makes no new budget commitments through next year. If the economy continues to grow through 2019-20, annual operating surpluses and larger reserves could materialize, and there may be capacity for some new budget commitments—whether spending increases or tax reductions. An economic or stock market downturn, however, could occur during our outlook period. To illustrate this economic uncertainty, we provide projections under alternative scenarios such as a hypothetical recession that causes budget deficits to re-emerge. The more new budget commitments are made in 2016-17, the more likely it is that the state would face difficult choices—such as spending cuts and tax increases—later.
April 16, 2020 - This post summarizes key COVID-19 federal actions that affect aging- and disability-related state programs.
March 19, 2012 - The In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program—administered at the state level by the Department of Social Services (DSS)—provides in-home care for persons who cannot safely remain in their own homes without such assistance. Since 2009-10, the IHSS program has experienced significant budget-related changes intended to achieve General Fund savings. As part of the 2012-13 budget, the Governor proposes significant changes to the IHSS program. First, the Governor proposes to transition IHSS from a fee-for-service benefit to a managed care benefit. In addition, the Governor proposes to eliminate domestic and related care services for most IHSS recipients who live with another person. We find that this reduction presents significant legal and implementation challenges, and we therefore offer the Legislature two savings alternatives for its consideration. The first alternative is to consider extending a 3.6 percent across-the-board reduction in service hours that is set to expire at the end of the current year. The second alternative is to consider reenacting a reduction in state participation in provider wages to a level, determined by a study, that does not impact recipient access to services.