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Assemblymember Corey Jackson, Chair
Assembly Budget Subcommittee 2 on Human Services
1021 O Street, Suite 6120
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: Support for IHSS Career Pathways Extension: Item 5180 Department of Social Services – In-Home Supportive Services Career Pathway Program
Dear Chairman Jackson and Committee Members–
My name is [first and last name] and I am a homecare provider from [county]. I have been a homecare worker for [x] years. I’m writing for my strong support for the IHSS Career Pathways Program budget proposal put forward by the Center for Caregiver Advancement and Homebridge. As proposed, this item would extend federal spending for the program through December 2024 and provide $65M in bridge funding to ensure this groundbreaking infrastructure is not dissolved. Without immediate action from the Legislature, hundreds of thousands of caregivers like me will lose access to this important training.
The 2021-22 Budget established the Career Pathways Program (CPP). It contained a one-time $200M general fund (GF) allocation to “incentivize, support, and fund career pathways for IHSS providers, allowing these workers to build on their experience to obtain a higher-level job in the home care and/or health care industry.” The state requested federal funding support for the program through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and secured approval for $295M in the Home and Community-Based Services state Medicaid plan. This training investment signaled to my workforce that the state had finally started to value our role as a part in the healthcare system.
Now, the funding for CPP is set to end in December, and without state investment, equal access to vital training will disappear for a workforce of over 650,000 IHSS providers.
The CPP has proven to be an extremely useful resource for me as a homecare provider to advance my caregiving skills. Homecare providers, like me, take care of California’s most vulnerable: our seniors and those living with disabilities. The courses I have taken as part of the CPP have allowed me to provide better care to my consumer and feel more confident in my role.
Citing time and budget constraints, the California Department of Social Services has stated its intent to make training available only through September 2024. Less than 5% of the IHSS workforce has had the opportunity to take a single class yet – with high waitlists across all the courses. The training available through CPP allows me to provide better-informed care to my consumer and all providers should have access to these courses.
I urge the Budget Committee to allocate $65M in bridge funding to ensure the continuation of this essential training program and push the department for a no-cost federal extension of the ARPA dollars.
Thank you,
[Name]
[County]
[Phone number and/or email]