| IHSS Consumer Forum - April 29th |
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The Personal Assistance Services Council (PASC) will be sponsoring an In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Consumer Forum on Tuesday, April 29th at Rancho Los Amigos Hospital in Downey. This forum is designed to give consumers a format to discuss with each other the ins and outs of the IHSS Program and ways to make IHSS better. This will be the first of several forums that PASC plans to hold throughout the county in the coming months.
For more information on how you can participate in the Consumer Forum, call PASC at 877-565-4477 or click here to download an informational flyer. |
| Proposed Bus Route Changes Will Affect IHSS Community |
| The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is planning modifications of their bus services throughout various areas of Los Angeles County. Over 50 bus lines will be affected by the proposed services changes, which will include the cancellation of many bus lines due to low productivity, low ridership, and service duplication. Other bus lines will be either lengthened, shortened, combined or changed in an attempt to improve efficiency.
These changes will undoubtedly affect the IHSS Program significantly, because thousands of IHSS providers rely on public transportation to get to their consumers.
For more information on the proposed changes and the bus lines affected, call Metro's Customer Service at 800-464-2111. |
| Governor Proposes Cuts to IHSS Program |
| As reported in past editions of the PASC E-News, Governor Schwarzenegger's proposed state budget for fiscal year 2008-2009 includes cuts to the IHSS Program. If passed in its current form, the Governor's proposal would cut $110 million from IHSS by reducing by 18% hours authorized for non-medical domestic and related services. The proposal would also cut $10.2 million from funds used for county administration of the IHSS Program.
Over the last few months, there have been several hearings regarding these proposed cuts in both the State Senate and Assembly. The Governor is scheduled to release a revised version of his proposed budget on May 15th. At the present time, it is not known if the Governor's proposed cuts to the IHSS program will be included in this revision. More information will be forthcoming in the May edition of the PASC E-News.
For more information on the Governor's proposed budget, visit the Legislative Analyst's Office's (LAO) website at www.lao.ca.gov. To view the portion of the budget that specifically relates to IHSS, click here. |
| Resource Spotlight: DB 101 |
The World Institute on Disability maintains a website, known as Disability Benefits 101, to disseminate information on benefits and employment options for people with disabilities. This website includes information on programs and services that allow a person with a disability to work, obtain an increased income, and improve their quality of life without losing important benefits such as Medi-Cal.
There are five calculators on the website that can help a person determine their current benefit status and their potential for earning income and keeping benefits by utilizing the 250% Medi-Cal for the Working Disabled Program, the PASS program (Plan for Achieving Self Support), or the Benefits to Work Program. For more information, please visit the Disability Benefits 101 website at www.db101.org. |
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Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program |
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The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides eligible low-income households with a cash payment to pay past due energy bills when a disconnect notice has been received. Eligibility requirements are based on income and the number of people in the household as follows:
Members of Household: 1 Monthly Income: $1,838.50
Members of Household: 2 Monthly Income: $2,404.20
Members of Household: 3 Monthly Income: $2,969.89
Members of Household: 4 Monthly Income: $3,535.58
Members of Household: 5 Monthly Income: $4,101.28
Members of Household: 6 Monthly Income: $4,666.97
In addition, LIHEAP pays for energy saving services for eligible individuals including attic insulation, caulking, water heater blanket installation, heating/cooling system repair, and other conservation measures.
Below is a list of LIHEAP service providers in Los Angeles County.
Community Enhancement Services
Van Nuys
818-891-4148
Maravilla Foundation
City of Commerce
323-721-4162
PACE
Los Angeles
213-353-1226
Veterans In Community Service (VICS)
Santa Fe Springs
562-204-0515 |
| Use IRS Free File to Get Your Rebate |
| As announced by the IRS a few months ago, individuals who filed a tax return in 2007 are eligible to receive an IRS Economic Stimulus Payment of up to $600 ($1,200 for couples filing jointly). For individuals who normally do not file a tax return, they will need to do so this year, or they will not be eligible to receive a rebate.
In order to assist these individuals, the IRS has developed the IRS Free File Program, which works with several companies to offer free tax preparation and electronic filing. Although the normal April 15th tax deadline has passed, there is still time to file your 2007 tax return if you are only filing to establish your eligibility for the rebate. Any returns filed by October 15th will be accepted for tax rebate purposes.
For more information on the IRS Economic Stimulus Payment and the Free File Program, please visit the IRS website at www.irs.gov.
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| Upcoming Trainings and Events
click on training for more information |
For information on additional events, please visit the calendar section of our website at www.pascla.org.
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| PASC Legislation Watch
click on bill for more information |
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| Do you have questions about PASC and the IHSS Program? Do you have suggestions for topics to be covered in the PASC E-News? Send your questions and suggestions to e-news@pascla.org. PASC E-News is designed for you to get the information that you need! | |
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