Judge Halts Plans to Exclude Felons as Caregivers in California
According to a report from the San Francisco Herald, a judge halted certain restrictions set in place by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger that would restrict anybody with felony convictions from providing in-home care to elderly and disabled adults.
The judge stated that the governor’s efforts were illegal. One group of in-home workers argued that if these plans were set in motion, it would mean some patients could not receive the care they required especially if their caregivers were friends and/or family that had a conviction. In the current state law, people that have convictions of child or elder abuse and fraud are not allowed to work in the In-Home Supportive Services program.
While the governor’s intentions may have been good, the argument that elderly and disabled adults would not have the care they require is valid. Some opponents argue that more and more elderly and disabled adults would be required to be placed in nursing homes if these laws pass. The laws currently in place that do not allow people with abuse and fraud convictions to provide in-home care seem to be sufficient in preventing fraud and/or elder abuse.
Thanks for the information, Jessica. You are absolutely right that the laws already on the books are sufficient in preventing fraud and abuse in the In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program.
The goal of Gov. Schwarzenegger's proposal is not safety for home care recipients. Rather, it is to reduce the number of people receiving care, while branding providers--many of whom earn little more than minimum wage--as criminals.