Right at Home Supports CAHSAH's Lobby Day

February 22, 2012

Right at Home Sacramento/Yolo attended and were proud supporters of the California Association for Health Services at Home (CAHSAH)'s annual Lobby Day (Feb 21st, 2012)  at the state capitol building.

The California Association for Health Services at Home (CAHSAH) is the leading statewide home care association in the nation and the voice of home care for the western United States. CAHSAH represents more than 537 members and 850 offices that are direct providers of health and supportive services and products in the home.

During the course of the Lobby Day, many Right at Home owners throughout California lobbied members of the California state assembly and senate in regard to CAHSAH's 2012 Legislative Priorities.

The following priorities were discussed in detail:

 

SB 411 (Sen. Price, D- Los Angeles) – Home Care Services Act of 2011

 

CAHSAH Position: OPPOSE Unless Amended

SB 411 seeks to create stronger protections for those seeking private home care services through the licensure of private home care agencies. However, this bill goes beyond mere regulation of home care agencies in that it requires that all home care aides in California be certified by the state. Requiring the certification of every home care worker in California is extremely costly and burdensome, raising the cost of SB 411 to over $25 million per year. Even worse, since the state is broke the bill would require that the home care companies pay for these new regulatory burdens, meaning that a small or medium sized home care company would have to pay $20,000 to $100,000 every year just to provide these critical services in California. Many of these exorbitant costs would have to be passed on to the consumers, who may not be able to afford the increases. These costs and burdens can be reduced by eliminating the requirement for the certification of all home care workers, and instead simply require a background check.

AB 889 (Asm. Ammiano, D- San Francisco) – Domestic Work Employees

CAHSAH Position: OPPOSE

AB 889 would regulate the wages, hours, and working conditions of domestic work employees, including provisions such as: right to overtime compensation, right to meal and rest periods, a minimum of eight hours uninterrupted sleep, and time off requirements. Many of the provisions are unrealistic given the realities of caring for seniors and people with disabilities in their homes. Measures such as overtime pay could nearly triple the cost of in-home care, making it unaffordable for many who wish to stay in their homes. Additionally, the bill would create a major disruption in continuity of care by requiring alternate caregivers to come into the home during sleep time, meal, and rest periods taken by the original caregiver. AB 889 is sponsored by the California Domestic Workers Coalition. Organizations opposed include AARP, the California Chamber of Commerce and Disability Rights California.

 

 

 

CAHSAH’s 2012 Legislative Priorities