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Adopt and present a resolution recognizing November 2019 as In-Home Supportive Services Home Care Workers Month in Solano County (Supervisor Brown)
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Published Notice Required? Yes _____ No __X__
Public Hearing Required? Yes _____ No __X__
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
Supervisor Monica Brown recommends the Board adopt and present a resolution recognizing November 2019 as In-Home Supportive Services Home Care Workers Month in Solano County.
SUMMARY/Discussion:
Solano County joins the National Association of Home Care & Hospice to recognize November as Home Care & Hospice Month to honor the millions of home care workers for the remarkable difference they make for the patients and families they serve. For more than thirty years, Solano County, in partnership with the State of California and the Federal government, has addressed the needs of low-income seniors and people with disabilities to receive assistance and allow them to remain in their homes through the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program. IHSS is a program that is physically and emotionally challenging for the in-home care providers. IHSS workers are assisting the elderly and disabled to live safely and with dignity in their own homes. In-home care providers are dedicated and committed to serving their clients and the community.
Solano County has approximately 4,500 IHSS home care workers providing care for 5,027 clients. As the elderly population grows throughout Solano County, the demand for in-home care workers both within the IHSS program and within private pay systems will increase. The California Department of Finance projects the population over the age of 64 in Solano County will reach 145,458 by the year 2020 in Solano County.
IHSS allows families to keep their loved ones close and in a familiar environment to maintain a higher quality of life. Without the assistance of IHSS home care workers, the cost of caring for a person in an outside facility could be more than $7,000 per month versus the average cost of $1,450 per-month per-client that the IHSS program costs in Solano County. For these reasons and more, Solano County would like to recognize the outstanding work these home care workers provide to some of the most vulnerable members of our community.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The costs associated with the preparation of this agenda item are included in the Department’s FY 2019/20 adopted budget. There is no additional impact to the County General Fund.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board may choose not to adopt and present the resolution. This is not recommended as it is an opportunity to recognize the dedication and commitment of IHSS home care workers.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION