Following a federal court order by Judge Claudia Wilken halting the implementation of severe cuts to home care for 130,000 Californians, new information presented during a Capitol hearing yesterday demonstrates that the Schwarzenegger Administration is unprepared to meet its own Nov. 1 deadline to implement new restrictions on In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program providers.

At least seven California counties have said that the Administration has provided confusing orders and failed to provide funds and materials promised to counties and at yesterday's legislative hearing, counties and stakeholders described how home care providers, and the seniors and people with disabilities who rely on home care have been thrown into a state of confusion due to the lack of preparedness. "It is troubling that with just four days until new job requirements go into effect, the State still has not given us clear information on what these changes mean for our jobs and for the people we serve," said Raul Rivera, a home care worker represented by SEIU 521 in Santa Clara County.

Who's going to be the most affected by Gov. Schwarzenegger's failure to provide adequate time to implement changes and consistent, clear guidelines: the state's approximately 450,000 elderly and disabled care recipients, as well as close to 380,000 providers statewide. What is the Schwarzenegger Administrations' reaction to CA counties' warnings of the chaos and panic likely to ensue, should these cuts go forward on Nov. 1 as planned? Tough luck! (and that's phrasing it nicely). Officials said today that they intend to go forward with the scheduled November 1st implementation date.

More about the specific concerns and obstacles preventing county governments from implementing the changes the Schwarzenegger administration ordered at the SEIU California State Council website and California Progress.