New California Governor Proposes Major Program Cuts & Changes to Health & Human Services

Share California’s new governor, Jerry Brown, has released a proposed state budget that attempts to close a $25 billion gap in the state’s estimated revenues and program expenditures. Cuts to health and human services would affect a variety of state programs, including Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, In-Home Supportive Services, First 5 California, mental health services, SSI/SSP support payments to people with disabilities, HIV/AIDS services, CalWORKS, and developmental services. The state faces a $6 billion shortfall for the current fiscal year, and a projected $19 billion gap for the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2011 . . .