California’s health and social service programs are moving years in the wrong direction, officials say.
Programs meant to put people back to work are instead, as a result of state cuts, gearing up to pay recipients who opt not to work.
Others that aim to improve health and wellness at low costs have been downsized, which could lead to higher costs through increased hospital visits.
“This is a step back, and we all realize this,” said Philip Browning, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services. “We hope it’s temporary.”
An array of funding cuts that will affect local clinics and service recipients has caused the problem.
State leaders crafted the reductions in February and July when devising a plan to close a projected budget hole totaling $60 billion through summer 2010.
Although the solutions will keep the state operating, the impacts of the cuts on residents could be harsh if low funding levels continue for long, officials said.
The impact to county health service programs, including clinics, health education and In-Home Support Services, which help reduce state costs through efficiency and early detection of problems that could otherwise be expensive to treat, officials said.
Preventive care and health education are key components of President Obama’s health-care reform plan, but residents will benefit from fewer of those productive approaches after state reductions kick in, providers say.
“I think it’s unfortunate,” said Marine Dzhgalyan, chief operating officer of All4Health clinic in Glendale, which will lose support for some county-funded programs that promote the early detection and diagnosis of problems.
Clinics like All4Health educate diabetics on important lifestyle changes that can improve their conditions.
They also provide an important resource to visitors with relatively simple health concerns, like fevers, who otherwise turn to hospitals at the expense of taxpayers, Dzhgalyan said.
“It’s a little bit of a double standard,” she said of the reductions to programs that offer services being promoted as keys to the future of health care.
Los Angeles County, which funds health and social service programs throughout the region, will lose $48.4 million for mental health services, $29.2 million from public health programs and a total of $169 million for CalWORKS, which offers financial assistance for low-income families.
