Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Social Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
IHSS providers press supervisors for higher pay; board discusses negotiators in closed session
Summary
At a Sept. 23 public comment period, multiple In‑Home Supportive Services providers urged Madera County supervisors to raise wages and provide benefits, saying modest county increases would draw significant state and federal dollars into the local economy.
Several IHSS care providers used the public comment period at the Sept. 23 Madera County Board of Supervisors meeting to urge the board to raise provider wages and offer benefits.
Cynthia Wilson, who identified herself as an IHSS care provider for 16 years, told the board she and other providers currently receive "50¢ above minimum wage with no benefits" and said the county’s posture felt dismissive: "It is very insulting to hear that this county values the IHSS program and knows its importance and then turns around and offers us cents." David Rodriguez, who provides care for his wife, credited IHSS for allowing his wife to receive a kidney transplant and said providers are "essential workers" who save the county money by keeping recipients at home.
Corey Croson, another IHSS provider, said there are about 3,300 IHSS providers serving roughly 2,600 recipients in the county and told supervisors a $1 wage increase would cost Madera County roughly 16.5% of the total increase while bringing back more than $2.6 million in state and federal funds to local providers and the economy. "If Madera County gives IHSS providers a $1 wage increase, the county share would be about $500,000 while bringing in over $2,600,000 into the local economy," Croson said.
The board later met in closed session under Government Code section 54957.6 for labor negotiations regarding IHSS; County counsel identified the county’s negotiators as "director Deborah Martinez and attorney Steve Mendick." The closed session produced no reportable action.
Why it matters: IHSS providers deliver personal care that helps keep people safe at home and reduces institutional costs. Providers and union representatives nationwide have argued that increased county contributions to provider wages leverage significantly larger state and federal funding for direct compensation.
What the record shows: The providers' statements are on the public record in the Sept. 23 meeting minutes. The board did not take a public action on IHSS wages during the session; staff conducted labor negotiations in closed session and later reported "no reportable action."
