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Senate subcommittee hears IHSS and SSI budget outlook; career pathways funding gap identified
Summary
CDSS and fiscal staff told the Senate panel that IHSS caseload growth and hours per case are driving higher costs, that a $24 million career‑pathways funding gap remains, and that APS and HomeSafe integration increased referrals as counties exhaust HomeSafe funds.
Leora Felicina, deputy director of CDSS’s Adult Programs Division, outlined the governor’s proposed budget figures for IHSS, SSI/SSP, CAPI, and Adult Protective Services during a Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 3 hearing.
Felicina said the 2025–26 governor’s budget includes $28.5 billion total funds for IHSS, of which $10.6 billion is general fund, and projected a caseload of 771,650 for 2025–26, an increase of 67,729 cases from the 2024 Budget Act. She said that increase drives projection growth both in caseload and in hours per case.
LAO and DOF concerns
Juwan Trotter of the Legislative Analyst’s Office told the committee current monthly IHSS caseloads are running higher than the governor’s estimates and the historical upward trend in hours per case could make actual costs higher than the governor’s projection. The LAO also noted a reported funding gap of approximately $24 million for the Career Pathways program; CDSS said claims processing for Career Pathways is complete and that a final report will be submitted to the Legislature by Sept. 30, 2025.
Adult Protective Services and HomeSafe interaction
James Dejari, program administrator for Adult Protective Services, told the committee HomeSafe has been integrated into APS workflows and that HomeSafe served over one-third of APS clients with an identified housing need in 2023–24. He warned there is no current replacement for HomeSafe and that loss of the program would not reduce APS caseloads but could lengthen cases and increase recidivism because counties would have fewer resources to resolve housing crises for vulnerable older adults.
Other program notes
Felicina gave figures for SSI/SSP (2025–26 governor’s budget includes $11.2 billion total funds, $3.6 billion general fund) and CAPI (CDSS proposed $254 million general fund for 2025–26). She also noted the governor’s budget request of $616 million total funds for APS, with $428.7 million general fund and county services block grant components.
Public comment and stakeholder asks
Public witnesses including representatives of SEIU, California Association of Public Authorities, and disability and senior‑service providers urged support for IHSS statewide collective bargaining and additional investments to address IHSS provider recruitment and retention. Providers and advocates also pressed for restoration of an ongoing cost‑of‑living adjustment for SSI/SSP and funding to revive an emergency grant program for SSI recipients.
Ending
No votes were taken. LAO and DOF said they would continue to monitor caseload and hours data ahead of the May Revision and advised the committee that cost pressures may require adjustments.
